Washington, Idaho in top 10 for cat ownership

Washington ranks 5th nationwide for cat ownership with 39 percent of households in the state owning a cat. Idaho also hit the top 10, in 8th place, with 34.6 percent of households owning a cat, a news release from the American Veterinary Medical Association said. Washington also ranked in the top 10 in 2006, the last time the AVMA put together the statistics, ranking 5th, with 44.5 percent of households owning a cat. Washington also was in the top 10 for overall pet ownership in 2011, at No. 6 on the list. The survey is conducted every five years and includes a breakdown of pet ownership by state. The most recent survey, conducted in 2012, but based on Dec. 31, 2011 numbers, shows that the top 10 pet-owning states are: Vermont (70.8 percent); New Mexico (67.6 percent); South Dakota (65.6 percent); Oregon (63.6 percent): Maine (62.9 percent); Washington (62.7 percent); Arkansas (62.4 percent); West Virginia (62.1 percent); Idaho (62 percent); and Wyoming (61.8 percent). At the bottom of the list for pet-ownership were: Rhode Island, Minnesota, California, Maryland, Illinois, Nebraska, Utah, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. The survey revealed that the states with the most dog owners are: Arkansas, New Mexico, Kentucky, Missouri, West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and Oklahoma.