New York was once called the capital of the world, but according to a new census, it may soon become the cat capital as well, according to the NY Daily News.
More that 576,000 cats are documented as pets, with even more feral cats unclaimed and running wild in the city that never sleeps.
"This shows the benefit and urgency for more spay-neuter programs," said Animal Care Center executive Risa Weinstock.
The census shows that 40 percent of cat owners in the Bronx area had not neutered or spayed their pets, and people from the south Bronx made large contributions to the growing number of pets being given away to shelters and animal care centers.
The NYC Feral Cat Initiative is hard at work trying to contain New Yorks fur-raising problems, using non-lethal methods like "Trap-Neuter-Return," or TNR.
"Stray and feral cats are humanely trapped, evaluated, given a rabies vaccination, left eartipped and spayed or neutered by a veterinarian and then returned to the familiar habitat of their original colony," said FCI on its website. "Tame cats and kittens young enough to be socialized are removed for adoption placement in permanent indoor homes."
According to the organization, this helps to keep the number among cat colonies low over the course of time.
Taylor Swift and Beth Stern are among New York's feline enthusiasts, according to the New York Metro Bugle.
