Word: This text’s statistics come from third-party sources and don’t signify the opinions of this web site.
Cats have change into far more widespread pets lately. Whereas canines stay the most typical pet in most nations, cats aren’t that far behind, and the hole between pet cats and canines appears to shut extra with every passing 12 months.
Increasingly more households all through the world are adopting pet cats, and cat possession tendencies are altering consequently. Listed here are among the newest statistics on pet cats and the way present tendencies search for cat possession.
The 16 Cat Possession Statistics
- In 2024, the US, China, and Russia have the very best cat possession charges on the planet.
- Between 2023 and 2024, 46.5 million US households personal a cat.
- Vermont is the state with the very best rate of cat ownership at 44.6%.
- Millennials have the very best price of pet ownership at 33%.
- 39% of homeowners have pet cats, whereas 29% of renters have pet cats.
- 43% of cat owners get their cats from a pet retailer, and 40% of cat house owners undertake their cats from an animal shelter or rescue.
- Asheras are listed as probably the most costly cat breeds in 2024 and may value as much as $125,000 per cat.
- 3 million cats entered animal shelters and rescues in 2023.
- 6 million shelter cats have been adopted in 2023.
- Cat adoptions have increased by 14% since 2019.
- Cat house owners spent between $314 to $755 on preliminary cat care prices.
- Cat house owners spend between $961 to $2,487 on their cats yearly.
- Cat house owners spend probably the most on meals, with $310 being the average annual spending.
- The common value of pet insurance coverage for cats is $30 a month.
- Gen Z cat house owners are 16 times more seemingly than Child Boomers to get pet insurance coverage.
- 38% of cat owners thought they have been financially prepared for pet care bills however really weren’t.
Cat Possession Demographics
1. In 2024, the US, China, and Russia have the very best cat possession charges on the planet.
(World Inhabitants Evaluate)
The US is a pet-loving nation and much surpasses different nations in pet possession. There are an estimated 74 million domesticated cats within the US. China is second, with about 53 million pet cats, and Russia is third, with roughly 23 million pet cats. Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Ukraine, Japan, and Poland are subsequently among the many prime 10 nations with the very best variety of pet cats.
2. Between 2023 and 2024, 46.5 million US households personal a cat.
(APPA)
Cats are the second hottest pets within the US, with about 46.5 million US households having no less than one pet cat. Canine stay the preferred pet, with about 65.1 million US households having no less than one pet canine. The third hottest pet is birds, and about 6.1 million US households have birds.
3. Vermont is the state with the very best price of cat possession at 44.6%.
(World Inhabitants Evaluate)
Most US states have extra pet canines than cats. Nevertheless, Vermont is among the many few states which have households with extra pet cats than canines. 44.6% of pet house owners in Vermont have pet cats, whereas 28.3% of pet house owners have canines. Maine is the one different state with extra pet cats than canines, with 43.6% of pet house owners having cats and 35.9% of pet house owners having canines. The state with the bottom cat possession price inside the contiguous US is Rhode Island. Rhode Island has a typically low pet possession price, and simply 16.7% of pet house owners have cats.
4. Millennials have the very best price of pet possession at 33%.
(APPA)
Millennials surpass Gen Z, Gen X, Child Boomer, and Builder generations with regards to pet possession. Gen X comes second with a pet possession price of 25%. 24% of pet house owners are Child Boomers, and 16% of pet house owners are Gen Z.
5. 39% of house owners have pet cats, whereas 29% of renters have pet cats.
(AVMA)
Nearly all of cat house owners are additionally householders. It’s seemingly that cat possession amongst renters is decrease as a result of restricted rental housing choices and pet charges that landlords cost to pet house owners.
Cat Adoptions
6. 43% of cat house owners get their cats from a pet retailer, and 40% of cat house owners undertake their cats from an animal shelter or rescue.
(AVMA)
Cats usually tend to be adopted by means of a pet retailer or animal shelter. Many pet shops accomplice with native pet adoption companies by briefly housing adoptable cats and coordinating cat adoptions. Solely about 7% of pet cats are acquired from a breeder.
7. Asheras are listed as probably the most costly cat breeds in 2024 and may value as much as $125,000 per cat.
(FinancesOnline)
Asheras have been developed by crossbreeding African Servals, Asian Leopard Cats, and domesticated cats. They’re extraordinarily uncommon as a result of they’re difficult to breed, and one Ashera cat breeder produces about 5 Ashera kittens a 12 months. Different costly cat breeds embody Savannahs, Bengals, Persians, and Peterbalds.
8. 3 million cats entered animal shelters and rescues in 2023.
(Shelter Animals Rely)
The speed of cat intakes at animal shelters has fluctuated barely for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic. The 2023 price is 3.2% decrease than the 2019 price. When in comparison with 2022, there was a 0.2% improve in cat intakes at animal shelters in 2023. Cat intakes and canine intakes are practically the identical, with 51% of animal intakes being cats and 49% of intakes being canines.
9. 6 million shelter cats have been adopted in 2023.
(Shelter Animals Rely)
In 2023, cat adoptions have been barely larger than canine adoptions. 54% of pet adoptions concerned a cat, whereas 46% concerned canines. 2023 additionally noticed a rise in reside outcomes, equivalent to adoptions, being returned to house owners, or feral cats being returned to the sphere. When in comparison with 2022 knowledge, 166,000 extra animals had a reside end result.
10. Cat adoptions have elevated by 14% since 2019.
(ASPCA)
The variety of cat adoptions has elevated typically since 2019, with about 319,000 extra cats getting adopted in 2023 than in 2019. The speed of intakes that led to adoptions elevated from 59% in 2019 to 65% in 2023. There has additionally been a rise within the variety of animals ready for an end result, together with these in foster care and people transferring to completely different adoption organizations. In comparison with 2022, 177,000 extra animals have waited for an end result in 2023.
Cat Possession Spendings
11. Cat house owners spent between $314 to $755 on preliminary cat care prices.
(Synchrony)
Preliminary cat care prices embody adoption charges, buying provides, and vet visits. These prices rely upon the cat’s age and well being situation. Spay and neuter charges are among the many most vital elements that have an effect on preliminary cat care prices, together with the kind of cat meals and pet insurance coverage.
12. Cat house owners spend between $961 to $2,487 on their cats yearly.
(Synchrony)
Spending will rely upon quite a lot of elements, together with meals, veterinary care visits, cat litter, and toys. Contemplating how the vary of spending is comparatively broad, it’s attainable to make important financial savings by selecting extra budget-friendly cat care merchandise. You too can expertise extra financial savings by selecting generic treatment, purchasing throughout gross sales, and signing up for subscription providers.
13. Cat house owners spend probably the most on meals, with $310 being the common annual spending.
(AVMA)
Wholesome cats don’t actually have too many important common care prices aside from meals and cat litter. Cat house owners can expertise some financial savings by selecting inexpensive cat meals that doesn’t considerably sacrifice high quality. Scheduling mealtimes and monitoring how a lot a cat eats may also help forestall meals waste and guarantee cats are consuming simply the correct quantity of meals.
14. The common value of pet insurance coverage for cats is $30 a month.
(Forbes)
Pet insurance coverage may also help reduce the monetary stress that comes from surprising well being diagnoses in cats. Diagnostic checks and coverings can simply attain 1000’s of {dollars} that cat house owners must pay out-of-pocket. Pet insurance coverage may also help cowl these prices, and most pet insurance policy for cats have common premiums which are decrease than premiums for canines. Pet insurance coverage premiums are sometimes affected by the cat’s age and breed, and cities with larger dwelling prices normally have the most costly pet insurance coverage premiums.
15. Gen Z cat house owners are 16 occasions extra seemingly than Child Boomers to get pet insurance coverage.
(MarketWatch)
Gen Z has been named the era with probably the most accountable pet house owners as a result of having the very best share of pet house owners with pet insurance policy and the better probability of taking their pets to the vet.
41.5% of Gen Z pet house owners have pet insurance coverage, and 33.1% are both or researching it. 14% of Gen Z pet house owners assume pet insurance coverage is simply too costly, and 9.4% consider it’s pointless.
In distinction, lower than 3% of Child Boomer pet house owners have pet insurance coverage. 37.9% consider pet insurance coverage is simply too costly, and 19.8% consider it’s pointless.
16. 38% of cat house owners thought they have been financially prepared for pet care bills however really weren’t.
(Synchrony)
Cats are sometimes extra budget-friendly than canines, however they’ll nonetheless take up a good portion of your funds. Cat care charges fluctuate relying on a cat’s age and breed, and cats have a better threat of creating a power well being difficulty as they become older. Many pet house owners aren’t ready to pay for surprising veterinary care prices when their cats get sick, particularly in the event that they don’t have pet insurance coverage.
Steadily Requested Questions About Cat Possession
What’s the hottest cat breed within the US?
The commonest cat breed you’ll discover in somebody’s house is the Home Shorthair, and lots of adoptable cats have Home Shorthair of their lineage. With regards to purebred cats, Ragdolls, Maine Coons, Devon Rexes, Unique Shorthairs, and Persians are among the many hottest breeds in American households.
Is cat possession inexpensive than canine possession?
Typically, cats are less expensive than canines. Because of their small dimension, they have an inclination to eat lower than canines, and lots of cat toys and treats are cheaper than canine toys and treats. Pet insurance coverage premiums are additionally normally decrease for cats than canines.
Nevertheless, taking good care of a cat nonetheless takes up a major a part of most individuals’s annual funds. So, it’s vital to calculate prices completely earlier than bringing house a brand new pet cat.
What’s the common lifespan of pet cats?
A cat’s lifespan is affected by both genetics and lifestyle. Some cat breeds are recognized to reside longer lives, and cats which have wholesome existence have a decrease threat of shortened lifespans. On the whole, you may anticipate pet cats to reside anyplace from 12 to 18 years, and indoor cats have longer life expectations than outside cats.
How lengthy can cats be left alone?
Your cat’s capacity to be house alone will rely upon their particular person temperament and social wants. Some cat breeds are extra social than others, and so they don’t do effectively being by themselves for lengthy hours. On the whole, it’s not beneficial to depart your cat house alone for greater than 8 hours at a time.
It’s a standard fable that cats could be left alone for a number of days so long as they’ve meals and water. Nevertheless, most cats will feel distressed when their owners leave and are left house alone for greater than 24 hours.
Cats are able to forming robust bonds with individuals, and so they have social wants. Failure to satisfy their social wants could cause emotional misery and result in behavioral points, together with separation anxiousness and interesting in damaging actions. Subsequently, should you plan to depart your cats for a few days, make sure that to rearrange for cat sitters to handle your cats whilst you’re away.
Conclusion
Cats are widespread pets in lots of nations, and the most typical approach to purchase them is thru pet adoptions. Cat adoptions have elevated steadily over the previous a number of years, and Millennials and Gen Z are almost definitely to personal cats.
Whereas taking good care of cats typically prices lower than caring for canines, many individuals nonetheless face challenges with budgeting as a result of rising pet care prices. Probably the most important monetary problem is surprising medical payments. Monetary challenges have brought about extra curiosity in pet insurance coverage and different strategies of budgeting for pet care. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how pet tendencies proceed to vary and adapt to trendy cat possession and what cat possession will appear to be as we proceed to observe pet tendencies within the US.
Featured Picture Credit score: evrymmnt, Shutterstock
