{"id":757,"date":"2020-12-12T20:46:21","date_gmt":"2020-12-12T20:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/?p=757"},"modified":"2024-02-18T18:15:52","modified_gmt":"2024-02-18T18:15:52","slug":"cat-statistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/cat-statistics\/","title":{"rendered":"61 Fun Cat Statistics That Are the Cat\u2019s Meow! (2024 UPDATE)"},"content":{"rendered":"
When it comes to one of the world\u2019s most popular pets, what can we learn from the cat statistics we don’t already know? A lot, it turns out. Cats are mysterious creatures that never stop to amaze us.<\/span><\/p>\n Whatever the reason, cats are fantastic, and these stats prove it!<\/span><\/p>\n Dive into some of the most fascinating stats about the species and get to know them better!<\/span><\/p>\n People love cats. It\u2019s a fact. But, let\u2019s see which countries love them the most.<\/span><\/p>\n (WorldAtlas)<\/span><\/p>\n The exact number is difficult to determine, but it\u2019s believed that the entire global cat population counts over 400 million felines. This includes pets, as well as strays and feral cats.<\/span><\/p>\n (WorldAtlas)<\/span><\/p>\n As we said, people love cats, and the number of pet cats in the world proves it. Statistics show there are more than 70 species of cats. Each of them is nurturing to their owner. Their lifespan ranges from 12 to 15 years.<\/span><\/p>\n (WorldAtlas)<\/span><\/p>\n The EU loves its cats. Not only has the number of felines gone up in the past decade, but cats are fast becoming Europe\u2019s favorite pet.<\/span><\/p>\n At least 23% of German households have a cat, making it the EU country with the largest feline population.<\/span><\/p>\n [visualizer id=”5750″]<\/span><\/p>\n According to cat statistics, France is second with 13.5 million cats, and the UK with 7.5 million is ranked third.<\/span><\/p>\n (Legal Nomads, The Denver Channel)<\/span><\/p>\n Istanbul is also known as the City of Cats. People there adore cats so much that the city is sometimes referred to as Catstanbul. The streets are lined with water and food bowls, and thousands of cats roam the city freely.<\/span><\/p>\n Cats are the most popular pets in the US, right after dogs. Let\u2019s see some of the most relevant numbers regarding the species.<\/span><\/p>\n (HumanePro by HSUS)<\/span><\/p>\n The number of cats in the US is incredibly high. Most of these cats (77%) are mixed breed or “mutts,” and<\/span>\u00a087% of these pet cats are spayed or neutered<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n (ASPCA, Business Wire)<\/span><\/p>\n The adoption rates have dropped<\/a> down by 36% due to the Covid-19 pandemic<\/span>. Even so, the overall number of pet adoptions is on the rise.<\/span><\/p>\n Statistics estimate that every year, some<\/span>\u00a01.6 million cats get adopted from animal shelters<\/span><\/a> across the US.<\/span><\/p>\n Sadly, the black cat adoption rates are among the lowest ones.<\/span><\/p>\n (Alley Cat Allies)<\/span><\/p>\n Cats weren\u2019t domesticated in America until settlers arrived from Europe, bringing cats with them on their ships. These cats were \u201cemployed\u201d to catch mice and other rodents on ships.<\/span><\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t until the 19th century that the idea of keeping felines as pets took off.<\/span><\/p>\n Feral cats are domestic cats that aren\u2019t owned and usually avoid contact with humans. They aren\u2019t likely to become pets or lap cats.<\/span><\/p>\n (National Today)<\/span><\/p>\n Various surveys, animal shelters stats, and telemetry studies were used to get this number. The actual feral cat population statistics are almost impossible to calculate. Some believe the number of feral and unowned cats can be well over 75 million.<\/span><\/p>\n (HumanePro by HSUS)<\/span><\/p>\n Community cats encompass both feral and stray felines, but feral and stray cats are not the same.<\/span><\/p>\n A stray cat used to be someone’s pet and is accustomed to human contact, while feral cats were born and raised in the wild and had little contact with humans.<\/span><\/p>\n Both types of cats can be domesticated with time and patience.<\/span><\/p>\n (HSUS)<\/span><\/p>\n Cats mostly hunt small mammals, typically mice and other small rodents. However, the cats killing birds statistics show that a quarter of community cats\u2019 prey are birds.<\/span><\/p>\n (Research Gate)<\/span><\/p>\n Outdoor cats are the biggest human-caused threat to wildlife. So far, they have affected the reduction or extinction of 123 bird species on islands, ranging from songbirds to penguins.<\/span><\/p>\n Stray and feral cat stats also show that they have contributed to the decline in the number of 25 species of reptiles.<\/span><\/p>\n (International Cat Care, The Spruce Pets)<\/span><\/p>\n On average, cats have four kittens in a litter. However, the number ranges from one to 12. Moreover, a cat can give birth to up to five litters a year.<\/span><\/p>\n If they aren’t neutered or spayed, a single female cat can produce up to 420 cats in seven years. Multiply this by the number of community cats in the US and think about the final number.<\/span><\/p>\n There’s a real danger of cities being overrun by strays, as the numbers on feral cat population in the US reveal.<\/span><\/p>\n (ASPCA)<\/span><\/p>\n If a free-roaming cat survives into adulthood, its average lifespan is two years. When the cat is part of a colony or has human taking care of it, it can live up to 10 years.<\/span><\/p>\n The average age of cats living in the street is much shorter due to their hard life. They\u2019re threatened by extreme weather conditions, starvation, and diseases like feline AIDS and FIV.<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, humans are the most significant danger to homeless cats, as data proves.<\/span><\/p>\n (AVMA)<\/span><\/p>\n TNR stands for Trap Neuter Return. A study showed that the TNR method reduced the outdoor cat population by 66% over 11 years.<\/span><\/p>\n Another study examining the long-term effect of TNR concluded that the number of community cats reduced by 55%.<\/span><\/p>\n It also showed that TNR improved the wellness of stray cats. The method increased their average lifespan and reduced the disease’s prevalence.<\/span><\/p>\n We mentioned that cats are the second most popular pets in the States, so let\u2019s see some stats on cat ownership.<\/span><\/p>\n (Spots)<\/span><\/p>\n Although more households have dogs than cats, 53% vs. 35.7%, there are more felines in these homes. However, the average number of cats per household is 2 or more, while dog-owning families usually have only one dog.<\/span><\/p>\n (HumanePro by HSUS)<\/span><\/p>\n According to the APPA’s 2019\/2020 report, a staggering 21% were taken in as strays.<\/span><\/p>\n [visualizer id=”5754″]<\/span><\/p>\n An equal number was acquired from friends and family, while 12% were bought from a store. Only 3% were purchased from a breeder.<\/span><\/p>\n (World Population Review)<\/span><\/p>\n Vermont is the state with the highest percentage of cat owners:<\/span>\u00a044.6% of homes have a cat<\/a>, the pet ownership statistics by state reveal<\/span>. It also has a 16.3% gap between homes with cats as opposed to those with dogs.<\/span><\/p>\n (World Population Review)<\/span><\/p>\n Only 16.4% of households in the District of Columbia have a feline companion. The state also has the lowest rate of dog ownership \u2014 22.5%.<\/span><\/p>\n Moreover, DC also has the lowest rate of pet ownership. According to the statistics, only 38.2% of households have a pet.<\/span><\/p>\n (APPA)<\/span><\/p>\n According to the cat statistics from 2020, pet expenses amounted to $99 billion in the same year. This includes costs on cat food, supplies, and medication, as well as grooming, boarding, and veterinary care.<\/span><\/p>\n (APPA)<\/span><\/p>\n Food costs were the highest, followed by surgical vet visits, for which cat owners spent an average of $214. Routine vet visits cost cat lovers around $160, while they paid $120 on kennel boarding.<\/span><\/p>\n The least amount was spent on toys, only $31, cat owner statistics suggest.<\/span><\/p>\n (ValuePenguin)<\/span><\/p>\n The plans that cover both accidents and illnesses on average cost $26.90 per month. Of course, cat insurance premiums<\/span>\u00a0mainly depend on the cat’s age, breed, and state<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n (Pet Food Processing)<\/span><\/p>\n Millennials are leading the pet ownership wave. And in the ongoing comparison between dog owners vs. cat owners, statistics show that 82% of them own a dog and 50% at least one cat.<\/span><\/p>\n However, Baby Boomers aren\u2019t much behind. 29% of them own a pet, as well as 26% of Gen Xers.<\/span><\/p>\n (Money)<\/span><\/p>\n Millennials are the age group that spends the most on their pet cats. Gen Xers spend on average $669 while Boomers cash out about $681.<\/span><\/p>\n [visualizer id=”5761″]<\/span><\/p>\n What Millennials spend the most money on is high-quality cat food<\/a>. They give about $268 a year for tasty food. However, Millennials spend the least on training \u2014 only $12 a year.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat are the Top 10 Cat Stats Owners Should Know?<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
How Many Cats Are in the World Today?<\/b><\/h2>\n
1. More than 400 million cats live across the globe.<\/b><\/h3>\n
2. At least 373 million cats around the globe are kept as pets.<\/b><\/h3>\n
3. Germany has the most cats in the European Union.<\/b><\/h3>\n
4. There are over 125,000 free-roaming cats in Istanbul.<\/b><\/h3>\n
How Many Cats Are in the US?<\/b><\/h2>\n
5. 42.7 million US households have at least one cat.<\/b><\/h3>\n
6. Every year, 1.6 million cats get adopted.<\/b><\/h3>\n
7. Domesticated cats first came to America in the 1600s.<\/b><\/h3>\n
Feral Cat Statistics<\/b><\/h2>\n
8. It\u2019s believed that roughly 73 million cats in the US are feral or unowned.<\/b><\/h3>\n
9. Approximately 10% of Americans feed community cats.<\/b><\/h3>\n
10. Birds account for 25% of feral and stray cats\u2019 prey.<\/b><\/h3>\n
11. Cats are responsible for the decline of 27 mammal species.<\/b><\/h3>\n
12. A cat can have as many as 12 kittens in a litter.<\/b><\/h3>\n
13. Feral cats have a shorter lifespan than house cats.<\/b><\/h3>\n
14. The best method to control the feral cat population is TNR.<\/b><\/h3>\n
Cat Ownership Statistics<\/b><\/h2>\n
15. More households have dogs than cats.<\/b><\/h3>\n
16. 43% of owners got their cat from a shelter or rescue.<\/b><\/h3>\n
17. Nearly half of all households in Vermont have a cat.<\/b><\/h3>\n
18. The District of Columbia has the lowest rate of cat ownership at 16.4%.<\/b><\/h3>\n
19. It\u2019s estimated that the total expenditure on pets reached $99 billion in 2020.<\/b><\/h3>\n
20. Pet owners spent an average of $228 on cat food and $58 on treats in 2020.<\/b><\/h3>\n
21. The average monthly cat insurance ranges between $10 and $40.<\/b><\/h3>\n
22. At 31%, Millennials have the highest rate of pet ownership.<\/b><\/h3>\n
23. Millennials spend on average $745 a year on their pet cat.<\/b><\/h3>\n