福伊特
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Aug 13,2024
Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.
Felines are ubiquitous; there’s almost nowhere in the world you can go where you won’t run into a cat (or a few hundred of them). A significant reason there are so many kitties in the world is the number of stray and feral populations. Without more Trap, Neuter, and Release (TNR) programs being utilized, the number of felines in the world will only continue to grow.
But just how many cats are in the world currently? Here’s a closer look at the number of felines in the world, the countries with the most kitties, and a glance at the cat population of the United States. Keep reading to learn about how many cats are in the world!
The 20 Statistics on How Many Cats There Are in the World
Cats are one of the world’s most prevalent animals, with the total feline population exceeding 1 billion.
Of all the cats in the world, roughly 480 million are stray or feral.
Asia contains roughly 400 million felines.
Approximately 350 million cats are living as pets.
40% of households making $100,000 or more own cats.
You can find about 74,059,000 felines in the United States.
Over 25% of U.S. households are cat owners.
Of the cat population in the United States, roughly 30 to 40 million are stray or feral.
A 40% increase in cat ownership occurred in the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
45% of Vermont households own felines.
3 million felines ended up in shelters in the United States in 2023.
A mere 3% of cat parents in the U.S. get their pets from breeders.
China has a large number of pet cats, with a total of about 65.4 million cats owned.
Russia has the most cat parents in the world, as 59% of Russians have cats as pets.
Russia has the largest European population of felines, with about 23 million cats in total.
Germany has the next largest population of cats in Europe, with 15.2 million felines.
Brazil has a cat population of around 33.6 million.
Japan is forecasted to have a cat population of roughly 8.6 million by 2028.
The Philippines is home to around 8 million cats.
Istanbul has about 125,000 cats roaming the streets.
How Many Cats Are in the World Statistics
1.Cats are one of the world’s most prevalent animals, with the total feline population exceeding 1 billion.
(World Population Review)
Globally speaking, felines are among the most prevalent animals around. As of 2024, the World Population Review estimates the total number of cats in the world exceeds 1 billion. Not all those kitties are pets, though; this number includes strays, feral felines, and other uncared-for cats, as well as wild cats, like lions and tigers.
2.Of all the cats in the world, roughly 480 million are stray or feral.
(IAPWA)
A good chunk of the feline population is either stray or feral. Most likely, this is due to stray and feral cats being neither spayed or neutered. As such, it means kittens are constantly being born, and considering cats have litters, the numbers add up, and there simply aren’t enough people to adopt them all. This is why Trap, Neuter, and Release (TNR) programs can do a world of good for stray and feral feline populations.
3.Asia contains roughly 400 million felines.
(IFAW)
Asia contains a huge number of cats! Felines are popular in Asia for various reasons, including being quieter than canines, symbols of good fortune, and more affordable as pets. Of course, some of these felines are also strays or feral kitties, but there’s no doubt cat ownership is booming in Asia.
4.Approximately 350 million cats are living as pets.
(World Population Review)
Though the population of feral or stray felines is larger, 350 million cats still live comfortably in homes as pets. Though dogs are the most popular pet, cats are quickly catching up as more people elect to adopt felines over canines. This may be in large part because felines are easier to have in smaller spaces, such as apartments, and are a bit more low-key than dogs.
5.40% of households making $100,000 or more own cats.
(Forbes)
Households making $100,000 or higher are more likely to own pets. Of these households, 40% are cat parents, while 63% are dog parents. Households making less still own cats, of course, but those making more money are most likely to have animals in the home.
How Many Cats Are in the United States Statistics
6.You can find about 74,059,000 felines in the United States.
(World Population Review)
This number consists of not only pet cats but also feral and stray felines. Some of these feral and stray kitties run into some luck, though; it seems places such as Disney World actually employ these kinds of cats to control the rodent population in the park!
7.Over 25% of U.S. households are cat owners.
(AVMA)
According to the 2022 AVMA Pet Ownership and Demographic Sourcebook, 26% of American households own felines. Canines still win out, though, with 44.6% of households owning dogs. Birds as pets come in third place, with 2.5% of households owning these animals.
8.Of the cat population in the United States, roughly 30 to 40 million are stray or feral.
(Humane Pro)
Unfortunately, there are far too many stray and feral felines in the U.S. While a large portion of the country’s cat population live as pets, at least 30 to 40 million live uncared for on the streets. And with Humane Pro estimating that 1.4 litters a year are born to cats who aren’t spayed, with an average of 3 kittens per litter, that number will only continue to rise.
9.A 40% increase in cat ownership occurred in the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Humane Pro)
40% of Americans decided to purchase a feline during the COVID-19 pandemic. 33% of these were female, while 49% were male. Millennials made up the majority of these cat owners at 56%, with Gen Z following at 40%.
10.45% of Vermont households own felines.
(Statista)
Just call Vermont the “Cat Lover State”! This state is the leading state in the U.S. for feline ownership. Wisconsin comes next, with 32% of households being cat parents. That’s a fairly significant difference in cat ownership!
11.3 million felines ended up in shelters in the United States in 2023.
(Shelter Animals Count)
More felines entered shelters in 2023 than canines, as only 3.2 million dogs ended up in shelters. The number of animals entering shelters this year was slightly decreased from the previous year (0.2%), but 3.3 million cats are still a lot. Not all these kitties were stray or feral; some of the cats ending up in shelters were lost pets or surrendered by their owners.
12.A mere 3% of cat parents in the U.S. get their pets from breeders.
(ASPCA)
The situation with cats in shelters isn’t hopeless, though, as only 3% of cat owners in the United States choose to go with a breeder for their cat. 31% of people choose to adopt from a shelter or their local Humane Society, while 28% get their cats from friends or family. And 27% of cat owners adopt stray cats!
13.China has a large number of pet cats, with a total of about 65.4 million cats owned.
(Statista)
Felines have become wildly popular as pets in China, where 65.4 million cats were kept as pets in 2022 versus 51.2 million canines kept as pets. China also has the third largest pet industry in the world, so they can certainly keep up with the demand for supplies for all those kitties!
14.Russia has the most cat parents in the world, as 59% of Russians have cats as pets.
(Statista)
Russians love cats. Russia boasts the most cat owners in the world, as a whopping 59% of Russians have at least one feline in their home. Many of these felines are adopted from the streets, too, so Russians are helping keep the stray population down and the streets clear of kitties.
15.Russia has the largest European population of felines, with about 23 million cats in total.
(FEDIAF)
According to the European Pet Food Industry Federation, there are currently 23,262,000 cats living in Russia. The country, by far, has the most felines in all of Europe, as the next country with the largest number of cats only has about 15 million cats.
16.Germany has the next largest population of cats in Europe, with 15.2 million felines.
(FEDIAF)
Yep, Germany is second to Russia when it comes to the number of felines living there, according to the same report by the European Pet Food Industry Federation. France came in third with nearly 15 million cats, and the United Kingdom came in fourth with 11.9 million felines living in the country.
17.Brazil has a cat population of around 33.6 million.
(Brazilian Report)
This number only includes pet cats in the country, so it’s unclear how many unhoused felines there are roaming about. As many pet cats as there are, though, Brazilians have 67.8 million canines in the country. However, cats are slowly catching up in popularity, as there was a 6% increase in cat ownership between 2021 and 2022.
16.Germany has the next largest population of cats in Europe, with 15.2 million felines.
(FEDIAF)
Yep, Germany is second to Russia when it comes to the number of felines living there, according to the same report by the European Pet Food Industry Federation. France came in third with nearly 15 million cats, and the United Kingdom came in fourth with 11.9 million felines living in the country.
17.Brazil has a cat population of around 33.6 million.
(Brazilian Report)
This number only includes pet cats in the country, so it’s unclear how many unhoused felines there are roaming about. As many pet cats as there are, though, Brazilians have 67.8 million canines in the country. However, cats are slowly catching up in popularity, as there was a 6% increase in cat ownership between 2021 and 2022.
20.Istanbul has about 125,000 cats roaming the streets.
(Legal Nomad)
Istanbul hasn’t earned the nicknames “City of Cats” and “Catstanbul” for no reason! This city has a ton of felines roaming the streets. The people of this city take care of these kitties, though; the streets have water and food bowls set out for the cats, and there are even some small kitty houses set out for the cats to enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions About the Number of Cats in the World
People often have questions about the number of cats in the world, so here are a few of the more frequently asked ones.
Are there more cats in rural or urban areas in the U.S.?
More people in rural areas own pets, as 71% of adults in these areas are pet owners. Plus, people living in rural areas are the most likely to have multiple pets (47% of adults living in rural areas versus 32% in suburbia and 26% living in urban areas). So, it’s probably safe to assume more kitties are hanging out in the rural parts of the country than in the urban parts. (MarketWatch)
How many people care for community cats?
It’s difficult to break this down by country, but in the United States, about 10% of the general population feeds community cats, while 17% of people who own pets feed these felines. (Humane Pro)
How many cat breeds are there?
While National Geographic says there are about 45 known domestic feline breeds, The International Cat Association (TICA) recognizes 73. So, there are somewhere between 45 and 73 known cat breeds worldwide.
Final Thoughts
There are an awful lot of felines throughout the world! The current population is estimated to exceed 1 billion, and that number is likely only to continue growing (at least if stray and feral feline populations aren’t controlled). Cats are also becoming more popular as pets; maybe one day, they’ll overtake canines as man’s best friend!
This article is reprinted from https://www.hepper.com/how-many-cats-are-in-the-world-statistics/
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