Cat ownership rates exceed one in three households in both the UK and the United States. The global market for cat food alone reached nearly 40 billion dollars last year. This data illustrates the scale of modern cat ownership and its economic footprint.
Key Takeaways
- 36% of households in the UK owned a cat in 2024
- 24% of Australian households owned a cat in 2023
- 13.0 million cats were in U.S. homes in 2022
- In 2019, 3.8 million cats were taken in by shelters in the U.S. (ShelterAnimalsCount)
- In 2023, 6.3% of shelter cats were lost (returned via microchip later) (AVMA)
- $17.1 billion U.S. pet food market in 2023, with cat food as the second-largest segment
- Global cat food market size reached $39.6 billion in 2023
- In 2023, 46% of U.S. pet owners bought food/treats at least once per month
- 22% of U.S. pet owners track pets with a GPS collar (Furbo/market survey 2023)
- Smart pet tech market reached $1.6 billion globally in 2023 (MarketsandMarkets)
- 4.3 million U.S. households used dog walkers; 2.1 million cat owners used pet sitting (Rover 2023)
- Worm infections (roundworms/other helminths) occur in about 45% of kittens (peer-reviewed)
- Cats have a mean lifespan of 12–18 years in indoor environments (peer-reviewed review)
- Rabies is almost always fatal after symptom onset in cats (CDC)
- Cats are the second most commonly vaccinated companion animal in the U.S. (after dogs) based on veterinary visit immunization rates reported by the AVMA
Cats are widely owned and supported by a booming pet economy, with millions in US homes and 36% of UK households.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market & Spend8 stats
01
$17.1 billion U.S. pet food market in 2023, with cat food as the second-largest segment
02
Global cat food market size reached $39.6 billion in 2023
03
In 2023, 46% of U.S. pet owners bought food/treats at least once per month
04
$2.9 billion global market for cat litter in 2022 (Fortune Business Insights)
05
$6.1 billion global market for cat toys in 2022 (Fortune Business Insights)
06
$3.6 billion global cat grooming market in 2023 (IMARC)
07
$1.9 billion global cat healthcare market in 2023 (Allied Market Research)
08
$1.5 billion spent on pet insurance globally in 2023, with rapid growth among cat owners (Insurance Europe)
Interpretation
Market & Spend Interpretation
The Market & Spend picture shows cat households are fueling steady, sizable ongoing spending, with the global cat food market hitting $39.6 billion in 2023 and 46% of U.S. pet owners buying cat food or treats at least monthly, alongside major adjacent categories like a $2.9 billion cat litter market in 2022 and a $6.1 billion cat toys market in 2022.
02 · Category
Household Ownership4 stats
01
36% of households in the UK owned a cat in 2024
02
24% of Australian households owned a cat in 2023
03
13.0 million cats were in U.S. homes in 2022
04
In the U.S., 36% of U.S. households include at least one pet cat, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) in its pet ownership materials
Interpretation
Household Ownership Interpretation
In the Household Ownership category, cat ownership appears fairly widespread across countries, with 36% of UK households owning a cat in 2024 and the U.S. matching that figure with 36% of households including at least one pet cat, even as Australia is lower at 24% in 2023.
03 · Category
Technology & Services4 stats
01
22% of U.S. pet owners track pets with a GPS collar (Furbo/market survey 2023)
02
Smart pet tech market reached $1.6 billion globally in 2023 (MarketsandMarkets)
03
4.3 million U.S. households used dog walkers; 2.1 million cat owners used pet sitting (Rover 2023)
04
Global pet care software market size was $1.1 billion in 2023 (Grand View Research)
Interpretation
Technology & Services Interpretation
As tech-enabled pet services grow, 22% of US pet owners use GPS collars and the smart pet tech market hit $1.6 billion in 2023, showing that cat ownership is increasingly supported by connected devices and digital services.
More related reading
04 · Category
Health & Welfare4 stats
01
Worm infections (roundworms/other helminths) occur in about 45% of kittens (peer-reviewed)
02
Cats have a mean lifespan of 12–18 years in indoor environments (peer-reviewed review)
03
Rabies is almost always fatal after symptom onset in cats (CDC)
04
In 2021, the U.S. reported 3,186 rabies cases in animals; cats accounted for 0.7% (CDC)
Interpretation
Health & Welfare Interpretation
Under Health & Welfare, kitten worm infections are common at about 45%, while cats also face serious long term risks such as rabies that is almost always fatal after symptoms and where in 2021 U.S. animal rabies cases numbered 3,186 with cats making up just 0.7%.
05 · Category
Adoption & Shelters2 stats
01
In 2019, 3.8 million cats were taken in by shelters in the U.S. (ShelterAnimalsCount)
02
In 2023, 6.3% of shelter cats were lost (returned via microchip later) (AVMA)
Interpretation
Adoption & Shelters Interpretation
In the United States, shelters took in 3.8 million cats in 2019, yet by 2023 6.3% of shelter cats were still being lost and later identified through microchips, underscoring how adoption and shelters sit at the center of both intake and recovery.
06 · Category
Industry Overview5 stats
01
The global pet grooming market (covering cats among other pets) is projected to reach $5.2 billion by 2032
02
The global pet food market is projected to reach $200.7 billion by 2030 (cats represent a substantial share of companion animal food demand)
03
Cats are the second most commonly vaccinated companion animal in the U.S. (after dogs) based on veterinary visit immunization rates reported by the AVMA
04
76% of cats in households are vaccinated against rabies in the U.S. (rabies vaccination coverage reported in veterinary survey summaries using 2017–2018 pet ownership data)
05
In 2023, 22% of U.S. households purchased at least one cat toy in a retail shopping trip (consumer purchase incidence survey)
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
As the industry grows, cats are clearly becoming an increasingly mainstream part of pet spending and care, with the global pet grooming market projected to hit $5.2 billion by 2032 and U.S. rabies vaccination coverage standing at 76% of household cats.
report visual · Breakdown
Cat Ownership Penetration by Country
Share of households with cats varies by country, with the UK showing a higher penetration than Australia and the U.S. share data indicating a substantial household presence.
24%
24% of Australian households owned a cat in 2023
76%
76% of cats in households are vaccinated against rabies in the U.S. (rabies vaccination coverage reported in veterinary
source-verifiedcanstar.com.au · avma.org2023
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Cat Ownership Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cat-ownership-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Cat Ownership Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cat-ownership-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Cat Ownership Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cat-ownership-statistics.
Sources & references
27 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)