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Approximately 2.2 million cats were adopted from US shelters in 2024
Source: Shelter Animals Count (2025)
Methodology
Direct shelter reporting from 4,100+ shelters
Notes
Cat adoptions up nearly 2% from 2023
Shelter Animals Count. (2025). Shelter Animals Count 2024 Annual Report. As cited in Cat Cognition. https://catcognition.com/statistics/shelters/#us-cat-adoptions-2024
273,000
273,000 cats were euthanized in US shelters in 2024
Shelter Animals Count (2025)
188,000
188,000 cats were killed in US shelters in 2024, a 10.5% decrease from 2023 and the lowest on record
Best Friends Animal Society (2025)
2.6 million
Cats achieved 2.6 million live outcomes in 2024, up 1% from 2023
Shelter Animals Count (2025)
362,000
362,000 cats were returned to owner or field in 2024
Shelter Animals Count (2025)
