There are more than 4.9 million pet cats in Australia. With this number growing in recent years, it is important to consider how we best keep pet cats, and our native species, healthy and safe.
Dogs are the most popular pet, with almost half of Australian households keeping at least one dog (48% in 2022, up from 40% in 2019). Cats come second, with a third of all households with at least one cat (33% in 2022, up from 27% in 2019).
Among pet-owning individuals, dogs are by far the most popular. Almost 72 per cent of pet-owning people – which is 48 per cent of all Australians – have a dog. Cats are the next most popular pet, with approximately 37 per cent of pet-owning people having a cat.
How many cats are there in Australia? There are 3.8 million pet cats in Australia. The feral cat population in our towns and cities is estimated at 0.7 million, but it could be as high as 2.5 million.
As of 2022, 44.5% of U.S. households own dogs, and 29% of households own cats. Between 2016 and 2022, the percentage of U.S. households who own dogs increased by 6.1 percentage points, from 38.4% to 44.5%, while the percentage of households that own cats increased by 4 percentage points, from 25% to 29%.
There are currently an estimated 28.7 million pets in Australia and we have one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world [1]. Approximately 69% of households in Australia own pets, with dogs being the most common (48%), followed by cats (33%) [1]. Figure 1. Percentage of households with pets by pet type.
As with dogs, men (37%) are more likely to own a feline friend than women (33%), with ownership peaking among Millennials (46%).
Also known as the domestic shorthair or 'moggie', the tabby cat is the most common breed of cat found in Australia.
Cats are wonderful pets, they are independent, playful, affectionate and definitely have a great personality, so it's no wonder they are one of the most popular pets in Australia.
Owning a cat can be a big commitment with average total costs running to around $1,150 to $3,500 in the first year and around $880 a year ongoing, but the affection and love our animal companions give us is well worth it. Staying within your budget is important, but so is ensuring your cat has a great quality of life.
Around 40% of Australian households include at least one dog, making them the most popular type of pets. This is followed by cats (27%), fish (11%), birds (9%), small mammals (3%) and reptiles (2%) - with another 2% of households reporting that they have pets such as horses, goats, cows, alpacas and hermit crabs.
It's easy to see why the Quokka has been dubbed Australia's happiest animal - that gorgeous little smile! These heart melting creatures mainly reside on Rottnest Island, offshore from Perth, Western Australia.
A black cat who lives in Italy and inherited $13 million. The cat was a stray that found its way into the home of Maria Assunta, a property magnate in Italy. When Assunta died at the age of 94, she willed her fortune to either the cat or an animal welfare charity that would look after it.
The United States (76.5 Million)
With an estimated cat population of 76.5 million, the United States is the country with the most pet cats.
Of those surveyed, 66.3 per cent said they thought dogs were Australia's favorite pet and only 6.1 per cent thought we were a nation of cat lovers. But it turns out that 33.9 per cent of those surveyed said they owned cats exclusively and under a third of respondents, at 22.7 per cent, owned only dogs.
Lynea Lattanzio: The woman who shares her home with 1,100 cats.
Abyssinian Cat Physical Characteristics
Being an overall healthy breed, their average lifespan can be anywhere from 9-15 years, although some have been reported to live even beyond 15 years.
Cats probably arrived in Australia as pets of European settlers and were later deliberately introduced in an attempt to control rabbits and rodents. Cats now occupy 99% of Australia, including many offshore islands.
Domestic short-haired cats are the most common kind of cat in the United States, accounting for around 96% of their number. Other generic terms include house cat and alley cat (the latter may be used more specifically to refer to feral cats). Not recognised as a standardised breed by any major breed registry.
World's Smallest Cat Breed: Singapura
The friendly breed is ideal for families with kids and other pets because the last thing the Singapura wants is to be left alone.
Male cats do develop a more laid-back personality after neutering and are often seen as the more playful and cuddly gender, by some. Females also seem to revert to a more relaxed demeanor, which might not seem as noticeable because they tend not to show much aggression to begin with.
While a cat's gender doesn't seem to make a difference in terms of affection, Posluns notes that studies of cat personality also suggest it has little influence on the type of relationship with their owner.
4. White families are the most likely to have pets but the least likely to have both pets and children. Fifty-eight percent of non-Hispanic white families have pets compared with 45 percent of Hispanic families, 24 percent of black families, and 23 percent of Asian families.