There is a lot of information on the internet about cats in the UK. From how many cats there are to understanding what proportion of cats are neutered, to fun facts like what are the most popular cat breeds in the UK.
We’ve compiled a list of interesting cat statistics - which we've called "The Cat Stats" - to share with you. We’ll be adding to these statistics over the next few months. If you have any stats you want to see in this list, leave a comment below or contact us on help@tippaws.com.
What are the most popular cat names in the UK?
According to a survey conducted by GoCompare Pet Insurance in 2021, the top 10 most popular cat names in the UK are:
- Luna
- Bella
- Simba
- Milo
- Charlie
- Alfie
- Poppy
- Tilly
- Daisy
- Shadow
Other popular cat names in the UK include Cleo, Smokey, Ginger, Molly, Rosie, and Oscar.
How many cats are there in the UK?
The number of cats in the UK is reported differently by a number of sources - the reality is that it’s very difficult to know. However, here are some reputable sources and their information:
- UK Pet Food reports that there are 11 million pet cats in the 2023
- PDSA reports there were 11.1 million pet cats in 2022
- Braemer Finance reports there were 12 million cats in 2022
- Cats Protection report there were 10.8 million cats in 2022
- Statista reports there were 12 million cats in 2022
What percentage of households have a cat?
- UK Pet Food reports 26% of UK households have a pet cat
- There are 1.6 cats per household in the UK
Who are the UK cat owners?
- A higher proportion of younger people seem to be owning cats – 32% of 18-24 year olds now own a cat, compared with 25% in 2021.
- UK cat owners are less likely to be over the age of 65 (11%) compared to all UK households.
- 44% of cat owners are male and 56% of cat owners are female.
Where do people in the UK get their cats from?
- 29% bought
- 24% adopted from a rescue/ rehoming centre/ shelter
- 17% taken on from a neighbour/ friend/ family
- 6% found as a stray and taken in
- 6% kitten of an already owned cat
What is the most popular breed of cat in the UK?
- Moggies - not a breed but most popular!
- British shorthair
- Ragdoll
- Bengal
- Main coon
- Siberian
- Chinchilla
- Russian blue
- Devon rex
- Sokoke
- Sphynx
What proportion of cats in the UK are microchipped?
The following organisations responded to a survey by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published on gov.uk about the proportion of cats microchipped in the UK.
- The Blue Cross: Of the 5,760 cats that were admitted into their rehoming centres and hospitals across the country between May 2016 and May 2017, 4,517 (78%) were not microchipped.
- Cats Protection: Using data from the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), the estimated numbers of cats in England is 9.1 million pet cats in 2019. Of these 73% are microchipped which totals 6.6 million. This leaves 27% of owned cats not microchipped in England which is 2.5 million unchipped owned cats.
- Canine and Feline Sector Group: An Ipsos Mori survey on behalf of Cats Protection found that one in five households have a cat and 71% have had their cat microchipped. The 2019 figures from the PDSA show that 73% of cats are chipped totalling 6.6 million.
- RSPCA: From January to December 2018, its centres took in 5,171 cats, of those 861 (16.7%) were microchipped. 4,310 (83.3%) were not.
- Battersea Dogs and Cats Home: Intake figures show that in 2016, 32% of cats that came into their centres were microchipped. This increased slightly to 38% in 2018.
Sources
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