Is Your State Falling Behind on Saving Cats?
A new study by KittySpout, a cat care brand, ranked states by the number of cats their communities save each year.
The rankings calculate the number of cats saved per 100,000 residents, which helps in understanding which states are doing the most to save the cats around them.
America’s most cat-obsessed state
Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho and New Mexico take the top four places, with Montana at 7th and Utah at 8th.
Wyoming ranks first with the highest rate of saved cats relative to its population: 5,918 cats in 12 months, or 1,024 for every 100,000 residents, which is one cat saved for every 98 people living there.
John Butterworth, Marketing Lead at KittySpout, commented on the findings, “Every state in this top 15 is saving a lot more cats than the national average. It’s a magnificent achievement worth shouting about. Shelter workers are some of the most dedicated people and their work often goes unrecognized. And, huge credit to the families saving these cats. Nearly a million and a half cats left American shelters alive last year. Not one of them walked out on their own.”
Below are the top 15 states for cats by number saved per 100,000 residents.
15. Indiana
- Population: 6,784,403
- Reporting Shelters: 61
- Cats Saved: 41,036
- Per 100k People: 605
14. Nebraska
- Population: 1,958,939
- Reporting Shelters: 14
- Cats Saved: 11,994
- Per 100k People: 612
13. Missouri
- Population: 6,154,422
- Reporting Shelters: 88
- Cats Saved: 38,527
- Per 100k People: 626
12. Florida
- Population: 21,634,529
- Reporting Shelters: 84
- Cats Saved: 137,949
- Per 100k People: 638
11. Virginia
- Population: 8,624,511
- Reporting Shelters: 117
- Cats Saved: 55,541
- Per 100k People: 644
10. Kentucky
- Population: 4,502,935
- Reporting Shelters: 47
- Cats Saved: 29,479
- Per 100k People: 655
9. North Dakota
- Population: 776,874
- Reporting Shelters: 14
- Cats Saved: 5,253
- Per 100k People: 676
8. Utah
- Population: 3,283,809
- Reporting Shelters: 38
- Cats Saved: 23,519
- Per 100k People: 716
7. Montana
- Population: 1,091,840
- Reporting Shelters: 20
- Cats Saved: 8,093
- Per 100k People: 741
6. West Virginia
- Population: 1,792,967
- Reporting Shelters: 29
- Cats Saved: 13,847
- Per 100k People: 772
5. Maine
- Population: 1,366,949
- Reporting Shelters: 18
- Cats Saved: 10,746
- Per 100k People: 786
4. New Mexico
- Population: 2,112,463
- Reporting Shelters: 32
- Cats Saved: 16,712
- Per 100k People: 791
3. Idaho
- Population: 1,854,109
- Reporting Shelters: 22
- Cats Saved: 14,723
- Per 100k People: 794
2. Colorado
- Population: 5,770,790
- Reporting Shelters: 49
- Cats Saved: 54,745
- Per 100k People: 949
1. Wyoming
- Population: 577,929
- Reporting Shelters: 23
- Cats Saved: 5,918
- Per 100k People: 1,024
Methodology
The figures come from outcome data published by the Best Friends Animal Society Pet Lifesaving Dashboard, covering a rolling 12 months from October 2024 to September 2025 and pulled on 29th May 2026. All 3,884 US shelters reporting cat outcomes were included. Population figures are US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates for 2022. Each state figure is the total cats saved by all reporting shelters divided by state population, per 100,000 residents.
Ask us! What questions do you have about content, strategy, pop culture, lifestyle, wellness, history or more? We may use your question in an upcoming article!
Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was syndicated by MediaFeed.co
