“Best Friends Animal Society, an animal welfare nonprofit, estimates that the number of cats killed in US shelters has fallen 75 percent over the past decade,” notes The Doomslayer.
That animal society explains:
Ten years ago, getting out of the shelter alive was basically a coin flip. Today, cats are being saved at history-making levels.”
With kittens making up more than 50% of cat intake in shelters, foster programs that help these tiny felines survive the most fragile window of their lives have been critical to getting more cats out of shelters and into homes.
Community cat programs: These programs, where healthy cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and then returned to the neighborhood where they live, and this has been one of the biggest drivers of the reduction in shelter deaths. In 10 years, we’ve seen a 70% increase in the number of cats returned to their outdoor homes, and communities all across the country are on board. In a recent study, it was determined that an average of 30% of people feed community cats.
Increased adoptions: In the past 10 years, we’ve seen a 20% increase in cat adoptions. Gen Z, the youngest adult generation today, has had the biggest impact on increasing cat adoptions, more than any other generation. Open and welcoming adoptions have made it easier for people to add a cat to their family, particularly first-time pet owners.
More cats than dogs used to be killed in animal shelters. But last year, 237,000 dogs were killed, versus 188,000 cats, in shelters.
An endangered flat-headed cat was recently discovered.
Cheetas recently returned to India. India has also doubled its tiger population.
Jaguars are growing in number in Mexico and Argentina. Bobcats recently returned to New Jersey after being absent from the state for a half century.
