From euronews · Irina Belikova · · 1m
Russia Leads World in Cat Ownership
Russia has highest cat ownership rate but 2.8 million strays.
In brief
Russia has highest cat ownership rate but 2.8 million strays. Russia has 59% household cat ownership but 2.8 million stray cats due to war displacements. Originally reported by euronews.
Russia leads global cat ownership
Russia has nearly 59% household cat ownership rate according to 2024-2026 Seasia Stats study.
2.8 million stray cats in Russia
An estimated 2.8 million stray cats live on Russian streets, a number that rose sharply after 2022 mobilisation.
Top 10 cat owners by region
Russia ranks first globally for cats as pets, followed by Romania at 48%, Poland at 41%, Latvia at 37%, and Hungary at 35%.
Stray population breakdown
Russia's 2025 stray animal population includes 2.8 million cats and 800,000 dogs, with 170,000 in shelters.
Abandonment surge after 2022
Animal welfare groups recorded sharp abandonment increases after Russia's September 2022 partial mobilisation.
Shelter capacity limits
Russia has 819 shelters caring for 170,000-250,000 animals, less than 5-7% of the estimated stray population.
The short version
Russia has 59% household cat ownership but 2.8 million stray cats due to war displacements.
