Lost and Found Pets Report

Where in the U.S. do the most pets go missing?

Our pets all go on a wander from time to time, whether you’re out walking with your puppy and it bolts to chase something that catches its eye, or your free-spirited cat goes out past its usual curfew time. But what about when the worst happens, and you haven’t seen your beloved furry friend in a few days?

Losing your pet is devastating, and it can be an overwhelming time for the whole family. Thankfully, there are pet databases across the country to help you locate your lost pet, and offer advice and guidance on what to do next.

There are a number of U.S. states where losing a pet is a lot more common than others. So, for many pet owners, there may be a lot more hope in finding them, depending on where you live. We delved into which states saw the most pets go missing.

Taking care of your feline friends is a great way to keep them happy at home so make sure to check out our cat food brand reviews, and cat pet insurance rankings.

The U.S. States Where The Most Cats Go Missing

Cats are a lot less likely to get lost in the U.S. than dogs, which may be down to lots of cats being indoor pets, and perhaps a little savvier than dogs when it comes to navigating their way home. It could also boil down to fewer cats being abandoned than dogs.

1

Rhode Island

11.45 Lost Cats per 1,000 Cat Owning Households

Rhode Island saw the most cats go missing in 2022, with an average of 11.45 lost cats for every 1,000 cat-owning households.

Rhode Island has a lot of lost cats, considering the smaller amount of cat-owning households compared to the other states on our list. As a densely populated state, it is easy for cats to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the state.

2

New Hampshire

2.75 Lost Cats per 1,000 Cat Owning Households

New Hampshire ranks below Rhode Island, with an average score of 2.75 lost cats for every 1,000 cat-owning households. The state is defined by its quaint towns and large expanses of wilderness, which could contribute to the number of cats going missing.

3

Massachusetts

2.32 Lost Cats per 1,000 Cat Owning Households

Massachusetts is the third highest state for its number of lost cats, with 2.32 cats missing for every 1,000 cat-owning households.

Massachusetts has the highest cat population out of our top three, and has a high number of missing cats, although, fewer cats go missing for every 1000th cat household.

State

Cat Population

Lost Cats

Cat Owning Households

Number of Lost Cats Per 1,000 Cat Owning Households
All States +

The Number of Homeless Cats in Each State

California is the state with the most cats up for adoption (13,913 cats). Being a huge state with a size of 423,970 km², and also one of the most densely populated, it's likely that many of the cats in these shelters will have roamed away from their homes and got lost.

It's also worth noting that many shelters take animals from other states too, which contributes to the huge number of homeless cats in California. There are currently a total number of 124,099 cats up for adoption in the U.S.

Key 0-1,000 homeless cats 1,001-2,000 homeless cats 2,001+ homeless cats

The Most Common Breeds of Homeless Cats

With an increasing number of cats and dogs going missing, there are more and more homeless pets in animal shelters across the U.S. In turn, there are some breeds that are more common to be homeless than others.

While some of these pets will have been surrendered to shelters, there will also be some that have gone missing from their homes, causing them to end up in shelters. It is imperative that pet owners have their dog or cat microchipped, so they can be returned if they get lost or have been stolen.

Key Number of Homeless Cats
1

Domestic Short Hair

106,371

2

Tabby

10,774

3

Domestic Medium Hair

9,072

4

Domestic Long Hair

5,612

5

American Shorthair

2,733

6

Tuxedo

2,568

7

Caliso

2,248

8

Siamese

2,055

9

Tortoise shell

1,601

10

Russian Blue

922

The domestic short-haired cat is the most common kind of cat in the United States, accounting for around 95% of their number. The friendly and outgoing nature of the cat could mean they are very curious and more likely to go exploring.

As the domestic short-haired cat is the most popular breed, it is likely that this is the main reason why they are the most likely to go missing. There are currently 106,371 homeless domestic short-haired cats in the U.S.

The U.S. States Where The Most Dogs Go Missing

Looking at both data sets, we can see that a dog is more likely to get lost than a cat in the United States. Surprisingly, it seems that dogs are more likely to escape, run away, or sadly, be left abandoned. This is particularly common in the top three states:

1

Ohio

100.90 Lost Dogs per 1,000 Dog Owning Households

The state of Ohio ranks the highest on our list for lost dogs. There are over 100 lost dogs per 1,000 dog-owning households. The state has 17,730 dog-owning households, and as a smaller state, there are a lot of missing dogs.

2

Minnesota

12.23 Lost Dogs per 1,000 Dog Owning Households

The state with the second most lost dogs is Minnesota. In Minnesota, there are more than 12 missing dogs for every 1,000 dog-owning households.

This could contribute to the growing number of abandoned dogs in shelters across Minnesota. In 2017 alone, the Minnesota Animal Humane Society shelter brought in 6,702 dogs from other states.

3

Rhode Island

3.00 Lost Dogs per 1,000 Dog Owning Households

Rhode Island comes third on our list for its lost dogs. The state has far fewer lost dogs per its 1,000 dog-owning households than the other states in our top three. However, Rhode Island has more dog-owning households than the above states (116,000), causing it to fall third on our list for the state with the most lost dogs.

State

Dog Population

Lost Dogs

Dog Owning Households

Number of Lost Dogs per 1,000 DOg Owning Households
All States +

The Number of Homeless Dogs in Each State

Texas is the state with the most dogs up for adoption (18,035). Sadly, there is a higher number of homeless dogs living in shelters than cats (136,118). This may be down to more dogs being surrendered to shelters, as they require more care and attention than cats. It could also be down to more dogs running away and not being able to navigate their way home.

Key 0-1,000 homeless dogs 1,001-2,000 homeless dogs 2,001+ homeless dogs

The Most Common Breeds of Homeless Dogs

Some dogs are more likely to go missing or end up homeless than others, and these breeds were the most common to end up in shelters.

Mixed-breed dogs are the most likely to be homeless than any other dog. There are currently 27,676 homeless mixed-breed dogs in the United States. There are over 300 different types of mixed-breed dogs, which is the main contributing factor to why they are the most common dog to be found in shelters.

Key Number of Homeless Dogs
1

Mixed Breed

27,676

2

Pit Bull Terrier

21,849

3

Labrador Retriever

18,087

4

Terrier

8,445

5

German Shepherd

7,896

6

Shepherd

7,608

7

Chihuahua

6,821

8

Hound

5,892

9
American Staffordshire Terrier

5,744

10

Boxer

4,816

Methodology

We started by using Findpet to look at the total number of lost dogs and cats in the United States. We were able to find the total number of lost cats and dogs for each state. This data is accurate as of 27/07/2022.

We also used Petfinder to find the number of cat and dogs in shelters as well as their breeds. The data is accurate as of 18/07/2022.

We then added the factor of pet ownership for each state. We used World Population Review’s Pet Ownership Statistics by State to find the number of lost dogs and cats per 1,000 dog and cat-owning households. This data is accurate as of 25/07/2022.

We were also able to find the total dog and cat population for each state, using the above website.

We then divided the total number of lost pets for each state by the number of lost dogs and cats per 1,000 pet households for each state.

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