Cat in a Flat’s Amazing 2021 Cat Statistics

Regardless of whether you’re a cat owner or cat sitter, the fur friends in your life probably hold a very special place your heart. We all love treating our kitties as beloved family members—which means including them in memorable celebrations all year round. In 2021, we surveyed our wonderful community of feline fans and came up with some amazing cat statistics. Below, Cat in a Flat reveals our cat statistics on everything from treats, playtime, and gifts for Mr Whiskers! 

Should I give my cat gifts?

73% of cat owners gave a resounding ‘Yes’ to this question, which means Christmas, birthdays, and any other special occasion can be a fun time for Mr Whiskers. Cat owners clearly see their furry companions as family members and love gifting them presents. But you don’t need to wait for the holiday season to give your kitty something special. These Christmas gifts for cats make great presents all year round—both for cat sitters and cat owners. 

Many people go away on vacation or to visit family around the holidays, which makes it one of the busiest seasons for cat sitters. Cats do miss their owners when they’re not around, which is why it’s a great idea to hire a sitter to keep them company. There are many fun and inexpensive gifts sitters can gift their kitty clients too!

Do cats play with household items?

Cats are curious creatures, so it’s of no surprise that our cat statistics show 62% of kitties will play with almost anything? Sometimes it seems like our fur friends enjoy playing with regular household items more than the toys we give them! This is particularly true around the winter holidays when there is a surplus of exciting new decor hanging (literally) about the house.

Whether it’s Christmas baubles, garlands, or pinecones, there are plenty of ‘toys’ to keep cats of all ages entertained during the holidays. However, even if your kitty falls under the 38% who don’t play with household decor, toys intended for cats can sometimes be dangerous too. If cheaply made, some toys may break apart and your fur friend could swallow small parts. Others, like string or feather fishing rods, should be played with only under supervision. Of course, you should make sure to take a little extra care of your cat at Christmas when there are even more risky objects around. Be watchful of what they play with and keep potentially dangerous items out of paw’s reach. 

Special treats and feasts for cats

We humans love eating special meals to celebrate special days, but what about our furry friends? According to our cat statistics, a whopping 84% of kitties can expect a special feast on holidays such as Christmas. Regardless of whether it’s with their owners or cat sitters, kitties everywhere will jump at the chance for a special treat. Treats and catnip are the perfect way to any cat’s heart—especially when faced with a particularly shy kitty client. 

Cats can get bored of their food, so it never hurts to change things up every now and then—even if your kitty falls in 16% ‘no special feasts’ category. And if your fur friend is a fussy eater, or resisting getting back to their regular diet after too many holiday treats, check out these tips for feeding your cat. 

Hiring a cat sitter while away for the holidays

While dogs are easy to take along on vacation or to visit family, cats can prove much trickier. Kitties by nature hate change and even moving house can be stressful for a cat. Mr Whiskers may feel anxious in new surroundings or situations, which means booking a cat sitter can be a better alternative to a cattery. 

Our cat statistics show that 78% of owners hire someone to look after their cat while they’re away on holiday. Although roughly 22% seem to have the option of asking friends or family members to pop in to check on their kitties, this isn’t the case for everyone. There are many advantages to hiring a cat sitter to look after your furry friend while you are away. This way your cat can stay home in familiar surroundings and their care can come to them. The holiday season—both in winter and summer—can be extra busy for cat sitters, so remember to start looking early! 

Should I play with my cat every day?

Playtime is an essential part of cat care. Not only does it help satisfy your fur friend’s natural hunting instincts, but also reduces stress in cats and is great for their overall health. While our cat statistics do show that 64% of our fur friends do have regular playtimes, don’t automatically assume your kitty falls under the 36% ‘no play’ category. Although  cats do sleep a lot, Mr Whiskers’ lazy nature doesn’t necessarily mean he doesn’t need daily playtime.

Most kitties love playing every day—although this frequency can decrease as your fur friend ages. Try playing with your cat to see if they enjoy it or not. If you don’t get an immediate reaction, keep trying. Your kitty might not be sure what you’re doing and could take a few days to understand playtime. Not sure how, when, and why to play with Mr Whiskers? This blog post offers great tips for playing with cats—both for sitters and owners. 

What we’ve learned from our 2021 cat statistics

Our 2021 survey has revealed some amazing cat statistics, and we’ve learned a lot about our beloved fur friends. This information is undoubtably useful any time of the year! If you’d like to know more about cat behaviour, check out our blog posts on things cats hate and how to avoid them or this guide to a cat’s facial expressions.