Feline internet celebrity: How to protect America’s most at-risk shelter population

August 8 was International Cat Day, but, truth is, for cat moms and dads, every day is Cat Day.

And cat moms and dads are not the only ones with more and more Americans obsessed with watching cat videos on social media.

From their historic reverence as sacred beings to their modern-day status as beloved pets and internet celebrities, cats continue to captivate and deeply connect with their humans.

Augusta is a great way to celebrate feline companions, as well as serve as a reminder for how people everywhere can help find cats a loving home: whether through adoption or by ensuring free-roaming, community cats are safe in their natural habitat.

According to data from Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization working to end the killing of cats and dogs in America’s shelters in 2025, more than 569 cats are killed in U.S. shelters every day. Cats and kittens have historically been the most at-risk populations in shelters. In 2023, more than 2.2 million cats entered shelters throughout the U.S. with more than 200,000 being unnecessarily killed.

“Cats, with their playful dispositions, unintentionally hilarious personalities, and affectionate nature, make wonderful pets,” Best Friends Animal Society Cat Expert Samantha Bell said. “By adopting a cat, you not only gain a loving companion but also save a life and help reduce the overpopulation in shelters.”

Saving the lives of cats in animal shelters is the responsibility of everyone in every community. Below are a few ways to help keep cats healthy and happy and out of shelters:

• Adopt: Studies show that cat companionship can be beneficial for physical and mental health, help alleviate social isolation, as well as reduce stress. A path to joy and well-being close could be as close as adopting a cat from a local animal shelter.
• Make it a double: When adopting a new cat, consider bringing home two. Cats and kittens are very social and having a feline friend with them from the start can have behavioral benefits. Plus, that’s two lives saved instead of just one.
• Foster: Not ready to adopt? Fostering a cat or a kitten is a great option that provides an animal with the space and time to decompress while acclimating to life in a home. Many shelters with foster programs will provide supplies and cover medical expenses while that cat or kitten is in a foster home. By providing cats with a temporary home until they can be adopted, shelters and rescuers have the space to take in more felines in need. Many organizations also offer foster-to-adopt programs where individuals can see if a pet is right for their home before adopting.
• Contribute: Animal shelters in all communities could use some extra support these days from donating supplies and pet food to volunteering to feed, clean or socialize cats to help them get adopted.
• Embrace community cats: =Some cats prefer to live outdoors and do not need to be taken to local shelters. Instead, communities can participate in Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs. An essential step in achieving no-kill, TNVR is the most humane and cost-effective way to help reduce cat populations through preventing unwanted litters from unowned cats.
• Found kittens?: When kittens are found outside, the best option isn’t always to bring them to a shelter, especially when many are currently at or over capacity. Instead, check-in on the kittens for 10-12 hours to see if their mom is still present. If she is, leave them until they are about 2 months old when it’s safe to trap the mother and kittens so they can be spayed, neutered, and returned back to their outdoor home.

Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters and make the country no-kill in 2025. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters from an estimated 17 million per year to 415,000 in 2023. Best Friends runs lifesaving programs across the country, as well as the nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Working collaboratively with a network of more than 4,800 animal welfare and shelter partners, and community members nationwide, Best Friends is working to Save Them All®.