As of 2024, there are approximately 73.8 million pet cats in the United States, residing in about 42.2 million households, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) .

However, microchipping among cats remains relatively low. A study by the AVMA found that only less than 2% of lost cats without microchips were reunited with their owners. In contrast, microchipped cats had a return-to-owner rate of 38.5%, making them over 20 times more likely to be reunited with their families .

Despite the clear benefits, adoption of microchipping for cats is still limited. Data from Human Animal Support Services (HASS) indicates that only 18% of stray pets entering shelters had a microchip at intake, and among microchipped cats, only 22% were successfully returned to their owners .

These statistics highlight the importance of microchipping and ensuring that the microchip registration information is kept up to date. Doing so significantly increases the chances of a lost cat being safely reunited with its owner.