I really hope they have nine lives.
In New Jersey, more cats are reported missing than in any other state across the U.S. This could be due to the state’s notoriously dangerous roads.
A recent study by pet911.org, which tracks missing pets nationally, found that New Jersey had 18,580 reports of missing cats in 2024.
For comparison, Utah had 15,165 lost cats, while Massachusetts and Illinois reported 13,010 and 12,905 missing, respectively. Michigan was close behind with 12,470, and New York had 11,385. So, New York ranks seventh in the number of lost cats.
Andrey Chernyshev, the CEO of Pet911.org, shared some insights on the reasons behind this high number in New Jersey.
He noted, “New Jersey has created a perfect storm for cat loss through a unique combination of factors from other states. Extreme population density disrupts territories, and the road network is the deadliest, compounded by a brutal commuting culture, with over 400,000 out-of-state commuters daily.”
Carmen Brothers from Northeast Professional Pet Tracker added that residents in New Jersey seem to be more proactive about finding lost pets than those in southern states like Alabama and Mississippi.
“The further north you go, the more people report missing pets. It’s a sad reality,” she stated. “It seems that people are more engaged with animal welfare in the Northeast, which extends to both cats and dogs.”
On the flip side, Texas leads the nation with the most reported missing dogs at 82,515. Tennessee follows with 58,036, and Arizona is not far behind with 56,370.
Interestingly, New York’s reports of missing dogs totaled 30,890, placing them 23rd overall, while New Jersey came in 17th with 37,090 reported missing dogs.
The study highlighted that huskies and chihuahuas are the breeds most often reported missing, while Siamese and tuxedo cats top the list for feline disappearances.
Additionally, Friday turns out to be the day of the week when most pets are reported missing.
As for pet names, the most commonly reported missing dogs include Bella, Luna, Max, Coco, and Rocky. Cats that often go missing tend to be named Luna, Milo, Leo, Simba, and Oliver.
“If a name is popular among pets nationwide, it’s only natural that reports of lost pets with that name would be more frequent,” the study explained.
