November 21, 2025 Back Home

A Cat Lover’s Guide to Atlanta, Georgia

Welcome to Atlanta, where, much like its extensive greenery and Southern hospitality, cats abound!

Atlanta – known for its rich Civil Rights history and nicknames like “city in the forest” and as the “Hollywood of the South” for its booming film and television industry — is also a uniquely cat-friendly city loaded with cat cafes, cat-inspired artists, and tons of programs dedicated to the health and wellbeing of every kitty in the city.

And as if it needed another important distinction, Atlanta ranks #8 on our list of cities that use the most cat litter.

But before we dive into all things cat culture in Catlanta, Georgia — let’s answer the most purr-essing of questions first.

How many cats are in Atlanta?

While official figures aren’t known, we can make a few assumptions about how many cats are in Atlanta based on some key data.

For instance, nearly 17% of Atlanta residents own at least one cat according to Dogster, making them the second most popular pet in the city after dogs. This means that given the population totals of the city of Atlanta and surrounding metro area, there could be anywhere from 50,000 to 500,000 owned cats.

Similarly, the exact number of stray and community cats in Atlanta is also hard to determine. But, again, we can make some assumptions based on localized data such as shelter intake volume and estimate there are likely tens of thousands of cats that call the greater Atlanta community home.

Thankfully, the city placed #8 on a list of the top 10 cities where feral cats are thriving. This is because Atlanta is hot and humid, with lots of nearby forests — creating the perfect climate for cats to relax and live freely in the woods, far from the burden of humans!

So, unless you have some friends or family in Atlanta who owns a cat, or you hope to find one wandering around town, you’ll have a better chance at interacting with a furry feline at one of the many shelters or cat cafes in town.

Where to see/adopt cats in the Atlanta area

Right out of the gate if you want to see cats all you have to do is head to downtown Atlanta and look for someone who goes to Georgia State University — home of the panthers!

@georgiastateuniversity It’s GAME DAY! Are you going to be at the game or tuning in? Let us know in the comments! #thestateway #lightitblue #soundthehorn ♬ original sound – kenlovesmusic🧡

Not far from GSU is another school with a cat mascot — Clark Atlanta University, also home to the panthers. And let’s not forget about the nearby Morehouse College Maroon Tigers!

In addition to its many cat-affiliated colleges, Atlanta is also a unique city filled with dedicated animal advocates that work hard for the health and safety of the city’s animals.

Since Atlanta is a top destination for feral cats, luckily there are organizations like Lifeline Animal Project and PAWS Atlanta that work hard to spay and neuter feral cats and find homes for adoptable kitties. 

LifeLine Animal Project is the largest animal welfare organization in Georgia. They established Atlanta’s first and largest Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, which has saved thousands of cats’ lives. Before LifeLine’s program, feral cats (community cats) were picked up by animal control and taken to shelters for euthanasia. But with the more humane TNR program, cats are trapped, taken to a shelter to be neutered or spayed, ear-tipped for identification, and released back where they were found.  

PAWS Atlanta is Georgia’s longest running no-kill animal shelter. They have pledged never to euthanize an animal because of space limitations. Every animal is given the time and medical treatment necessary to help them get off the streets and into a loving home. 

Another no-kill shelter, Furkids, rescues more than 5,000 homeless and abandoned animals every year. They provide the medical care and safe environment cats need to become adoptable and live long happy lives.

Not far outside of Atlanta is Carrollton, Georgia — where GiveLitter® shelter partner Carroll County Animal Shelter continues to do amazing work.

Arts, culture, cats!

Between the arts and coffee — Atlanta has just the right amount of cat culture.

Most notably is Catlanta, a local artist known for painting colorful murals of cats around the city during the 2010s. His signature style is a three-legged cat with a heart on its chest and dots for eyes. Catlanta evolved from outdoor wall murals to small wooden cutouts that he hides around the city for anyone to find! 

@furbabiescatcafe The possibilities are endless as to what these kitties must be thinking 😹 General Note: All of our kitties come from Carroll County Animal Shelter ONLY, and are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and fully vetted to their age before arriving at the cafe, ready to be adopted! Our Hours: Friday 11-6, Saturday 10-5, Sunday 1-6. We run on purrsonality over looks, we do not hold cats, and you must visit to adopt. Reservations are strongly encouraged but not required. #kittiesofcarrollton #furbabiescarrollton #catcafe #sheltercats #shelterkitties ♬ original sound – Cartoon Network

If you’re looking for a funky twist on a cat cafe, look no further than the The Frisky Whisker — a sound gallery, music venue, art gallery, bar, and cat lounge. While “temporarily closed,” this spot offers patrons a chance to check out the Whisker Lounge where you can grab a coffee or a glass of wine and mingle with 20+ resident furry therapists. 

There’s also the Cat N Bunny cafe with an asian-inspired cafe menu where you can grab a snack and hang out with the free-roaming bunnies and kitties! All of the animals here are available for adoption. And not far from Atlanta is the Fur Babies Cat Cafe — another proud GiveLitter® shelter partner.

Fun facts about cats & Atlanta

• Students at Georgia Tech run a feeding and monitoring program for feral cats around campus. They even created an app to record observations, track locations, and coordinate daily feedings and vet care. 
• Local Atlantan and avid tree-climber Normer Adams has rescued more than 1,000 cats from trees.
• Atlanta has the highest percentage of urban tree canopy in the country (around 50%).  It’s rare for a city to be so green, but the community cats around town definitely enjoy it!

Are you an Atlanta-area cat lover?

Let us know your favorite local cat activities in the comments below!