December 29, 2025 Back Home

Cats in 2025: A Year in Review

From viral internet moments to feel-good adoption stories and innovative breakthroughs in litter products, the year 2025 proved once again that cats aren’t just pets—they’re cultural icons.

This year, our love for all things feline showed up in bigger, better, and more meaningful ways, shaping how we care for our cats and the homes we share with them.

At World’s Best Cat Litter®, we took a closer look at the moments, movements, and meow-worthy trends that defined the year—here are the top cat trends of 2025 that made us purr a little louder.

Cat Highlights in 2025

In 2025, feline companionship reached new heights as cat ownership surged across North America.

In the U.S. alone there are estimated to be 49 million households with a cat — meaning nearly 40% of households have a cat, according to the American Pet Products Association’s 2025 Dog & Cat Report.

The same surge in popularity rings true for our friends in Canada — where according to a 2024 survey cats remain the most popular pet in the country. We’re talking 8.2 million cats to 7.2 million dogs.

And so with this increase in ownership, it’s only natural to assume cats have consumed all other corners of our lives, right?

Here’s a roundup of top cat trends from 2025:

Cats Continued to Dominate Social Media

From viral “office cat” content to cinematic cat POV videos, felines remained the internet’s favorite main characters in 2025.

Cats also remained the internet’s comfort creatures. In a year where people craved levity and warmth, cats consistently showed up as sources of calm, humor, and connection.

While Nala Cat (@nala_cat) remains the world’s most followed feline — 4.4 million followers on Instagram — it was newcomers like Nimbus the Siberian cat who popped on the scene and gave us all sorts of new cat content.

@nimbus_siberian The zoomies are zooming this evening 🤌🏻 #catsoftiktok #siberiancat #fyp #foryou #viral #cat #zoomies ♬ original sound – Nimbus ☁️

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cat Adoption Efforts Stayed Strong

The countless shelters and rescue organizations continued to do amazing work — spreading the word about the need to adopt and support shelter cats.

Some brands even doubled down on adoption-first storytelling, with cats featured heavily in heartwarming campaigns and community initiatives.

At World’s Best Cat Litter®, we took our adoption efforts on the road with a House Party Smelling Tour, and we even collaborated with some of our GiveLitter® shelter partners to tell the unique stories of shelter cats. Check it out:

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Cat Wellness Took Center Stage

Conversations around feline mental enrichment, stress reduction, and healthier home environments gained traction with cat parents. And rightfully so.

At World’s Best Cat Litter®, we launched a lineup of innovative products called Boosters™ litter additives that help combat poop stink, attract cats to the box, and detect health problems with a simple sprinkle.

@worldsbestcatlitter

It really is that simple. Try new Health Check-In Boosters and monitor your cat's health 24/7.

♬ original sound – World’s Best Cat Litter®

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Eco-Friendly Cat Products Grew in Popularity

Demand increased for natural, plant-based, and sustainability-minded cat products —especially litter and home essentials.

From hemp-based cat beds to eco-friendly cat trees and recycled water dishes, cat parents craved renewable and environmentally friendly products.

Of course this is nothing new at World’s Best Cat Litter® — the No. 1 natural and sustainable cat litter made from renewable corn.

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Cats Became “Art” (Literally)

From framed feline contests to museum-inspired cat content to massive murals all over the U.S., cats were increasingly positioned as living works of art.

And with the advent of AI, the ability to create your own cat art has grown exponentially. In 2025, a viral AI cooking cat video took the world by storm and prompted millions to get in on the fun.

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CAt love continues to grow

And as if we needed any further proof that 2025 was the year of cats, check out this roundup of cat-centric events and tidbits that dominated the headlines throughout the year.

• The 2025 CFA International Cat Show & Expo: Often described as the “Westminster for cats,” this prestigious event took place on October 11–12 at the I-X Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Organized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), it is one of the largest feline events globally, this year drawing nearly 10,000 attendees and over 550 competing cats.
• The FIFe World Show in Romania: The world’s largest cat event took place in Bucharest, Romania, in October 2025. It featured over 1,000 cats from more than 30 countries, including rare breeds like the Don Sphynx and Cornish Rex.
• The iCatConnect 2025 Global Conference: International Cat Care hosted a massive virtual global event in November 2025, focusing on “unowned” cat populations and sustainable welfare solutions for stray and community cats.
• Cat “Celebration Culture” Exploded: Birthday and “Gotcha Day” parties for cats became mainstream, with a reported 250% increase in owners hosting formal celebrations for their feline friends compared to previous years.
• The Maine Coon Crowned #1: The Maine Coon was officially named the top pedigreed cat breed of 2025, followed closely by the Ragdoll and the British Shorthair, as owners leaned toward “gentle giant” breeds.