Philadelphia, PA - Animal Care and Control Team estimate that more than 400,000 cats live outdoors as stray or feral cats in Philadelphia - approximately one for each household, making this ratio among the highest in the US. Furthermore, recent survey results revealed that 23 percent of households in the Philadelphia metro have at least one feline resident.
Cats in Philadelphia
ACCT officers respond to unusual calls, like when an alligator escaped its basement in a North Philadelphia row house, but stray animals present one of their biggest challenges. On a recent day-in-the-life tour of their equipment, one two-year veteran discussed using a snake tong safely remove an angry and hissing reptile.
An upsurge in stray and feral animals at ACCT due to a vet shortage, adoption slowdown, and COVID shutdowns is making it more complex than ever for ACCT staff and volunteers. Yet despite all odds, locals are coming together in support.
Philadelphia has long been known as an influential, freethinking city; today, its nonconformist attitude lives on in the form of cat parents. Philadelphia boasts a robust community of cat rescuers who volunteer their services in response to the increased stray cat population. Many volunteers have even started colonies to accommodate the need to care for our four-legged friends.
