Cat abandonment and adoption associated with socioeconomic, veterinary, and trap-neuter-return factors in the Republic of Korea.

BACKGROUND

Cat abandonment is a major global animal welfare and public health issue. Millions of cats entering shelters every year and many never reclaimed or adopted. Research on the factors that drive abandonment and adoption in the Republic of Korea is scarce. Cats differ behaviourally and ecologically from dogs, often living as stray or community cats, posing unique management challenges. This study examined how socioeconomic indicators, veterinary costs, and trap-neuter-return (TNR) activities influence cat abandonment and adoption outcomes between 2021 and 2023.

METHODS

Publicly available data from 250 Korean jurisdictions, including records of abandonment and adoption, unemployment benefit counts, income indicators, veterinary fees, and TNR activities, were compiled. Ordinary least squares regression identified predictors for two dependent variables: (1) cat abandonments per 100,000 residents and (2) the percentage of abandoned cats adopted. Spatial regression diagnostics assessed the potential spatial dependence.

RESULTS

Across all 3 years, unemployment benefit recipients were negatively associated with cat abandonment rates (β = -0.22 to -0.24), indicating that lower cat abandonments per resident were observed in areas that relied more heavily on unemployment safety nets. In contrast, community cats managed through TNR per 100,000 residents were positively associated with abandonment counts (β = 0.29 to 0.31), likely reflecting reactive TNR targeting in high-abandonment areas or increased detection of abandoned cats. For adoption, rabies vaccination fees were consistently negatively associated (β = -0.19 to -0.25), with revisit consultation fees also showing negative links. In contrast, consultation and hospitalisation fees were positively associated with adoption rates in 2022-2023 (β up to 0.33 for consultation fees), suggesting that better-developed veterinary infrastructure may foster adoption. No spatial dependence was detected for abandonment or adoption, implying that the patterns were shaped by local rather than regional effects.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first nationwide, multi-year analysis of cat abandonment and adoption in Korea that integrates socioeconomic, veterinary, and TNR data. The findings show that cat abandonments were lower in areas that relied more heavily on unemployment safety nets, while cat abandonments were higher in regions where more community cats were managed through the TNR. Veterinary costs influenced adoption; preventive care costs deterred adopters, while higher consultation and hospitalisation fees reflected stronger veterinary capacity and a culture supportive of adoption. These results broaden our understanding of the drivers of cat welfare outcomes. It further highlights the need for longitudinal and mixed-method studies to clarify causality and guide evidence-based policies to reduce abandonment and improve adoption.