STAMFORD, CONN. — During the pandemic, pet ownership in the United States was at an all-time high, but numbers have declined slightly since 2020. Today, around 82 million US households own a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). While that number has decreased slightly since 2020 levels, numbers have risen since 2010 when 73 million US households owned a pet. Of those pet owning households, 44% own a dog in 2024 (in 2010, 39% of households owned a dog), and 30% of households own a cat, down slightly from 33% in 2010. 

In an effort to gain a deeper understanding of today’s dog and cat owners, APPA put together its “2024 Dog and Cat Report: Strategic Insights from the National Pet Owners Survey.” The report provides more than 200 pages of comprehensive analysis and visuals on pet owner shopping trends, sentiments, demographics and behaviors. More than 10,000 surveys were completed for the 2024 report — 3,842 by dog owners and 3,389 by cat owners.

APPA's logoSource: American Pet Products Association

“As the leading voice for the pet products industry, our findings both confirm evolving trends and reveal surprising shifts in how pet owners bond with and care for their pets,” said Peter Scott, president and chief executive officer of APPA.

Trends from the report show how today’s pet owners emphasize healthcare and quality time as top priorities in their interactions with their four-legged family members.

Pet parents continue to credit owning a pet with improved health and happiness in their lives. Ninety-six percent of respondents report general health benefits from owning a pet; 76% report happiness and emotional support; 64% report stress relief; 57% report less anxiety or depression; 35% report better mental acuity; and 34% report they exercise more because they own a pet.

 

Canine connection

According to APPA’s report, 15 years is the average amount of time respondents have owned their dog. The majority of these households only own one dog, but multi-dog households are on the rise. Seventy percent own one dog, 23% own two dogs, and 8% own three or more dogs, which is up from only 5% in 2018.

The majority of dog owners said they preferred to adopt from a shelter (51%) or rescue group (42%). Twenty-nine percent got their dog from a breeder, and 29% from a friend or relative.

As “man’s best friend” it’s no surprise that 46% of dog owners reported that they allowed their dog to sleep in their bed at night. Twenty percent have a standard dog bed for their furry friends, 17% have them sleep on a couch or chair, 16% sleep on the ground, and 14% have a specialty dog bed for their companions.

Veterinarians continue to be the primary source for information for dog owners at 51%, followed by the internet and social media at 43%, and friends and relatives or past experience both at 25%.

Pet owners continue to prioritize quality time with their pets. Fifty-eight percent of dog owners are taking their dogs to parks and bringing them on daily routines and errands more often. Fifteen percent of dog owners take their dogs along daily on errands in a car, a significant increase from 10% in 2018. Owners are also bringing their dogs on trips — 88% have brought their dog on a road trip in the past year and 68% have brought their dog on a plane trip. Most significant is the number of dog owners who have taken their pets on three or more trips in the last year. Among dog owners, 34% have taken their dogs on three or more trips in the car, up from 26% in 2022. Twenty-two percent have taken their dogs on three or more trips with them by plane, up from 13% in 2022.

The report also showed dog owners are buying more gifts and hosting more parties for their furry friends. Forty-four percent of dog owners purchased a gift for their dog’s birthday, up from 36% in 2022. And 27% of dog owners host a holiday/birthday party for their canines, compared to 20% of dog owners in 2022.

 

Feline family

The information from the report on the cat side showed, on average, cat owners have been caring for their feline companions for about 14 years. While more households own dogs than cats, the percentage of households that own three or more cats is higher than those that own three or more dogs (16% compared to 8%).

Most cat owners keep their felines indoors during the day and night, 69% and 75%, respectively. And 55% sleep in their owners’ beds. Other sleeping options include couch or chair (44%), open cat bed (27%), floor or ground (23%), on a rug (19%) or in a specialty cat house or condo (18%).

Among cat owners, 30% have taken their cats on three or more trips in the car, up from 21% in 2022. Twenty-two percent have taken their cats on three or more trips with them by plane, up from 14% in 2022.

Cat owners are training and spending more time outdoors with their cats, demonstrated by the growing use of training aids (46% in 2024, up from 34% in 2018). Thirty-one percent own leashes (up from 21% in 2018), and 23% own harnesses (up from 13% in 2018).

Despite spending more time outdoors with their cats, cat obesity continues to be on the rise, with 17% of those surveyed reporting that their veterinarian considers their cat to be obese, an increase from 11% in 2018. As a result, 13% of owners have been prescribed a weight loss diet for their cats.

As with their canine counterparts, cat birthday parties are increasingly popular, with 20% of cat owners hosting a holiday or birthday party for their cats, compared to 16% of cat owners in 2022. Cat owners are also buying more gifts with 32% reporting they purchased a birthday present for their cat, up from 24% in 2022.

 

Feeding frenzy

When it comes to pet food, the majority of dog and cat owners feed their pet a dry variety (67% and 63%, respectively), although that number has decreased from 74% and 69% in 2018. Fresh, semi-moist and raw varieties are on the rise, although the percentage is still small overall.

There is a growing trend in purchasing food with added attributes, such as human grade, containing superfood ingredients or containing eco-friendly packaging. More than half of dog and cat owners have purchased pet food with added attributes in the past year.

Exotic proteins are becoming more common in both dog and cat foods. Venison is the favored exotic protein choice among dog owners, and rabbit and venison are the more popular exotic proteins purchased for cats. Other options include wild boar, quail, pheasant, ostrich and insects.

Treats continue to be important purchases for pet parents with nearly all dog owners surveyed reporting they bought treats for their dogs. Meat treats are the most popular with 47% of owners purchasing them in the last year, followed by dental treats (43%), gourmet treats (14%) and freeze-dried treats (10% compared to only 6% in 2018).

For cat parents, wet treats are on the rise with 25% purchasing them in the past year, compared to 18% in 2022. Air-dried and freeze-dried treats are almost becoming more popular among cat owners.

Dog and cat owners have increased the amount of vitamins and other supplements they purchase for their pet — in 2018 only 34% of dog owners reported giving their pet vitamins or supplements, now it’s increased to 50%. Cat owners have also increased these purchases from 20% in 2018 to 32% today. Specifically, prebiotic and probiotic supplements have been on the uptrend, with 21% of dog owners and 28% of cat owners giving their pets prebiotic/probiotic supplements, compared to 17% of dog owners and 21% of cat owners in 2022.

In addition to wanting to treat and nourish their pets, pet parents also want to keep them as comfortable as possible, especially when it comes to alleviating their companion’s potential anxiety. The use of calming products has grown by 168% for dogs and 174% for cats since 2018. Fifty-nine percent of dog owners and 52% of cat owners use some type of calming product, up from 22% and 19%, respectively.

Among dog owners, anxiety/calming supplement use has seen significant growth, with 15% of dog owners who give their dog supplements using an anxiety/calming supplement compared to 4% in 2018. Cat owners are treating more conditions with CBD products, with 43% reporting they purchase CBD products for their cats.

“The enduring emotional connection between humans and their pets remains deep. With that said, we were surprised and eager to see the increased pet owner prioritization and concern over the health of their pets, whether that be obesity, anxiety or overall wellness. It indicates that pets’ quality of life has become a top priority for owners,” Scott added. “As an overwhelming majority believe that their pets bring them happiness and emotional support, increased quality time spent and travel with pets follow suit.”

View APPA’s full “2024 Dog and Cat Report: Strategic Insights from the National Pet Owners Survey.”

Keep up with the latest pet food trends on our Trends page.