Cats have gained ground in the pet ownership arena during the last several years — even before the COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscape.
sanjeri | iStock.com
As reported in Packaged Facts’ “Pet Population and Ownership Trends in the U.S.,” MRI-Simmons Fall 2024 survey data indicate that 50% of U.S. households (134 million) own dogs or cats, 38% own dogs, and 24% own cats — figures unchanged from the prior-year fall 2023 survey.
What has changed, as noted industry-wide, is that pet population trends have been favorable to cats rather than to dogs, reversing the historical pattern for the U.S. market. Less recognized is that this trend pre-dates the COVID-19 pandemic, though pet ownership patterns were inflected by the pandemic period.
