Report: In September, cat food sales outpace dog food
YipitData’s September 2026 recap showed Kirkland Signature and Blue Buffalo climbing fresh and frozen dog food brand rankings, while fish and seafood proteins led cat food product trait growth.
Costco cat food sales rose 31% year over year in September 2026, outpacing the 11% growth seen across all tracked retailers, according to YipitData.
calicodesign | Pixabay.com
Cat food sales significantly outpaced dog food in September 2026, with cat food growing 31% year over year at Costco and 11% across all tracked retailers, compared to dog food's slower 15% and 3% growth rates respectively.
Cat food sales grew 31% year over year at Costco in September 2026, while dog food sales rose only 15%
Across all 15 tracked retailers, cat food increased 11% year over year in September compared to dog food's 3% growth
Kirkland Signature climbed 47 spots in fresh and frozen dog food rankings, from No. 51 to No. 4, gaining 9% market share at Costco
Fish and seafood proteins led cat food growth at 17% year-over-year sales increase, while roll formats dominated dog food at 23% growth
New products like Fancy Feast Gems generated $300,000-$500,000 in September GMV at Costco, signaling strong consumer demand for premium pet food innovations
Costco cat food sales grew 31% year over year in September 2026, while the retailer’s dog food sales rose 15%, according to YipitData’s September 2026 Pet Monthly Recap. The report drew on omnichannel U.S. e-receipt, credit and debit card and web-scraped data from 15 retailers, including Walmart, PetSmart, Amazon, Target, Petco, Tractor Supply, Chewy, Costco and Sam’s Club.
Cat food sales outpace dog food
Across all tracked retailers, cat food sales increased 11% year over year in September and 11% year to date, compared with January through September 2025. Costco led cat food growth, with year-to-date sales up 45%. Amazon cat food sales rose 22% in September and 20% year to date.
Dog food sales grew more slowly. Sales across all retailers rose 3% in September and 2% year to date. Costco dog food sales increased 15% in September and 10% year to date, while Walmart dog food sales grew 5% in September and 3% year to date.
Kirkland Signature gains in fresh and frozen dog food
Among fresh and frozen dog food brands ranked by gross merchandise value (GMV), Kirkland Signature climbed 47 spots, from No. 51 in September 2025 to No. 4 in September 2026. Blue Buffalo rose 30 spots, from No. 33 to No. 3, and Royal Canin moved up 24 spots, from No. 45 to No. 21.
At Costco, Freshpet’s trailing 12-month GMV share of fresh and frozen dog food slipped from 98% in October 2025 to 91% in September 2026, while Kirkland Signature reached 9%.
Emerging wet cat food brands
In wet cat food, Salty Cat climbed 32 spots, from No. 77 in September 2025 to No. 45 in September 2026. Strongheart rose 24 spots, from No. 59 to No. 35, and Inaba moved up 11 spots, from No. 29 to No. 18.
Costco’s wet cat food category also shifted. Kirkland Signature’s trailing 12-month GMV share fell from 91% in October 2025 to 56% in September 2026, while Friskies’ share grew from 9% to 42%.
Protein and format trends
Cat food products with fish and seafood proteins posted 17% year-over-year sales growth in September, the fastest-growing product trait in the category. Poultry proteins and “lickable” formats each grew 13%, and weight management products rose 4%.
In dog food, roll formats led product trait growth at 23% year over year, followed by fish and seafood proteins at 13% and red meat proteins at 5%. Dog food products with poultry proteins declined 1%.
New products at retail
YipitData also tracked products newly observed between July and September 2026. Fancy Feast Gems Gourmet Cat Food, sold in a 2-ounce, 40-count pack at Costco, generated $300,000 to $500,000 in September GMV. Fancy Feast “The Paige Edit” Gourmet Wet Cat Food Variety Pack on Amazon generated less than $100,000.
In fresh and frozen dog food, Nom Nom Scoopable Meal Cluster, Chicken & Sweet Potato at PetSmart generated $200,000 to $400,000 in September GMV, while The Farmer’s Dog Human-Grade Dog Food Plan, Variety Set on Amazon generated less than $100,000.
