With over 470 million dogs kept as pets worldwide, dogs came out on top as the leading type of pet in 2018. Within the same year, there were roughly 370 million pet cats in the world.

Pets in the European Union

While dogs were globally speaking the most common type of pet, cats were more common in the European Union in 2018. Roughly 75 million people within this region had a pet cat in 2018, compared to the 65 million pet dogs. That year, Germany had about nine and a half million pet dogs, making it the country with the highest number within the European Union. Other top dog-loving countries included the United Kingdom, Poland, and France.

Other pets in Germany

Besides cats and dogs, Germans had many other household pets in 2018. About five and a half million small pets, such as hamsters and rabbits, were kept by Germans that year. Additionally, about two million households in Germany owned an aquarium and roughly one and a half million households owned a garden pond.

According to a 2017 survey, Millennial males in the United States were more likely to be cat and/or dog owners than their female counterparts. Some 48 percent of male Millennial survey respondents stated that they owned a cat and 71 percent owned a dog. In comparison, 35 and 62 percent of female respondents were cat and/or dog owners, respectively.

Pet ownership rates in the United States

In 2019, 67 percent of all households in the United States owned a pet . This is over a ten percent increase from 1988. Almost 50 percent of surveyed American pet-owning households had a dog in 2017 , making it the most popular type of pet to own in the United States. Cats and freshwater fish were the second and third most popular type of pet, with a 38 and 10 percent share of the vote respectively.

Number of pets owned

Freshwater fish were the most kept pet in the United States in 2017/18 in terms of volume. In total, Americans were estimated to own approximately 139.3 million of the aquatic animals in that year. This large volume is no surprise when considering their small size and minor cost increases when owning more than one fish as a pet. Cats and dogs were the second and third most owned pets, with around 94.2 and 89.7 million living in U.S. households respectively.

According to a 2024 survey, dogs were the most commonly owned pet in UK households. The share of households reporting dog ownership stood at 36 percent. The second most common house pet among UK households were cats, with around 26 percent of respondents stating their ownership. Pet ownership in the UK In the past year, pet ownership levels in the UK decreased by five percent when compared to 2022. This decrease could be explained by the change in owner's routines since pandemic restrictions have lifted. The share of UK households owning a dog or cat also decreased in comparison to previous years. Happiness, companionship, and man’s best friend A 2020 survey asked dog owners to state their reasons for owning a dog and all linked their ownership to either improving their happiness and/or providing companionship. Happiness was the most common response, with 51 percent stating ‘because they make me happy’. Whereas 47 percent stated their dogs provided ‘love/affection’ and 35 percent stated their dogs provided ‘companionship’. It seems the old saying “man’s best friend” still holds true to this day.

Dogs were the most popular pets in Japan as revealed in a survey panel by Rakuten Insight conducted between April and May 2024. The survey on pet ownership showed that dogs and cats were the most common animal companions kept in Japan, which is reflected in the dominance of dogs and cat goods within the domestic pet supplies market. Cats and dogs in Japan Even though dogs were popular for their approachability and loyalty among Japanese people, cats are closing in on the popularity of canines. As Japan is struggling to contain the number of strays in municipalities, in particular felines, picking up a lost or stray cat is a frequent reason to become a new owner. In contrast, dogs and other mammals like rodents are mostly mediated through retail channels like pet stores or breeders, requiring higher costs in the adoption process. Pet businesses The Japanese pet market offers owners a variety of establishments and pet stores to indulge their animal companions with services and goods, including wellness programs, accessories, and luxury snacks. While general food and medical expenses make up the top items of annual expenses spent on pet dogs, beauty expenses covering shampoo, cutting, and trimming are coming in third. Boosted by the kawaii (cuteness) culture in Japan, dog barbers and fashion goods for pets are not an uncommon sight in the country.

Among the wide variety of animals kept as pets, cats and dogs are the most common. In Spain, dogs seem to be the most popular pet, with 27 percent of Spanish households owing at least one canine in 2023. The share of households that owned a cat experienced an ongoing decrease over the recent years, falling to 11 percent in 2019 down from a 21 percent in 2010. This figure picked up again in 2022 to reach 17 percent.

Dogs: Spain’s favorite domestic animal

The popularity of dogs in Spain cannot be denied – the number of hounds has only increased in the last years, reaching figures of approximately 9.3 million in 2023. The number of stray and street dogs recused on the Spanish streets saw a drop over time, falling from 108,300 dogs in 2013 down to 104,700. This figure, however, increased dramatically in 2019.

The situation of pet cats in Spain

Spanish homes had around 5.8 million pet cats in 2023, which is about half the number of that of dogs the same year. The number of rescued stray or street felines was also significantly lower compared to dogs, until figures rocketed in 2019. The fate of rescued street and stray pets normally has a happy ending, with nearly half of them adopted by a new family and 18 percent returned to their original homes that year.

The Dutch are pet-loving people. In 2022, 21 percent of Dutch households owned a pet dog. Cats were even more popular. That year, out of every four households in the Netherlands, one had a pet cat. In neighboring country Belgium too, cats and dogs were popular. Here, the share of households owning either animal was roughly the same.

 Pet dog and pet cat population 

Between 2010 and 2022, the pet dog population in the Netherlands fluctuated from year-to-year. At its peak in 2014, there were over 2.5 million pet dogs in the country. By 2022, the Dutch pet dog population reached about 1.5 million. Although this is an impressive amount, the number of dogs in the Netherlands was somewhat lower than the number of cats. In 2022, there were 1.9 million pet cats living in the Netherlands.

Popularity of pets

A 2016 survey found that over half of the Dutch households had at least one pet. Cats and dogs were the most popular pets, but a smaller share of households also had fish. According to this survey, roughly one in ten households kept pet fish.

From 2010 to 2023, the share of cats in Swedish households was higher than the share of dogs. In 2019, 19 percent of households owned at least one cat, while there were 15 percent of dog-owning households. In 2023, the share amounted to 21 percent of cat owners as well as 15 percent of dog owners. The number of the popular pet animal cats grew in this period from 1.27 million to 1.72 million cats.    Most popular cat breeds  The Ragdoll cat breed came first in the popularity ranking measured by number of purchased animals in Sweden in 2021. In this year, nearly three thousand animals of this breed were bought. The Maine Coon ranked second with a number of around two thousand purchased cats, ahead of the Siberian Cat cat and the Norwegian Forest cat.  Pet dogs  In Sweden in 2010, there were 749 thousand pet dogs. This number increased by almost 300 thousand and, in 2022, peaked at about 1.04 million animals. As of 2019, the Labrador Retriever was the most purchased dog breed in the country, reaching over 2.9 thousand animals. It was followed by approximately 1.95 thousand purchased Golden Retriever dogs as well as German Shepherd dogs.

From 2010 to 2023, the share of Norwegian households which owned a cat remained steady at around one-third. By comparison, over this period, around 17 percent of households owned at least one dog. Cats seemed to be a very popular pet in Norway; the number increased in recent years and peaked in 2021 and 2022 at 783,000 animals.    Pet cats in Sweden In Norway’s neighboring country Sweden, the situation was similar. Since 2012, the share of households owning at least one cat remained between 16 and 21 percent, while 13 to 16 percent of Swedish households owned a dog. In this country, too, cats were more common to have as a pet than dogs. As of 2023, there were around 1.72 million pet cats registered in Sweden. Pet cats in Denmark The population of pet cats in Denmark in 2023 was estimated to be 698,000. Unlike in Norway and Sweden, the share of households owning cats as a pet in this year was much lower than households owning a pet dog. It is striking that the situation was different before. From 2016 to 2019, the share of households owning at least one dog remained stable at around 23 percent, while it was about 27 percent for pet cats.          

In the United States, more than half of the population reported owning a pet in 2011. This number has been quite steady since then. Today there are more than 90 million cats in the United States, while the number of dogs is just below the 90 million-mark. Freshwater fish are the most common pet with almost 140 million nationwide in 2018, followed by the aforementioned cats and dogs.   Pet expenses    When it comes to expenses, fish are generally considered low maintenance compared to other pets. Dogs especially require high expense, particularly for kennel boarding while their owners are away. However, the highest costs for dog owners are due to surgical vet visits, reported at almost double the expense for cats in 2019. Lower life expectancy could be a factor - around 11 years for a medium-sized dog, compared with 12 to 15 years for cats.  
  Pet food  

Food is currently the largest expense for cat owners, and the second highest for dogs, not even including treats. Despite the convenience of buying pet food online, or while already grocery shopping in a supermarket, food store, or wholesale club, the highest share of pet food sales comes from pet specialty chains. With many owners are willing to make the extra trip for their pets, chain shops Pet Smart and PetCo make up almost half the market for pet companies in the United States.

Surveyed dog owners in the United States stated that they spent, on average, 442 U.S. dollars on pet food per year in 2020. In comparison, cat-owning respondents claimed to spend an average of 329 U.S. dollars on pet food on an annual basis.

Pet ownership in the United States In 2019/20, dogs and cats were the most popular American household pets. There were approximately 63.4 million dog-owning households and 42.7 million cat-owning households in the United States. Other pets living in U.S. households included freshwater fish, saltwater fish, birds, reptiles, and horses. Due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and the increased time spent at home, many Americans reported acquiring new pets. In a recent survey carried out in December 2020, 10 percent of respondents in the United States reported acquiring a new pet as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pet expenditures in the United States As Americans increasingly acquired more and more pets over the years, pet industry expenditure in the United States increased at an impressive rate, growing by over 500 percent between 1994 and 2020. Pet food and treats captured the biggest share of pet industry sales, followed by veterinary services and related products. In terms of pet food, the dry dog food segment generated the highest amount of sales, with around 5.3 billion U.S. dollars generated in 2020.

In 2024, according to a nationwide survey, there were estimated to be around 8.9 million cats in Canadian households. In the same year, there were approximately 8.3 million pet dogs in the country. Annual pet care costs in Canada Taking care of a pet cat cost Canadian pet owners an average of 2,542 Canadian dollars per cat in 2021. Annual expenses, such as professional dental care, food and, pet health insurance, were among the most expensive for this type of pet. The estimated yearly cost of caring for pet canines was over 1,000 Canadian dollars higher than feline-related expenses in 2022. On average, dog food and health insurance for dogs were significantly more expensive than cat food and insurance. Pet stores in Canada Ontario, Canada's largest province by population, was home to over 770 pet and pet supplies stores in 2021. Quebec, which is the largest province by area, had roughly 500 stores. In the same year, there was a total of less than ten pet stores in Yukon and the Northwest Territories, both of which are large, but sparsely populated federal territories of Canada.

In 2023, roughly 25 percent of German households owned a cat, compared with 21 percent of households owning a dog. Germans owned a wide variety of pets, but cats and dogs were by far the most popular.

This statistic shows a ranking of the leading pets owned by households in the United Kingdom (UK) between 2016 and 2019, broken down by region. In London, 14 percent of people were cat owners, while 9 percent owned a dog, making this the only region were cats were more popular than dogs.

In total, 45 percent of the UK population own a pet . This figure has increased by five percent since 2016. Over 90 percent of pet owners in the UK say that owning a pet makes them feel happy and 88 percent feel that pet ownership improves their overall quality of life.

With such as high ownership of pets in the United Kingdom, this leads the path for retailers in a growing and dynamic market. Pet food has a key role to play, with dog and cat food alone estimated at 2.5 billion British pounds in 2017.

As of 2023, an estimated 166 million European households owned at least one pet. During the last decade, the number of pet-owning households has increased by approximately 20 million. Pets in the European Union The most popular pets in the Europeans Union (EU) are cats. There are approximately 11,000 more cats than dogs in the EU. Besides cats and dogs, other popular pets are ornamental birds, such as canaries, parakeets, parrots, and small mammals, like mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, or rabbits. The number of cats in Europe has steadily increased during the last decade. In 2010, there were about 85,000 cats in Europe. By 2021, this figure had reached over 127,000. A similar trend has been observed in the number of dogs in Europe. Cats in the European Union While cats are popular companions for households in many EU countries, Germany and France have the highest numbers of cats among EU countries by a considerable margin. However, these countries are also the most populous in the EU. Taking a look at the share of households who own at least one cat in the EU shows that the share of cat lovers in Romania is the highest. Almost half of Romanian households own a cat. The share of cat-owning households seems to be comparatively high in many eastern European countries.

In 2019, 85 percent of pets owned in Mexico were dogs, while 15 percent were cats. In that same year, the sales volume of dog food produced in the country reached nearly 937 thousand metric tons.

An estimated 65.1 million households in the United States owned at least one dog according to a 2023/24 pet owners survey, making them the most widely owned type of pet across the U.S. at this time. Cats and freshwater fish ranked in second and third places, with around 46.5 million and 11.1 million households owning such pets, respectively.

Freshwater vs. salt water fish

Freshwater fish spend most or all their lives in fresh water. Fresh water’s main difference to salt water is the level of salinity. Freshwater fish have a range of physiological adaptations to enable them to live in such conditions. As the statistic makes clear, Americans keep a large number of freshwater aquatic species at home as pets.

American pet owners

In 2023, around 66 percent of all households in the United States owned a pet. This is a decrease from 2020, but still around a 10 percent increase from 1988. It is no surprise that as more and more households own pets, pet industry expenditure has also witnessed steady growth. Expenditure reached over 136 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, almost a sixfold increase from 1998. The majority of pet product sales are still made in brick-and-mortar stores , despite the rise and evolution of e-commerce in the United States.

Dogs were the most popular type of pet among the approximately six million pet-owning households in South Korea in 2023. Cats came in a distant second. There were around 500 thousand dogs registered with the authorities the previous year. Dog registrations became possible in 2008, but they became obligatory only in 2014. Pet dogs in Korea Maltese dogs were the most popular breed with Koreans, accounting for nearly a quarter of all dogs, according to a 2021 report. Poodles and Pomeranians were also popular. Generally small and cute dogs are more popular in Korea, where people often live in apartments without their own lawns or other open areas more suitable for larger breeds. It is not unusual for dog owners to not to walk their smaller dogs. Around half of the dog owners got their dogs for from friends or acquaintances. Korean pet industry The pet industry in South Korea is a growing industry, worth an estimated around 3.8 trillion South Korean won in 2021 and expected to grow further to six trillion won by 2027. Whilst dogs are the most popular pet, cats, fish and other pets have also stimulated industry growth. On average, around 30 percent of Korean pet owners spend up over two hundred thousand won every month on pet-related costs. Accordingly, pet food imports have grown over the last decades.

According to an online survey conducted in 2024, it was estimated that 13.5 million dogs and 12.5 million cats were living in UK homes in that year. In addition, the pet population in the United Kingdom also included around 1.3 million indoor birds and 1 million rabbits. Expenditure on pets in the UK In 2021, consumers spent over 9.6 billion British pounds on pets and related products in the United Kingdom, almost double the pet expenditure levels ten years prior, when pet owners in the UK spent a total of 5.13 billion British pounds in 2011. Since dogs and cats were the most common pet animals in UK homes, dog food and cat food were also the most valuable segment in the pet market in the UK. For instance, the UK dry dog food market was valued at 576 million British pounds. Pets at Home Pets at Home is a British pet supplies retailer operating more than 452 stores in the United Kingdom. It is one of the leading pet retailers in Europe, with an annual turnover of 948 million euros in 2019. Pets at Home revenue amounted to more than 1.14 billion British pounds in 2021. Over the last decade, the British pet retailer witnessed its revenues increase every year from a figure of approximately 517 million British pounds generated in 2011.

In selected years from 2010 to 2023, the share of Danes owning cats and dogs fluctuated. Noticeable is, that from 2010 to 2014, more people were dog owners (around 21 percent) than cat owners (around 18 percent). This changed in the following years to 19 percent having cats and approximately 21 percent having dogs. By comparison, in the neighboring country Sweden, there were always more households with cats than dogs in the same years (except in 2020 when the share was the same).  Cat and dog population in Denmark  In numbers, the cat population decreased slightly from 673 thousand in 2010 to 669 thousand animals in 2022. The dog population grew between 2010 to 2020 from 580 to 670 thousand, before decreasing again in 2021.  Cat and dog population in Sweden The number of cats as well as the number of dogs increased in recent years. As of 2022, the cat population was measured at approximately 1.7 million animals and the dog population at 1.04 million animals.

Pet cat and dog ownership in Russia showed similar dynamics during the period under consideration. Over one-third of Russian households owned at least one cat on average, while the share of families having a pet dog was measured at 30 percent in 2022, up 10 percentage points from 2010.

 Russia, the country of cats

The number of domestic cats across Russia outnumbered the population of pet dogs in the country by roughly six million. However, while half the domestic dogs were pedigree, the majority of cats owned by Russian households were outbred, making them the most widespread type of domestic animals in the country. This fact can be explained by the social affinity to pick up small domestic friends in the streets.

Cats and dogs worldwide

From a global perspective, the count of pet dogs was greater than that of cats. Germany was the leading country in the European Union (EU) by number of domestic cats and dogs over that year. Nonetheless, the German pet cat population was lower than that in Russia.