ROCKVILLE, MD. — Despite being overlooked in the past, cats and cat products are starting to become more of a focus within the pet food industry. Historically, cats have been neglected by pet nutrition companies even though felines make up nearly one-third of pet market sales in the United States, according to Packaged Facts. 

Cat owners are painfully aware of being neglected in the marketplace. When asked by Packaged Facts about being treated as second-class citizens, nearly half of the cat owners surveyed agreed with that sentiment. However, this is starting to change in the pet market with plenty of opportunity for continued improvement. 

In its “Cat Market Opportunities in the US” report, Packaged Facts analyzed cat population trends, trends in cat food and cat owner spending patterns through a survey of both cat and dog owners.

In the United States, cat ownership continues to steadily climb, reaching 32.1 million households in 2024, an increase from 28 million in 2015.The global cat population is estimated to be around 350 million. 

This rise in cat ownership isn’t going anywhere with the percentage of cat owners with a kitten (10%) outweighing the percentage of dog owners with puppies (8%), according to Packaged Facts. Although this number is slightly lower than it was 10 years ago (12%), this ensures a strong future cat market.  

Although the number of cat owners has risen, inflation and subsequently high costs of pet products have shown to be a common challenge among cat owners. Packaged Facts’ survey results found that when it comes to cat owner spending, high costs of pet food and veterinary services come out on top as the biggest challenges. As a result of this price inflation, half of cat owners surveyed reported that their spending increased in 2024 compared to the year prior and only 6% reported a decrease in their spending.

Nonetheless, cat owners need to feed their felines, so there is an ongoing demand for cat food and treat products. In fact, 82% of the cat owners surveyed reported that they find food to be the most important pet care product they shop for. Pet treats are also important, with 49% of cat owners reporting these products to be important. Overall, nutrition is far more important to cat owners, overcoming parasiticide products and demonstrating its evolution from just food to becoming a health and wellness product. According to Packaged Facts, cat owners tend to be loyal to the food they choose — most likely due to the fact that switching foods can cause cats to have digestive or refusal issues. 

Cat food trends historically trail dog food trends, according to Packaged Facts. For example, the premiumization movement that began 15 to 20 years ago in the dog food market has yet to peak in the cat food market. However, cat owners are generally more receptive to alternative pet food formulations than dog owners, with 52% of cat owners reporting they like the idea of using sustainable, alternative proteins in pet food, compared to 48% of dog owners. Additionally, within the realm of sustainability, 18% of cat owners reported purchasing pet foods with sustainable packaging in mind, whereas only 15% of dog owners reported the same.

Similar to the dog food market, dry food/kibble is the most commonly purchased formulation of cat food, with 79% of cat and dog owners reporting that they purchase it. However, cat owners are significantly more likely (64%) to feed their cats wet foods compared to dogs (42%), according to Packaged Facts. This tendency is likely a result of cats’ challenges with hydration, as well as the fact that they eat less food than dogs. Food toppers and mix-ins are also more popular with cat owners with 26% purchasing these products, compared to 24% of dog owners. 

However, within the functional realm, dog owners come out on top. Twenty-four percent of dog owners report purchasing pet food formulas that target health and wellness needs, compared to 18% of cat owners. 

With ample room for improvement and plenty of demand, there are loads of opportunities for pet food and treat manufacturers to dive into the world of cat products. 

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