Pet ownership rates in the United States have remained stable on average over the past 14 years. In 2010, 62% of U.S. households owned some type of pet. In 2024, this figure rose to 63%. However, this small increase was accompanied by changes in ownership rates. Ingrid Chu, vice president of research and insights for the American Pet Products Association (APPA), presented the information and information on pet ownership during a presentation at the Global Pet Expo 2024 in Orlando, Florida, USA on March 21st. The organization shared its research on the topic.
“Overall, the situation is stable,” she said. “During COVID-19, we have seen a positive impact, especially among dogs…We are seeing things start to return to normality to pre-COVID-19 conditions. We expect further stabilization. We'll probably go back to about two-thirds and stay there for the next few years, but that's a good thing. It's an opportunity for us.”
COVID-19 is not the only reason pet ownership rates have increased above long-term trends. In particular, due to pandemic disruptions in 2012, 2016, and 2020, pet ownership increased above his current 63%. His overall ownership trends are in his low 60s range, but he never fell below his 2010 threshold of 62%. APPA analysts predict that by 2020, pet ownership rates across the United States will rise to 67%.
The number of dogs owned always exceeds the number of cats owned. In 2010, 39% of US households owned a dog. Dog ownership peaked in 2020 during the pandemic and settled at 44% in 2024. APPA analysts predict that dog ownership will slowly rise to 46% by 2030.
In the future, cat ownership will lag behind dogs, but the number of households with pet cats is likely to increase even more rapidly. In 2010, 33% of U.S. households owned a cat. This number actually decreased to 30% in 2024, even though there was no increase in dog ownership due to the pandemic. However, APPA market researchers believe cat ownership will rise to 35% by 2030.
Future trends in pet ownership
Changes in human living patterns, such as urbanization, and the requirement for workers to return to brick-and-mortar offices, could lead to an increase in cat ownership.
“We've seen cats grow,” Alfia CEO and President David McLean told Pet Food Industry. “We're doing a lot of great things at cat because we're focused on deliciousness. I think we've seen dog ownership go down a little bit. We've seen less of it with cats. No more. There's more sustainability there. I think it's because some people are going back to work. That lifestyle is easier to support cats.”
Although the percentage of households with pets has remained relatively stable since 2010, the overall number of households with pets has increased as the U.S. population has grown. In 2010, 73 million households included a pet, increasing to 82 million by 2024. The biggest increase was in ownership households, which rose from 46 million to 58 million. The number of households with pet cats has increased from 39 million households to 40 million households.
However, APPA analysts do not expect the number of households with pets to increase significantly. By 2030, that number may increase by only 1 million households, with the number of dog owners decreasing to 57 million households and the number of cats increasing to 45 million households.
