Adapted from Robert Granader's October 4th op-ed in The Washington Post, with additional data from Packaged Facts. [Read the original here.]
The rivalry between dog people and cat people has existed for as long as animals have been domesticated. If aliens had visited any city in the United States over the past few decades, they would’ve had little doubt which side won. The Martians would have seen sidewalks, parks and beaches filled with humans walking, carrying and chasing dogs.
But the ground is shifting beneath those puppies’ paws. According to statistics from my research firm Packaged Facts, for the first time since the data began being tracked, more U.S. households own kittens than puppies. In 2014, there were 1.8 households with a dog under 1 year old for every one household with a cat the same age. That ratio reached parity in 2025, and this year, it declined to 0.94 to 1. Fewer puppies today means fewer dogs in the future.
This isn’t a story of cat ownership booming, however. It’s one of dog ownership declining. The number of American households with dogs has dropped 5 percent since 2019, while cat ownership has held relatively steady. Dogs still dominate America, but that is changing quickly.
Cats are America’s second-favorite pet
The market hasn’t yet adapted to this development. Cat owners say businesses still treat their feline friends as second-class pets. According to a 2026 pet owner survey from Packaged Facts, roughly half of cat owners feel as though pet product marketers and retailers aren’t catering to cats.
Meanwhile, in most pet stores, dog owners are greeted with a wide assortment of food and treat options, toys, enrichment products, travel accessories, apparel, training equipment and seasonal merchandise. Grooming, boarding, training and other pet services remain overwhelmingly dog-centric. There are dog parks, dog beaches, dog-friendly hotels, dog-friendly restaurants, dog bakeries and even dog airlines. Cats are largely left out. They get leftover boxes from Amazon deliveries.
Pet companies treat cats like the Ken to dogs’ Barbie. So, what’s behind Americans’ move away from dogs?
Mostly, practicality. Cats are quieter, easier to leave by themselves and better at living in smaller spaces. A dog can turn your Saturday into a logistical exercise. A cat barely notices you’ve left the house.
But the trend reflects the state of the economy, too. Home buying, a traditional trigger for adding a dog to the family, has been stifled by a combination of elevated real estate prices, sluggish real wage growth and higher mortgage rates. The homeownership decline has taken some of the steam out of the dog market, as homeowners are almost twice as likely as renters to own a dog, according to our data.
Five states now have more households with cats than dogs
Demographic shifts are also putting downward pressure on overall pet ownership. Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies projects that household growth will be concentrated among older adults and minorities — groups that historically have lower pet ownership rates.
The decline in dog ownership is also a product of the way people live and work post-pandemic. Americans have smaller households, are more likely to own apartments, travel more and incur higher costs. With the U.S. facing tighter economic conditions, dogs can be prohibitive. Packaged Facts estimates that owners spend an average of $1,300 annually on dogs, compared with roughly $750 on cats.
That disparity could reduce the pet industry’s revenue going forward. Dogs make up two-thirds of pet industry sales, according to our data. For years, steady price increases and more expensive product options have kept the industry humming, but consumers are increasingly trading down to lower-priced options (or dropping out of pet ownership altogether).
This isn’t a story about cats replacing dogs. It’s about Americans becoming more like cats: living in smaller spaces, valuing independence and preferring to be left alone.
If the aliens returned to America in a few years, they might find spotless and empty sidewalks, parks and beaches — and millions of cats sitting smugly in front of window shades.
Roughly half of cat owners say the market isn't catering to them. Cats: US Pet Market Trends and Opportunities, 3rd Edition sizes that gap segment by segment, with five-year forecasts and the consumer data behind them.
About the Author
Rob Granader serves as CEO of The Freedonia Group, where he leads the organization with a focus on innovation, insight, and excellence in market research and business intelligence. Previously he founded and ran Marketresearch.com, the leading online marketplace for industry information, which he sold in 2024. In addition to his leadership roles, Rob is a writer and author of Writing in the Q, along with more than 400 articles, essays, and short stories.
A graduate of the University of Michigan with a BA in English — Go Blue! — Rob continues to pursue lifelong learning through YPO (Young President’s Organization) and annual classes at Harvard Business School.
Rob believes deeply in the power of storytelling and connection through the written word.
