Cat market momentum is rising, but clinics still need to capture it
Bottom line
Cats are gaining economic and cultural weight in the U.S. pet market, and that momentum is increasingly being tied to younger pet parents, higher spending, and a broader wave of feline-focused product development. In a May 1 Pet Age feature, Glenn Polyn reported that cat ownership reached 49 million U.S. households in 2024 and then climbed again in 2025, with APPA’s 2026 State of the Industry preview putting cat ownership at 53 million households, or 39% of U.S. households. The article also pointed to stronger omnichannel sales for cat products, rising interest in treats, accessories, and automated litter boxes, and recent brand moves including “I and love and you” acquiring Made by Nacho and Tucker’s reviving the Rad Cat trademark. (petage.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the bigger signal is that feline demand is no longer just a retail story. CATalyst Council said last week that kitten growth is one of the few demographic bright spots in an otherwise flat-to-declining visit outlook through 2030, with combined U.S. clinical visit growth projected at -2% to 0%. At the same time, shelter data show cats continue to move through the system in large numbers, with 3 million cats entering shelters and rescues in 2025 and 2.2 million adopted. That creates an opening for practices to compete harder for first feline visits, preventive care, nutrition counseling, behavior support, and long-term retention of younger cat families. (businesswire.com)
What to watch: Watch whether feline consumer momentum translates into more consistent veterinary utilization, especially as practices and industry groups push cat-specific outreach, kitten onboarding, and preventive care programs. (businesswire.com)
Cats are moving from an underdeveloped segment to a central growth story across the U.S. pet economy, and the implications extend well beyond retail shelves. A May 1 Pet Age report framed the shift as “ferociously feline,” arguing that cat parents are spending more, celebrating more, and demanding more cat-specific products and experiences. The article tied that momentum to rising household penetration, stronger cross-channel sales, and a wave of feline-focused product launches and acquisitions. (petage.com)
The backdrop is a broader change in how cats fit into American households. Pet Age cited APPA data showing 49 million cat-owning households in 2024, up sharply from 2023, followed by additional growth in 2025. APPA’s 2026 State of the Industry preview now says 53 million U.S. households owned a cat in 2025, with growth propelled by Gen Z and Millennials. The same APPA preview said total U.S. pet industry expenditures reached $158 billion in 2025 and are projected to hit $165 billion in 2026, suggesting the cat category is gaining share inside a still-growing market. (petage.com)
Pet Age’s reporting suggests this is not just a population story, but a spending-pattern story. The article said 21% of cat parents hosted a holiday or birthday party for their cat in 2024, up 250% since 2018, while 34% bought cat-themed merchandise, up 89% over six years. It also cited NielsenIQ data indicating cat products are the only species segment currently growing both online and in-store, with essentials such as food and litter rising steadily and non-essentials such as lickable treats and automated litter boxes gaining speed. In parallel, Pet Food Processing has reported growing demand for cat-specific nutrition, palatability, functional benefits, and premium formulations, reinforcing the idea that manufacturers are no longer treating cats as a dog-adjacent category. (petage.com)
That momentum is already shaping company strategy. Pet Age highlighted “I and love and you” acquiring Made by Nacho, a cat-focused food brand that has expanded into more than 850 Walmart stores, and Tucker’s acquisition of the Rad Cat trademark to relaunch a feline-specific raw and gently cooked line. Even traditionally dog-led brands are crossing over: BAYDOG used Global Pet Expo to introduce a cat harness designed specifically for feline anatomy and behavior. Taken together, those moves point to a market where suppliers increasingly see cats as a standalone innovation platform, not just a secondary assortment. (petage.com)
Industry and shelter data help explain why the veterinary profession should pay close attention. CATalyst Council’s newly released white paper, “Puppocalypse, Kitten Craze, and the Expectations Reset,” says the veterinary sector is now in its fifth consecutive year of declining clinical visits and projects combined U.S. visit growth of -2% to 0% through 2030. One of the few positive offsets is stronger kitten volume. Meanwhile, Shelter Animals Count estimated that 3 million cats entered shelters and rescues in 2025, compared with 2.8 million dogs, and that 2.2 million cats were adopted, with cat adoption rates holding at 63%. Its kitten-season analysis also found kittens represented 59% of all cat intakes in 2025, with strong adoption performance among weaned and juvenile cats. (businesswire.com)
Expert commentary in the retail channel underscores how concentrated the opportunity may be. Pet Age quoted NielsenIQ’s Andrea Binder saying retailers and manufacturers that prioritize feline assortments are positioned for incremental gains as cat parents broaden feeding routines and invest in convenience, enrichment, and wellness. APPA, in guidance cited by Pet Age, urged manufacturers to develop products that support interaction and enrichment and advised retailers to merchandise around how people actually live with cats, including multi-cat households and seasonal demand patterns. For veterinary teams, that same logic likely applies to services: cat parents who are already spending on enrichment, nutrition, and convenience may be receptive to care models that feel equally tailored and feline-specific. (petage.com)
Why it matters: The central question for practices is whether cat market enthusiasm can be converted into veterinary engagement. The profession has long known that cats are underrepresented in clinics relative to their population, and CATalyst Council’s forecast suggests practices can’t rely on overall visit growth to solve that gap. If cat households are increasing, younger consumers are entering the category, and shelters are continuing to place large numbers of kittens and juvenile cats, then early-life feline care may be one of the clearest growth lanes available. That puts more weight on kitten acquisition strategies, cat-friendly handling, nutrition counseling, preventive care bundles, behavior support, and communication that matches how today’s pet parents think about cats: not as low-maintenance companions, but as family members worth investing in. (businesswire.com)
What to watch: The next signal will be whether feline consumer growth shows up in clinic metrics, including new-cat client acquisition, first-year kitten visit compliance, and retention into adult preventive care. CATalyst Council’s white paper and APPA’s fuller 2026 reporting should give the industry a clearer timeline for whether the “year of the cat” becomes a durable veterinary growth story, or remains concentrated in products and retail. (businesswire.com)