The global pet economy is expanding at an unprecedented rate. According to Bloomberg Industry Research, the global pet market will exceed $380 billion in 2025 and will grow at an annual rate of 5%-6% towards the $500 billion mark in 2030. The core driving force behind this growth is the explosive growth in the number of pets - **the number of domestic dogs in the world has exceeded 1 billion**, and the number of pet cats is about 220 million. In the United States alone, there will be 94 million households with pets in 2025, a surge of 12 million households from 2023, including about 68 million pet dogs and about 49 million cats. In China, the total number of dogs and cats in urban areas has reached 124 million in 2024, and is expected to exceed 126 million in 2025.
### **Regional differentiation: the battle for dominance between cats and dogs**
Emerging markets are staging a "cat counterattack." The number of pet cats in China (71.53 million) has far exceeded that of dogs (52.58 million), and the growth rate of cat consumption (10.7%) is more than twice that of dogs (4.6%). Policy factors have boosted this trend - dog bans in some public places have prompted urban residents to turn to cats. Southeast Asia, the Middle East and other regions have become the fastest engines of pet expansion in the world with an annual growth rate of **over 30%**.
### **Social Change: Lonely Economy Reshapes the Role of Pets**
Behind the surge in numbers is a profound demographic change. **The spread of late marriage and childbearing, family miniaturization and a solitary society** has made pets leap from "animals" to "emotional carriers". The growth in the number of dogs and cats in China in 2024 is in sharp contrast to the historical low birth rate, revealing that pets are filling the emotional gap of humans. Highly educated people and women (who account for a significantly higher proportion than men) have become the main consumers, pushing "anthropomorphic pet raising" to become a core trend.
### **Ecology and Industry: A Sweet Burden**
The expansion of the number of pets has brought dual effects. On the one hand, industry opportunities are bursting: China's pet medical care accounts for 28% of consumption and AI diagnosis is rapidly penetrating, and smart product sales account for more than 30% in the United States; on the other hand, ecological pressure has increased sharply. The world's 1 billion dogs produce **2,000 liters of urine and 1 ton of feces** every year, nitrogen-containing pollutants aggravate water and soil pollution, and anthelmintics are more harmful to aquatic life. Unleashed pet dogs have caused the endangerment of Australian penguins, and a single dog in New Zealand has caused the extinction of half of the kiwi birds. As the global pet economy moves towards US$500 billion in 2030, how to strike a balance between "companionship needs" and "ecological responsibility" will become a new issue.
When cats and puppies become the "new core family" of human society, they are not only the engine of the economy, but also the test paper of ecology.
Written by: Luna
2025.6.25
