U.S. Households Now Own More Kittens Than Puppies, New Study Reveals
Stock image of a kittenCredit: Getty
The puppy-to-kitten household ratio fell from 1.8 in 2014 to 0.94 in 2026, according to a new study
Dog ownership has dropped 5% since 2019, while cat ownership has remained relatively steady
Researcher David Granader says the rise in cat popularity is most likely due to the current economy
More U.S. households own kittens than puppies for the first time in several years, according to a new study.
According to statistics from the research firm Packaged Facts, per The Washington Post, in 2014 there were 1.8 households with a dog aged under 1 years old for every household with a cat the same age. In 2025 this equaled out, while in 2026, this ratio declined to 0.94 to 1.
Packaged Facts founder David Granader said the new results mark a “shift” in U.S. households, as the appeal of bringing home a dog has noticeably decreased over the last seven years, per the outlet.
“This isn’t a story of cat ownership booming … it’s one of dog ownership declining,” Granader told TWP. “The number of American households with dogs has dropped 5% since 2019, while cat ownership has held relatively steady. Dogs still dominate America — roughly 71 million households have dogs compared with 53 million that own cats — but that is changing quickly.”
A Goldendoodle (stock image)Credit: Getty
The rise in cat popularity is most likely due to the current economy, Granader explained, as covering vet expenses and dog products is significantly more expensive. Fewer people can also afford to purchase homes, according to Granader.
“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,” he told WaPo. “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.”
According to Packaged Facts, the average owner spends $1,300 annually on a dog, while for cats it’s $750, per the outlet.
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A ragdoll kitten (stock image)Credit: Getty
Granader went on to highlight that the pandemic has also affected how people live and what they wish to spend their money on.
“The decline in dog ownership is also a product of the way people live and work post-pandemic,” he continued. “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.”
In the U.K., dogs still take the top spot in 2026, with 41% of households owning dogs (around 15.5 million), compared to 31% of households with cats (around 13 million), according to a survey from U.K. Pet Food.
PEOPLE has reached out to Packaged Facts for comment.
Source: Nature
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