About a decade ago, Americans were adopting almost twice as many puppies as they were kittens, continuing a long tradition of dogs wearing the favored pet crown in the US.
Now households have only .94 puppies for every kitten, according to researched firm Packaged Facts, and it’s not because people are adopting more cats. Instead, people are adopting fewer puppies and dogs.
The reasons are complex but boil down to larger trends in our society. People have less disposable income, live in smaller homes, and travel more. Dogs have to be kenneled or brought along on trips, which presents additional logistical challenges, while cats are rarely taken on short trips and vacations. As highly territorial animals who thrive on stability, cats do better staying at home where things are just how they like them, with familiar sights, sounds and smells.
Yet despite the significant shift in the adoption ratio, the pet products market hasn’t adjusted, Packaged Facts CEO Robert Granader writes in the Washington Post. Most services, including grooming and boarding, are aimed at dogs, as are special retail items, accommodations and conveniences.
“There are dog parks, dog beaches, dog-friendly hotels, dog-friendly restaurants, dog bakeries and even dog airlines,” Grenader writes. “Cats are largely left out. They get leftover boxes from Amazon deliveries.”
Noting that homeowners are twice as likely to adopt dogs than renters, Granader points to decline home ownership, higher mortgages and stagnant wages as additional contributors to the dog adoption slowdown.
Of course that also means dogs will have fewer opportunities to find homes, and will lead to a ripple effect on shelters and euthanasia rates. Unless economic and societal changes revert, the trend is likely to hold.
“This isn’t a story about cats replacing dogs,” Granader wrote. “It’s about Americans becoming more like cats: living in smaller spaces, valuing independence and preferring to be left alone.”
Of course the story includes common misconceptions about cats. Grenader claims cats are “quieter” and find it “easier to live by themselves.”
“A cat barely notices you’ve left the house,” he writes.
Granader may not have much experience with cats, as those of us whose feline overlords wait by the door for us to return and vocalize regularly can attest the species is not necessarily quieter or less attached. They may pretend they are unbothered by our absence, but that’s feline stoicism and weirdness, not a reflection of reality. The idea that domestic cats prefer solitude is also an old myth.
As for the impact on products, services and choices, the market will go where the money is, and it’ll take a few years for the effects of declining dog adoptions to fully realize in consumer spaces. In other words, don’t expect your local pet shop to switch an extra aisle over to cat gear next time you pop in.
Lastly, we would not rule out the possibility that this is all the result of some feline scheme whose foundations were laid years ago. Cats are remarkably lazy but equally innovative when properly motivated, and they’ve always been sure they should possess the crown.
The photo of Buddy in his new box was taken on Saturday. Looking pretty good for a little dude pushing 13, eh?
Header image credit: Pexels
