As pet numbers peak, competition in the sector is shifting towards a more in-depth approach to managing the pet-and-owner relationship. Pet owners' needs revolve around shared experiences and encompass scenarios such as health management, home life and outdoor activities. The key for brands is considering pet owners' emotional needs and seeing pets as full members of the family, which means understanding their personality and psychology, and redesigning products and services so they become truly integrated into pets' and owners' everyday lives.
Gloria Gan, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
This Report is based on a study of 2,100 cat and dog owners aged 18-59.
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Executive summary
- Key issues in this Report
- Definitions
- What you need to know
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The market
- Market overview
- The pet market is maturing, with a focus shift from expansion to quality
- Graph 1: size of the pet care market (RMB100m) and growth rate, 2015-24
- Reduced growth in pet ownership; spending shifting from new pets to quality of life for existing pets
- Graph 2: urban pet dog and cat population (tens of thousands) and growth rate (%), 2019-23
- Graph 3: trends in pet ownership, 2023-25
- Older pets and genetic disease increase demand for pet medical care services
- Graph 4: proportion of older dogs and cats (over 7 years old), 2025
- Graph 5: ownership of pedigree and non-pedigree dogs and cats, by pet type, 2025
- Policies help standardisation of pet-friendly spaces; pet-friendly shopping centres gain competitive advantage
- Pet travel a part of the everyday: rapid expansion of scenarios, from long-distance travel to local leisure activities
- 2025 Pet Fair Asia: observations
- Spotlight on health and wellness
- With an ageing pet population, the health needs of older pets are being precisely targeted
- TCVM concepts are rapidly being commercialised, transforming traditional methods into modern health solutions
- Spotlight on the home
- Shift from general to specialised products: pet household cleaning is becoming more segmented
- New value proposition for pet washing: clean body, better mood
- Pet food machines make fresh, quality-controlled home-made food an option
- Spotlight on out-of-home activities
- Increasing popularity of outdoor activities, pet clothing is focusing on specialist performance
- Hardware innovations make cycling a fun shared experience for owners and their pets
- Pet fashion brands competing on style
- Spotlight on exotic pets
- Overall scale of exotic pet ownership is small but continuing to grow
- Graph 6: changes in exotic pet ownership, 2023 vs 2024
- Niche and specialist, exotic pet brands selling pets and products are highly segmented
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The consumer and opportunities
- New demand for refined pet care: shift from sophistication to more precisely tailored care
- Indulgent spending on pets on the retreat, with overall trend towards more rational spending
- Graph 7: average monthly spending on dogs or cats, 2022 vs 2025
- Graph 8: average monthly spending on dogs or cats (RMB), 2022 vs 2025
- More precise and selective investment: dog owners more concerned about medical care, cat owners more focused on living spaces
- Graph 9: changes in pet-related spending – respondents who only have dogs, 2022 vs 2025
- Graph 10: changes in pet-related spending – respondents who only have cats, 2022 vs 2025
- Shift from sophistication to precisely tailored care means demand is moving away from fulfilling transient needs towards systematic life planning
- Rise of new pet care approaches and potential pet health management segments
- From treating disease to physical conditioning, pet therapy and fitness services show high repurchase potential
- Gen Z and Post-1990s leading the way in pet fitness and therapy experiences
- Graph 11: those who have tried pet fitness and therapy services, by generation, 2025
- Use healthy and loving pet exercise moments to leverage the pet economy
- TCM concepts have expanded to the pet sector, but trust ultimately relies on validation of efficacy
- Graph 12: mentions on social media related to Traditional Chinese Medicine for pets, 2024 vs 2025
- Reinventing scenarios and occasions, in addition to improving treatments, is key to transforming TCVM from a clinical into a lifestyle space
- With ageing pets, latent demand for everything from everyday care to end-of-life companionship offers new opportunities
- Pet-friendly adaptations elevate the shared living experience for people and pets
- Younger cat owners are the most proactive in adapting living spaces for their pets
- Graph 13: participation and interest in pet-related activities – renovating the home environment (a), by pet type, 2025
- Graph 14: cat owners’ participation and interest in renovating the home environment for pet(s), by generation, 2025
- Increased role of cats as family companions, driving the demand for home renovations
- Graph 15: reasons for owning pets, by type of pet owned, 2025
- Younger people want to design a lifestyle that meets their and their cats’ needs
- Home appliances can also be designed with pets in mind
- People and pet co-habitation solutions moving from localised optimisation to whole-of-house design
- Younger consumers want to take their cats out with them to see the world
- Pet owners most value their interactions and time spent together with their pets
- Graph 16: pet care preferences, 2025
- Emotion is an important driver for future incremental value creation
- Pet ownership creates deep emotional bonds, reshaping home and life scenarios
- Graph 17: reasons for owning pets, by type of pet owned, 2025
- Fun and emotional comfort are the main motivations for Gen Z owning pets
- Graph 18: Gen Z’s reasons for owning pets, by type of pet owned, 2025
- Pet-and-owner relationships move beyond the home, extending to travel and social scenarios
- Graph 19: participation and interest in pet-related activities, 2025
- Pet travel is no longer just for dogs; hotels can accommodate travelling cats with thoughtfully designed spaces
- Brands can leverage pet fashion to create photography and fashion show lifestyle experiences
- Pets facilitate social interactions; commercial and residential experiences shift from facilities to community-based lifestyles
- Pet-friendly urban settings expanding out from Tier 1 cities to the rest of the country
- Graph 20: pet-friendly cafes/restaurants/shopping centres – have not used but interested in trying, by city, 2025
- A truly pet-friendly space is not just about improving facilities but also removing barriers
- Use gameplay and rewards to encourage adherence to rules for pets and naturally develop good behaviours
- Pet mental wellbeing: younger pet owners want to understand their pets’ emotions and personalities
- Owning a pet is an opportunity to create a more positive lifestyle
- Graph 21: changes resulting from owning a pet, 2025
- Understanding their pets, a new joy for younger pet owners
- Graph 22: awareness of pet-related products or services, 2025
- Missing each other? AI puts pet phone calls one tap away
- From MBTI to DBTI; pet personality tests can help guide consumers
- With mental wellbeing becoming a part of pet care, there are new market opportunities for spending on emotional comfort
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What we think
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Appendix – methodology and abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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