Pet population continues to increase while pet spending declines

The pet population continues to increase but at different rates for dogs and cats. Dogs have reached their highest numbers yet after taking a dip last year while the number of cats continues to increase incrementally. The percentage of U.S. households that own dogs and cats have also increased steadily.

Dog owners spent less overall on their pets this year compared to 2023 while cat owners spent slightly more than they did in 2023. Veterinary care made up about one-third of total spending on pet-related expenses in either year; however, the average amount spent per household on veterinary care for pets decreased by 4% from last year to this year.

Maisey Kent, assistant director of statistical and data analysis with the AVMA, presented preliminary data from the 2024 AVMA Pet Ownership and Demographic Sourcebook during the 2024 AVMA Veterinary Economic and Business Forum, held virtually October 8-9.

The overall pet population trend from 1991-2024 indicates that the number of dogs and cats in the U.S. has remained fairly stable in size, says Maisey Kent, assistant director of statistical and data analysis with the AVMA. (Click to enlarge)

The sourcebook will be available later this fall. It covers data on the pet population, pet-owning households, pet owner demographics, pet acquisitions, veterinary visits, and pet-owner spending.

Responses came from sample surveys of U.S. households in 2023 and early 2024.

Pet populations and pet-owning households

From 1996-2024, the dog population has steadily increased, from 52.9 million to a new peak of 89.7 million. That's after taking a slight dip in 2023 to 80.1 million in 2023 from 88.3 million in 2022.

Meanwhile, the cat population has remained relatively stable in size, from 59.8 million in 1996 to 73.8 million in 2024. The peak population happened in 2006 with 81.7 million cats.

The number of pet-owning households logically follows the same trend, with dog owning households increasing at a faster rate-from 31.3 million in 1996 to 59.8 million in 2024-than cat-owning households, which went from 27 million to 42.1 million in that same timeframe.

The overall average amount of spending on pets by pet-owning households, excluding adoption or purchase costs, is around $1,515 for both 2023 and 2024. (Click to enlarge)

That means households with dogs now account for nearly half (45.5%) of all U.S. households compared with the low of 31.6% in 1996. Cat-owning households, on the other hand, comprised nearly a third (32.1%) of all households in 2024 versus 27.3% in 1996.

For both dog and cat owners, an overwhelming majority (88.8% and 84.7%, respectively) view their pet as a member of the family.

Many pet owners also seem to enjoy their interactions with the veterinary team. Regarding their last visit to the clinic, as reported in 2024, results show that between 62% and 65% of pet owners said they were extremely satisfied with the friendliness of their veterinarian, veterinary technician, and veterinary office staff members.

At the same time, only 28.2% said they were extremely satisfied with the cost of veterinary services.

Pet-owner demographics and spending

When it comes to veterinary-related expenditures and visits, dog owners continue to outspend cat and other pet owners as well as visit the clinic more frequently.

However, there is a gap between the dog and cat owners who identified as having a regular veterinarian or veterinary practice and those who visited a veterinary practice in the previous calendar year.

Nearly nine in 10 (86.8%) of dog owners identified as having a regular veterinarian or veterinary practice, while three-quarters (74.2%) of dog owners in 2024 were among pet owners who said they visited a veterinarian in the past year. For cat owners, 77.1% identified as having a regular veterinarian or veterinary practice in 2024, with 57.3% reporting visiting the veterinarian in 2024. Among those respondents, the highest percentage of dog owners (56.5%) visited twice and the highest percentage of cat owners (44.9%) visited only once.

The average cost of a veterinary visit-which includes all costs for all pets seen, even if the visit included multiple pets-was $190 in 2023 and $147 in 2024. Dog visits had the highest average cost for both years at $265 in 2023 and $214 in 2024. Cat visit average costs were about half that at $163 in 2023 and $138 in 2024.

The most common reason given for these visits among dog and cat owners-around 80% for both-was for a routine checkup or preventive care.

This spending information lines up with household income data trends. The most common category of total income among dog owners was in the $50,000-$74,999 range for both 2023 and 2024 while the most common category of total income among cat owners was in the $30,000 or less range for both years.

The average total amount spent on pets, excluding adoption or purchase costs, was $1,515 in 2023 and $1,516 in 2024. Dog owners spent the most, on average, coming in above $1,700 the last two years. Cat owners spent below $1,350 the past two years, on average.

Of those totals, veterinary care made up about a third of the total spending in 2023 and 2024, meaning two thirds of their pet's expenses went toward nonveterinary related expenses, such as food, medication, and toys, Kent said.

"In 2023, the average amount spent per household on veterinary care in a typical year was greater for dog-owning households than it was for cat-owning households in 2024. The average amount for dog owners actually decreased by 7% to $580, but for cat owners, it increased by 6% to $433," she said. "Overall, average spending on veterinary care decreased by 4% between 2023 and 2024."

Over a quarter of cat owners reported no spending on veterinary care for their cats in a typical year, while less than 15% of dog owners indicated they had no annual spending on veterinary care in 2023 or 2024.

The No. 1 reason given by both groups of owners for not spending on veterinary care was because the dog or cat "did not need a checkup." Notably, 12.3% of the dog owners and 17.4% of the cat owners gave this reason in 2023, but those figures jumped to 22.8% and 31.1%, respectively, in 2024.

Kent advised that practice leaders determine the key metrics for client satisfaction and ensure they're being monitored and explore ways to enhance the overall veterinary visit experience, such as reviewing and enhancing the checkout process.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.