5 Pet Ownership Trends to Watch in 2025

Brands and marketers keep close tabs on pet ownership trends, especially while establishing marketing priorities heading into 2025. They can’t afford not to; consumer spending on pets is now a $23 billion industry that’s expected to grow 9% each year through 2030. So, what are the trends behind the growth?

Read on to learn what new things pet owners are doing and how it’s affecting what products and services America’s pet owners are looking for.

The Top 5 Pet Care Trends: 2025

2025 is the Year of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac, but American dog and cat owners will continue driving pet industry sales. From trending cat and dog foods to new toys and medicines, these are the five top trends driving new product line sales.

1. The “catio”

The “catio” is billed as a solution for the responsible ownership of indoor-outdoor cats. Cats being allowed to roam freely outside is becoming less common. The movement toward making housecats indoor-only started a couple of decades ago when veterinarians and adoption agencies started recommending it as an ethical way to protect birds from being hunted and to extend the lives of cats by reducing their risk of contracting diseases like feline immunodeficiency (FIV) or being hit by cars.

Enter the catio (rhymes with patio), a mesh or screened-in detached porch that sits in your backyard. Once inside, the “indoor-only” cat is protected from coyotes, traffic, and other critters, while birds and other wildlife are protected from them.

Catios range in price from $40 for a small mesh enclosure (note that these are probably not enough to protect them from coyotes) to $600 for an extra-large wooden structure with a roof and play structures. More and more cat owners are placing and assembling catios in their backyards and these relatively new solutions are definitely a trending pet product for 2025 and beyond.

2. Alternative flea and tick medicines

Cat and dog owners certainly don’t want their pets being bitten by fleas or ticks or bringing them into their homes. At the same time, many understandably question the safety of putting a squirt of pesticide liquid on the backs of their pets every month.

Alternatives to powerful but very pricey flea-and-tick prevention products like Frontline and Advantage have entered the marketplace and are increasingly gaining traction with health-conscious consumers. For example, Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Spray contains peppermint oil and a clove plant derivative that “kills fleas and ticks on contact.”

Do natural flea prevention products work? Yes! But they usually require more frequent application, and the smell may or may not be acceptable to your cat.

3. Pet nutrition

Check your social media feed, and it’s easy to see that people are more attached than ever to their dogs and cats. Pets are increasingly taking on familial roles in many households – that’s where “fur babies” comes from.  This, combined with more anecdotal (and some vet-backed) reports about negative long-term health impacts from old-school kibble diets, has consumers ready to spend more for an upgrade.

Some are looking to specialty pet food companies that offer users subscription-model shipments of human-grade or near-human-grade food that promise to be higher in quality than store-bought kibble and inexpensive wet food brands.

In response, large pet food manufacturers have been exploring ways to improve the quality of their food and offer more high-end dry and wet food options. Some newer offerings from the likes of Purina have real meat listed as the first ingredient or promise to be grain- or gluten-free.

4. Traveling with your dog (or cat)

Another extension of seeing our cat or dog as a family member is choosing to travel with our pet more than before, including travel by plane. This, for example, is raising the demand for comfortable, high-quality pet travel carriers and accessories. Watch for pet carriers made from recycled plastics and renewable materials and for increased marketing from hotels catering specifically to pet owners with dog and cat-friendly accommodations.

5. Pet insurance

What do pet owners spend the most money on? Aside from food, it’s vet care. Vet costs have risen sharply over the past several years while more and more pet owners are saying “yes” to expensive procedures, surgeries, and prescriptions that might extend the life of their beloved sick pet.

Insurance companies have been offering pet insurance plans since 2010 to allow pet owners to protect themselves from rising vet bills. Pet insurance marketing has increased the number of policyholders over the last decade, and some employers are now even including pet insurance coverage as part of their employee compensation package.

Build Your Next Campaign to Capitalize on Pet Ownership Trends

For almost 30 years, Oneupweb has been helping businesses in a wide range of industries – including pet care – capture the zeitgeist and win market share. Anticipating trends and identifying the most effective marketing channels helps pet care and pet service businesses reach the right audience at the right time. You’ll work with experienced pet market pros who spot trends, develop creative strategies, and deliver results to grow your brand.

For pet product marketing that connects you with new buyers, reach out or call (231) 922-9977 today.