The nation’s favourite pet has been revealed as pet shop retailers have noticed a shift in pet owners’ buying habits – and celebrities have influenced the surge in the furry friends
Having a pet can bring so much joy to people’s lives – and now the most common pet has been revealed. While it’s a personal choice if you’re more of a cat or a dog person, or even a hamster or rabbit lover, the nation’s most beloved animal has rapidly grown.
With celebrities paving the way for their adoration of the felines, a rise in cat owners has emerged with Gen Z, according to the latest sales data from Jollyes, one of Britain’s biggest pet care retailers.
The retailer revealed they have seen a “rapid” increase in cat-related purchases, and believe the rate of growth means the number of cats in the UK will overtake the number of dogs in the next two years. The data also suggests that the number of transactions made in their stores from the cat range is now nearly a third higher than the dogs.
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The demand skyrocketed around a year and a half ago. There are an estimated 13.5 million dogs owned across 36 per cent of UK households, compared to 12.5 million cats owned across 29 per cent of households. However, Jollyes believes the popularity of cats among younger people will mean an overtake in numbers.
Celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and Miley Cyrus frequently post their furry friends online, which could be a reason for the surge in popularity. Taylor owns three cats, who have all featured in her social media posts and interviews, with one even appearing in her music videos and adverts.
It’s believed that younger people opt for cats over dogs due to the “personality and convenience of cats”, according to Jollyes. With ownership among 18 to 34-year-olds rising “dramatically” in recent years. It reported that 41 per cent of Gen Z now share their home with at least one cat.
However, men have also shifted from dogs to cats, and the pet chain found that a quarter of men now live with a cat, an almost identical proportion to women. Celebrities such as Bob Mortimer, Ricky Gervais, and Dermot O’Leary have shared candid snaps of their cats and are doing work to help protect cats.
Bob, who owns two cats, previously collaborated with the Cats Protection charity to give rescue cats whimsical names, such as ‘DJ Loveham’ and ‘Lacey Bedspread’, to help their adoption.
In response to the growing demand for cat products, Jollyes is expanding its cat range, and it believes the drive in popularity may be down to a preference for the ease of looking after cats compared to dogs.
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