Pet ownership in the U.S. reached 86.9 million households in 2023, making animals a standard part of home life. Cats are owned by 46.5 million households, while dogs are owned by 65.1 million households. The numbers also vary by behavior and household setup, including indoor-only cats at 78% and the share of cat owners with multiple cats at 42%.
Key Takeaways
- 46.5 million U.S. households owned cats in 2023
- Indoor-only cats made up 78% of owned cats in 2023 AVMA
- Siamese breed was top purebred cat with 4.5% share 2023
- 65.1 million U.S. households owned dogs in 2023
- 46.5 million households owned cats in 2023 APPA data
- Dog ownership among families with kids under 6 was 52% in 2023
- U.S. pet industry spending hit $147 billion in 2023
- Dog food expenditures totaled $58.1 billion in 2023 APPA
- Vet care costs for pets averaged $537 per household 2023
- 11.1 million U.S. freshwater fish tanks in 2023 households
- 9.6 million bird-owning households in U.S. 2023 APPA
- 6.2 million small animal households (hamsters etc.) 2023
- In 2023, 70% of U.S. households owned a pet, up from 67% in 2022
- 86.9 million U.S. households owned pets in 2023 according to APPA survey data
- Pet ownership rate among millennials reached 33% of total pet-owning households in 2023
In 2023, 86.9 million U.S. households owned pets, with cats and dogs leading ownership nationwide.
Related reading
01 · Category
Cat Statistics25 stats
01
46.5 million U.S. households owned cats in 2023
02
Indoor-only cats made up 78% of owned cats in 2023 AVMA
03
Siamese breed was top purebred cat with 4.5% share 2023
04
25 million senior cats (11+ years) in U.S. homes 2023
05
Cat ownership in single-person homes was 31% in 2023
06
Shelter cat adoptions totaled 1.8 million in 2023
07
Female cats outnumbered males by 8% in 2023 surveys
08
Ragdoll cat breed rose to 5.1% popularity 2023 CFA
09
42% of cat owners had multiple cats in 2023 data
10
Maine Coon held 4.8% of purebred cat market 2023
11
67% cat owners spay/neuter per 2023 vet reports
12
Persian breed at 4.2% ownership in 2023 rankings
13
British Shorthair popular with 3.9% share 2023
14
19 million declawed cats still in U.S. homes 2023 est.
15
Abyssinian breed niche at 2.1% purebreds 2023
16
Sphynx hairless cats grew 12% in ownership 2023
17
55% cat owners use litter boxes automated in 2023
18
Bengal breed exotic ownership at 2.7% 2023 CFA
19
Scottish Fold rose in popularity 3.4% share 2023
20
Exotic Shorthair at 3.6% of purebreds 2023
21
Devon Rex niche breed 1.9% ownership 2023
22
Russian Blue steady 2.5% in 2023 cat stats
23
Oriental Shorthair at 2.3% popularity 2023
24
Birman breed 3.1% share in purebred cats 2023
25
American Shorthair top domestic at 18% 2023
Interpretation
Cat Statistics Interpretation
The nation's feline landscape reveals a domesticated and devoted society where indoor solitude, senior snuggles, and automated litter boxes reign, proving that while we may not let cats rule the world, we've certainly let them thoroughly furnish our homes and our hearts.
02 · Category
Dog Statistics30 stats
01
65.1 million U.S. households owned dogs in 2023
02
46.5 million households owned cats in 2023 APPA data
03
Dog ownership among families with kids under 6 was 52% in 2023
04
Purebred dogs comprised 53% of all owned dogs in 2022 AVMA survey
05
Small dog breeds (<25 lbs) owned by 42% of dog households in 2023
06
38% of dog owners reported adopting from shelters in 2023
07
Labrador Retriever was the most popular dog breed with 9.2% ownership in 2023 AKC
08
Male dogs outnumbered females by 10% in U.S. households 2023
09
27 million dogs were seniors (7+ years) in 2023 estimates
10
Dog ownership in California led states with 12.5 million dogs in 2023
11
62% of dog owners walk their dogs daily per 2023 surveys
12
French Bulldog rose to #2 most popular breed in 2023 with 7.8% share
13
15% of dogs were mixed breeds over 50 lbs in 2023 data
14
Dog ownership rate among renters was 33% in 2023 apartment surveys
15
Golden Retriever held 6.1% of dog population in 2023 AKC ranks
16
48% of military families owned dogs in 2023 DoD survey
17
Puppy adoptions peaked at 2.1 million in 2023 shelters
18
71% of dog owners buy pet insurance increasingly in 2023
19
German Shepherd ranked #3 breed with 5.9% ownership 2023
20
29% of dogs lived in multi-dog households in 2023
21
Poodle varieties owned by 4.7% of dog households 2023
22
Texas had 8.9 million pet dogs in 2023 state data
23
56% of dog owners train with professional help annually
24
Bulldog breed share at 4.2% in 2023 rankings
25
22 million working dogs (service/hunting) in U.S. 2023
26
Dachshund popular in 12% of small dog homes 2023
27
Florida's dog population hit 6.3 million in 2023
28
64% dog owners microchip their pets per 2023 vet surveys
29
Beagle breed at 3.8% ownership nationally 2023
30
New York state had 2.1 million household dogs 2023
Interpretation
Dog Statistics Interpretation
While America's love affair with dogs is a democratic and diverse tail-wagging tapestry—from California to New York, purebreds to shelter pups, and frisky Frenchies to senior statesmen—the prevailing truth is that we are a nation hopelessly devoted to our canine companions, with our statistics proving we’re more likely to walk, insure, and train them than we are to agree on anything else.
03 · Category
Economic and Behavioral Statistics25 stats
01
U.S. pet industry spending hit $147 billion in 2023
02
Dog food expenditures totaled $58.1 billion in 2023 APPA
03
Vet care costs for pets averaged $537per household 2023
04
Pet insurance policies grew 18% to 4.1 million in 2023
05
Supplies/toys spending $33.6 billion in 2023 industry
06
40% of pet owners bought online pet products in 2023
07
Boarding/grooming services $9.2 billion revenue 2023
08
OTC meds/supplements $2.8 billion sales 2023
09
Cat litter market $3.5 billion in U.S. 2023
10
Pet apparel sales reached $1.1 billion 2023 data
11
Average annual dog spending $1,500per owner 2023
12
67% pet owners humanize feeding (table food) 2023
13
Live animal purchases $2.4 billion yearly 2023
14
GPS trackers used by 28% dog owners 2023
15
Premium pet food 52% market share 2023 Nielsen
16
Telemedicine vet visits up 25% to 12 million 2023
17
Raw/fresh pet food sales $1.9 billion 2023
18
35% owners celebrate pet birthdays 2023 surveys
19
CBD pet products $1.2 billion market 2023
20
Subscription boxes for pets 15 million users 2023
21
Grooming salon visits averaged 4.2 per dog yearly 2023
22
49% owners use pet cameras/apps 2023 data
23
Exotic pet food niche $800 million 2023
24
Annual vet visits per pet averaged 2.1 in 2023
25
72% pet owners vaccinate yearly per 2023 CDC
Interpretation
Economic and Behavioral Statistics Interpretation
Americans are treating their pets like furry, four-legged royalty, to the tune of nearly $150 billion a year, proving that unconditional love now comes with a premium subscription and a side of birthday cake.
More related reading
04 · Category
Other Pets Statistics27 stats
01
11.1 million U.S. freshwater fish tanks in 2023 households
02
9.6 million bird-owning households in U.S. 2023 APPA
03
6.2 million small animal households (hamsters etc.) 2023
04
Reptile ownership reached 5.7 million households 2023
05
Saltwater aquariums in 2.1 million homes 2023 data
06
Horses owned by 1.6 million households in 2023
07
3.4 million ferret owners in U.S. 2023 surveys
08
Parakeets most popular birds at 22% of bird homes 2023
09
Goldfish topped freshwater fish with 15% share 2023
10
Rabbits in 1.5 million households 2023 AVMA
11
Bearded dragons led reptiles 28% ownership 2023
12
Guinea pigs owned by 1.3 million families 2023
13
Cockatiels second bird choice 18% in 2023
14
Ball pythons 12% of reptile pets 2023 data
15
Betta fish exotic freshwater at 11% share 2023
16
Lovebirds niche birds 8% ownership 2023
17
Leopard geckos 9% reptile market 2023
18
Hamsters top small mammals 35% of category 2023
19
African cichlids saltwater 7% aquariums 2023
20
Conures parrots 6% bird homes 2023
21
Corn snakes 8% reptile beginners 2023
22
Gerbils 12% small pets after hamsters 2023
23
Canaries songbirds 5% birds 2023 data
24
Crested geckos rising 6% reptiles 2023
25
Chinchillas exotic small pets 4% 2023
26
Finches flock birds 9% total birds 2023
27
Blue-tongue skinks 5% lizards 2023
Interpretation
Other Pets Statistics Interpretation
Americans are quietly building a domestic ark, meticulously prioritizing aquatic housing for fish over equine estates, while debating the finer points of small mammal democracy and lizard monarchy.
05 · Category
Overall Ownership Trends30 stats
01
In 2023, 70% of U.S. households owned a pet, up from 67% in 2022
02
86.9 million U.S. households owned pets in 2023 according to APPA survey data
03
Pet ownership rate among millennials reached 33% of total pet-owning households in 2023
04
44% of pet owners acquired their pet during the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020-2022
05
Urban households pet ownership stood at 62% in 2022 compared to 75% in rural areas
06
97% of pet owners consider pets family members in 2023 surveys
07
Pet ownership in the U.S. South region was 72% of households in 2022, highest regionally
08
Multi-pet households comprised 52% of all pet-owning homes in 2023
09
Senior citizens over 65 had a 38% pet ownership rate in 2022
10
25% increase in first-time pet owners from 2019 to 2023 per industry reports
11
76 million households owned dogs or cats in 2023
12
Pet ownership among Gen Z reached 39% in 2023 surveys
13
62% of Americans have a pet according to 2023 Gallup poll
14
Suburban pet ownership rate was 68% in 2022 data
15
41 million U.S. households owned multiple species of pets in 2023
16
Hispanic households pet ownership grew 15% from 2020-2023
17
55% of pet owners are married couples per 2023 stats
18
Ownership rates for pets in apartments rose to 49% in 2023
19
Black/African American pet ownership at 45% in 2022 surveys
20
2023 saw 68% pet ownership in households with children under 18
21
Asian American pet ownership rate was 51% in 2023 data
22
Single-person households pet ownership at 59% in 2022
23
Northeast U.S. pet ownership lagged at 58% in 2023
24
73% of veteran households owned pets in 2023 VA survey
25
LGBTQ+ households pet ownership exceeded 80% in 2023 polls
26
2023 pet ownership in Midwest U.S. was 69% of households
27
Households with income over $100k had 78% pet ownership in 2023
28
Low-income households (<$50k) pet ownership at 54% in 2023
29
65% of college-educated adults owned pets in 2023
30
Remote workers pet ownership surged to 82% in 2023
Interpretation
Overall Ownership Trends Interpretation
While the American Dream may be fraying at the edges, it is clearly being dutifully, lovingly, and increasingly shared with a non-human companion who is considered family, proving that the pursuit of happiness is now a bipartisan, multi-species endeavor.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). U.S. Pet Ownership Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/u-s-pet-ownership-statistics
MLA
Gabrielle Fontaine. "U.S. Pet Ownership Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/u-s-pet-ownership-statistics.
Chicago
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "U.S. Pet Ownership Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/u-s-pet-ownership-statistics.
Sources & references
68 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level