Feeding Pampered Pooches and Finicky Felines

With the number of U.S. households that include cats and dogs greater than the number of households with kids, according to the National Association of Realtors, it’s not surprising that catering to canine and feline appetites is big business. Sales of pet food and treats topped $64.4 billion last year, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA).

APPA reports that 65.1 million U.S. households own a dog, 46.5 million have a cat, and 35% have more than one pet. Millennials and households with incomes of over $100,000 are most likely to be pet owners. Gen Zers own the widest variety of pets.

Dry pet foods are purchased most frequently, but dollar sales in the fresh/frozen segment shot up by 21.4% in 2023, with unit sales up 14.3%, according to NielsenIQ. The freeze-dried pet food category also showed strong growth last year with dollar sales up 21.7% and unit sales up 9.6%.

Here’s a look at three trends that are defining the pet food category.

• Feeding Pets Like Family. Pet foods that are minimally processed and mimic human meals are trending. Gently cooked shelf-stable pet meals from Nulo are ready to serve and come in varieties like Turkey & Green Beans and Salmon & Brown Rice. The company also has introduced what it says is the first cold-pressed dog food.

Bonnihill Farms ChickiBowls, BeefiBowls, and TurkiBowls from Fromm Family Pet Food are made with local vegetables and prepared using sous vide technology. The company’s Diner line of wet dog food, which is described as “canine comfort food,” includes options like Bella’s Beef Barkundy Stew and Maddie’s Morning Hash.

The Full Moon brand offers Artisanal Chicken Apple Sausage and Artisanal Turkey Cranberry Sausage made with 100% human-grade ingredients. The line of Wag More Bark Less treats from Cloud Star includes Beef Cheeseburger Sliders and Philly Cheesesteak Jerky.

• Treat Time. Nine out of 10 cat and dog owners buy treats for their pets, according to APPA. Fun and function are the new trends in treats. Old Mother Hubbard Wholesome Indulgences soft-baked canine cookies from Wellness Pet Company come in a Bacon, Oats & Maple flavor.

Milk-Bone partnered with Dunkin’ to create doughnut-shaped Vanilla Glaze Flavor Biscuits complete with sprinkles. BARK offers dog treats in cereal-inspired flavors such as Fruity Toot Loops and Frosted Socks.

Hagen Group’s Catit Creamy Cups for cats are a decadent soft mousse product made from cage-free chicken, wild-caught tuna, and real fruit. Swell offers gelato for dogs in varieties like Sweet Potato Molasses and It’s My Barkday.

Lord Jameson Pill Hider baked treats, which make it easier to disguise medication for dogs, come in Apple Pie, PB+J, and Cookie Dough varieties.

• Wellness Watching. Many pet owners purchase condition-specific fare for their canine and feline family members. There are options for adult cats that live indoors as well as for hairball management, digestive health, and the senior years. Dog owners most often consider the age of their pet, followed by the size and breed, when choosing their food.

The Hill’s Prescription Diet brand offers a Brain Aging Care formulation for dogs and a Gastrointestinal Biome Stress option for cats, among many other varieties.

Half of dog owners give their pet a supplement to help deal with everything from anxiety to immunity, according to APPA. Joint health/mobility leads the list, chosen by 40%, followed by multivitamins at 36%.

Among the one-third of cat owners who give their pet a supplement, multivitamins are chosen by 58% and prebiotics/probiotics by 29%, APPA reports. Anxiety/stress, pain, and arthritis/joint issues are the top ailments treated with CBD in dogs and cats.

Get Naked Calming Health Crunchy Treats for Cats call out “added chamomile” on the package. Fera Pets Whole Food Multivitamin is a powder formulated with organic dried kelp and freeze-dried liver ingredients.ft