Growing a pet brand
Americans spent $158 billion on their pets in 2025, and 95 million households own one. Reach owners on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and keep live-animal sales out of TikTok ads.
How big is the pet industry?
Americans spent $158 billion on their pets in 2025, up 3.7%, and the American Pet Products Association projects $165 billion for 2026.
| Measure | Figure | Year |
|---|---|---|
| US pet industry spending | $158 billion | 2025 |
| Projected spending | $165 billion | 2026 |
| Households with a pet | 95 million | 2025 |
| Pet food and treats | $68.3 billion | 2025 |
| Animal care and service worker jobs | 413,000 | 2025 |
The spending and ownership figures come from the American Pet Products Association's 2026 State of the Industry report.[1, 3]
Who are pet owners?
Gen X and higher-income households spend the most on their pets, and men make up 43% of cat owners.
| Group | What the figures show |
|---|---|
| Gen X households | Spend the most on pets, $1,127 a year |
| Highest-income fifth | $1,861 a year, five times the lowest fifth |
| Men | 43% of cat owners |
| Gen Z | 22% of cat owners, up 10% in a year |
Household spending is for 2024; the cat owner figures come from APPA's 2025 survey.[2, 4]
Which platforms should a pet brand grow on?
YouTube reaches the most US adults, including 90% in households earning $100,000 or more, and Instagram and TikTok reach most 18-to-29-year-olds.
| Platform | US adults | Ages 18 to 29 | Income $100,000+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 84% | 95% | 90% |
| 70% | 69% | 70% | |
| 51% | 79% | 59% | |
| TikTok | 37% | 65% | 29% |
TikTok bans ads selling live animals or pets and lets only shelters and nonprofits run adoption ads; pet food, grooming and training are fine. Meta allows ads for animals from legitimate businesses such as breeders and shelters, but not peer-to-peer sales. Run your shop and bookings on your .com, and read protecting your trademark once the name is filed. For domain endings and trademark classes, see naming a pet brand.[5, 6, 7, secondary]
Checks the .com, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and trademarks in one search.
Who are the top pet creators?
Jiffpom, Nala Cat and Merlin the pig hold Guinness World Records for the most Instagram followers for a dog, a cat and a pig.
| Creator | Known for | Named by |
|---|---|---|
| Jiffpom | Pomeranian model and actor; 9.0 million Instagram followers in April 2019 | Guinness World Records: most followers on Instagram for a dog (opens in a new tab) |
| Nala Cat | Shelter-adopted cat with her own pet food line; 4.4 million followers in May 2020 | Guinness World Records: most followers on Instagram for a cat (opens in a new tab) |
| Merlin the pig | Mini pig who "talks" with 25 voice buttons; 1.1 million followers in February 2026 | Guinness World Records: most followers on Instagram for a pig (opens in a new tab) |
Which sites are the authorities on pets?
The American Pet Products Association, the AVMA, the FDA and AAFCO are the main authorities on the pet industry and pet food.
| Site | What it is | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| American Pet Products Association (opens in a new tab) | The leading trade association for the pet industry, founded in 1958 | Spending and ownership figures |
| American Veterinary Medical Association (opens in a new tab) | The nation's leading advocate for the veterinary profession, with more than 111,000 members | Pet health and vet care guidance |
| FDA: Pet Food (opens in a new tab) | The federal regulator of pet food, as for other animal foods | Federal pet food labeling rules |
| AAFCO (opens in a new tab) | A non-profit that sets standards for animal feeds and pet foods in the US | Ingredient definitions and label standards |
Sources (13)
- PrimaryAmerican Pet Products Association: US pet industry reaches $158 billion in 2025 (opens in a new tab); and Industry Trends and Stats (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryAmerican Pet Products Association: Gen Z and cat dads are leading cat ownership's cultural boom (opens in a new tab), on its 2026 Cat Report
- PrimaryUS Bureau of Labor Statistics: Animal Care and Service Workers (opens in a new tab), Occupational Outlook Handbook
- PrimaryUS Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Expenditure Surveys, 2024 tables (opens in a new tab), by generation (table 2602) and income quintile (table 1101)
- SecondaryPew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet (opens in a new tab), survey of US adults
- PrimaryTikTok: Animals and Environment ad policy (opens in a new tab), updated February 2025
- PrimaryMeta: Sale of non-endangered animals and endangered species ad standards (opens in a new tab)
- SecondaryGuinness World Records: Most followers on Instagram for a dog (opens in a new tab)
- SecondaryGuinness World Records: Most followers on Instagram for a cat (opens in a new tab), verified; and Tips on growing your social media from Nala Cat (opens in a new tab)
- SecondaryGuinness World Records: Most followers on Instagram for a pig (opens in a new tab); and Meet Merlin (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryAmerican Veterinary Medical Association: We are AVMA (opens in a new tab) (archived)
- PrimaryFDA: Pet Food (opens in a new tab)
- PrimaryAAFCO: About (opens in a new tab)