By 2025, the consumption market size of urban pets (dogs and cats) in China will reach 312.6 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.1%. Among them, the dog consumption market size was 160.6 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.2%, and the cat consumption market size was 152 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.2%. From 2020 to 2025, the compound annual growth rate of China’s pet industry market size will reach 8.6%, higher than the global average growth rate of the pet industry. It is expected that by 2028, the consumption market size of urban pets (dogs and cats) will reach 405 billion yuan.
Pet food is the core basic dish of pet consumption. In 2025, the market share of pet food will rise to 53.7%, an increase of 0.8 percentage points compared to 2024. According to this calculation, the market size of pet (dog and cat) food in China will reach about 167.9 billion yuan by 2025. Against the backdrop of the continued rise of the “cat economy”, the growth rate of the cat consumption market is significantly higher than that of the dog consumption market – the growth rate of the cat consumption market is 5.2%, and that of the dog consumption market is 3.2%. From 2020 to 2025, the compound annual growth rate of pet dogs and pet cats will be 0.5% and 8.4% respectively, and the structural characteristics of “fast cats and slow dogs” are still continuing.
The structural changes of pet owners are reshaping industry demand. In 2025, post-90s pet owners will still be the main force in pet ownership, accounting for 42.7%, while post-00s and post-80s pet owners will account for 26.3% and 24.5% respectively. The proportion of high spending pet owners is 26.7%, an increase of 3.5 percentage points from 2024, with 50.1% being born in the 1990s and 27.3% being born in the 2000s. The younger generation of pet owners are not only the main consumers, but also active practitioners of the “scientific pet care” concept. They are more concerned about the ingredient sources, nutritional ratios, and functionality of pet food.
The pet food industry is undergoing a profound consumer upgrade. From 2024 to 2025, the GMV growth rate of cat food and dog food in the high-end price range (60-100 yuan/kg) will lead the industry average. By 2025, the market share of high-end pet food has exceeded 40%, with a significantly higher growth rate than the mid to low end categories. The upgrade of the product side is mainly reflected in two dimensions: process innovation and raw material advancement. From traditional puffed grain to freeze-dried grain, fresh meat puffed grain, baked grain, and then to crispy grain, the product iteration path is clearly visible. Cold rolling and other low-temperature processing technologies are also addressing the industry pain points of traditional puffed grains in terms of nutrient loss and protein denaturation.
Domestic brands have performed outstandingly in this round of upgrades. By 2025, the market share of domestic pet food brands will rise to 61%, surpassing imported brands for the first time. During the Double Eleven promotion period in 2025, the number of Chinese made pet brands in Tmall’s TOP10 has increased from 6 in 2024 to 7. Among the top ten cat and dog food brands, domestic brands occupy 7 and 8 places respectively. Domestic brands such as Xianlang and Fregat continue to improve their rankings. On the three platforms of Taotian, JD and Tiktok, the sales of cat and dog food will reach 30.6 billion yuan in 2025, up 10.1% year on year. Guaibao Pet’s Maifudi has a sales revenue of 2.59 billion yuan in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 23.9%, while Fregat’s sales revenue is 1.06 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 90.2%. The sales revenue of the Royal Three Platforms is 2.3 billion yuan.
From a channel perspective, online is still the preferred channel for pet owners to purchase pet products, accounting for 70%. Tmall/Taobao and JD.com are still the preferred online channels for pet owners, accounting for 88.2% and 48.3% respectively.
Compared with the international market, the Chinese pet industry still has vast growth potential. By 2025, the penetration rate of pet ownership in Chinese households will only be 29%, while in the United States it will be 81% and in Japan it will be 60%. The penetration rate of professional cat food is 51.9%, the penetration rate of dog food is 28.8%, while both the United States and Japan exceed 90%. The market share of high-end cat food and dog food is 29.4% and 33.6% respectively, while the market share in the US and Japan is 45% -55%. The expansion of the population living alone, single, and empty nest continues to drive the demand for emotional companionship, increase consumer willingness to pay, and promote the industry to upgrade towards refinement and quality. The era of “scientific pet care” has arrived – pet food is no longer just a bag of feed, but an important investment related to pet health and lifespan.