April 28, 2026, 2:50 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
In Germany, nearly every second household has a pet. In 2025, around 33.4 million dogs, cats, small animals, birds, and others enriched lives. Cats remain the undisputed number one. The 2025 Pet Report shows that these purring four-legged friends are among the most popular pets, just like the previous year.
The Most Popular Pets in Germany
Pets are especially common in families, according to the 2025 Pet Report by the Central Association of Zoological Specialists (ZZF) and the Pet Supplies Industry Association (IVH). In two out of three households with children, at least one pet lives there. But many singles also aren’t alone. On average, one in four of them has a pet.
Cats continue to lead the way. In 2025, about 15.7 million house cats lived in German households, often several at once. Dogs follow in second place with about 10 million. There are also around 4.4 million small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, or hamsters, and about 3.3 million ornamental birds. Aquariums and terrariums are also still widespread.
The numbers make it clear: Pets are no longer a fringe topic. For millions of people, they are part of life. This is also reflected in the amount of attention and especially money devoted to them.
Many Owners Opt for Multiple Pets
The 2025 Pet Report shows: A pet rarely comes alone in Germany. In 13 percent of households, several types of animals live together–often a dog and a cat or additional small animals. This trend is particularly pronounced among cat owners. Forty-three percent of them own two or more animals.
Looking at the owners, it’s clear that pets are not a topic for a specific age group. Cats, dogs, and others are especially common among middle-aged people. About 19 percent are between 30 and 39, 18 percent between 40 and 49, and 21 percent between 50 and 59 years old.
Where Pet Owners First Cut Back According to the 2025 Pet Report
Despite economic uncertainties, the pet market remained stable in 2025. With nearly 7 billion euros, total sales were almost at the previous year’s level. But a closer look shows that people are spending their money differently.
The restraint is particularly evident in accessories. Here, sales in brick-and-mortar stores fell by about 4.6 percent. Larger purchases like dog accessories, enclosures, or aviaries were often postponed.
In other areas, such as accessories for dogs, cats, small animals, or birds, a similar pattern emerges. Almost everywhere, less was spent than the previous year. These figures suggest that many owners are currently more discerning about what they spend money on and what they can do without.
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Frugality Stops at Food
It’s a different story when it comes to daily care. While extras are being cut back, sales of pet food in 2025 remained almost stable and even saw a slight increase.
The big winners: cats. The food for these purring favorites continued to do well and remains the largest segment. But dog snacks also saw gains, while traditional food types for the four-legged friends showed a decline.
Why Cats Benefited the Most in 2025
According to the 2025 Pet Report, cats were the big winners. No surprise, as they remain the most popular pet. Accordingly, the market for cat food remains the largest segment. In brick-and-mortar stores alone, sales reached about 2.3 billion euros, a 1.3 percent increase compared to the previous year.
For dogs, the picture is mixed. While dog snacks increased by 2.1 percent to 768 million euros, sales of traditional wet and dry food slightly declined. Sales for food for small animals, ornamental birds, ornamental fish, and wild birds also saw losses.