Japanese pet parents spent more on their animals in 2021

A recent survey from Japanese Ipet Holdings to 1,018 pet parents concluded that the expenditure of pet parents increased 4.3% against 2020.

Dog parents are more likely to spend between ¥50,000 ($386 / €370) and ¥100,000 in their total pet-related expenses, while cat parents spend less than ¥50,000.

Cat and dog parents spending between ¥200,000 ($1,546 / €1,482) and ¥300,000 ($2,319 / €2,223) increased by nearly 5% in 2021.

Japanese pet parents also spent more on medical expenses for their cats and dogs in 2020, followed by expenses for vaccinations and health checks and food and snacks.

Taking more care of pets 

The survey reveals that dog owners spent larger amounts of money on their furry friends’ health (+7.9% more than in 2020), while the increase in cat owners was smaller, at 2.5%.

One of the factors behind the increase in expenditure is the massive expansion of teleworking due to the pandemic, which made it easier to notice changes in the physical condition of pets at home. More than 3 out of 10 respondents answered that they were taking more care of their pet when working from home.

Around 17% of pet owners agreed that “because of the effects of not going out, expenses have decreased and the amount of money that can be allocated to pets has increased.”

Other factors for these increases in expenses are the “rise of food prices” and “expenses associated with the aging of the animal.”

When asked about their projected expenses in 2022, 3 out of 10 dog owners and 2 out of 10 cat owners answered they would spend even more this year.