Toy trends among puppy and kitten owners

Young cats and dogs remain a popular choice among today’s pet parents. A survey commissioned by PETS International, and conducted by Loop, reveals how age, gender and regional factors influence ownership trends, purchasing habits and attitudes toward pet toys.

Younger pets, younger owners

Almost 2,000 pet parents from the UK, France, the US, Canada, Brazil and Mexico responded to this summer’s survey. Of these, 223 own kittens and 814 are puppy owners. Loop data shows that the older the owner, the less interest they have in young pets.

Gen Z respondents (aged 18-28) report the highest ownership of both puppies and kittens, with millennials (aged 29-44) following closely behind.

According to the data, older pet owners such as Gen X and baby boomers have a stronger preference for adult and senior dogs.

This trend may suggest that older owners prefer pets that match their lifestyle, as younger pets typically require more attention, training and physical activity.

Globally, individuals with young pets show a strong preference for puppies compared to kittens. This is particularly the case in Canada and the US.

Interestingly, the majority of puppy and kitten owners are women – 86% of puppy owners and 87% of kitten owners.

Frequent buyers

When it comes to buying pet toys, the survey shows another gap between kitten and puppy owners. Of the latter, 17% have bought pet toys more than 6 times this year, while some 25% of kitten owners have done the same.

Interestingly, fewer owners of adult and senior cats and dogs have bought toys more than 6 times this year, with no more than 14% of the respondents in these categories saying that they have done so.

Looking at the data compared to the whole of 2024, the figures for the first half of this year might indicate a considerable drop in purchases for puppies, and a large rise in toys bought for kittens.

Expenditure trends

In terms of spending power, the majority of puppy and kitten owners chose to spend up to $49 (€42) on pet toys last year.

Among puppy owners, 75% fall within this lower range, while 66% of kitten owners do the same. The remainder opted to spend in higher brackets, ranging from $50 (€43) to $100 (€86) or more.

Owners of older cats and dogs are even more likely to spend less money on toys, with as many as 95% of adult dog owners and 85% of senior cat owners buying toys for their pets within the lower price ranges.

Over the next 12 months, 17% of puppy owners plan to spend less on pet toys, while 14% intend to spend more. Among kitten owners it is a very similar picture, with 21% planning to spend less and 17% planning to spend more.

Consumer purchasing behavior

For puppy owners, the majority (68%) buy pet toys from online retailers such as Amazon, while 66% buy from pet specialty stores and 46% buy from discounters such as Target and Walmart.

About a third (34%) also opt to buy from supermarkets while over a quarter (26%) buy from independent or local stores, and some 12% buy from veterinary clinics.

Kitten owners have similar preferences for their pet purchases, with pet specialty stores as their favorite (62%), followed by online retailers (59%), discounters (45%), supermarkets (39%), independent or local stores (27%) and veterinary clinics (11%).

Owners of adult and senior cats tend to do slightly more online purchasing (67%-68%) than kitten owners, while owners of adult and senior dogs do their toy purchasing much more frequently in supermarkets (63%-51%) than puppy owners.

Influential factors

In terms of product influence, both puppy and kitten owners put their trust in product reviews. Other prominent influential factors include packaging and design, peer recommendations and social media.

However, more than a third of them are not loyal to any brands and cite availability and price as key reasons for purchasing.

When puppy and kitten owners buy pet toys, the most important factors are product safety (71% and 72% respectively) and price (69% and 73%).

Interestingly, 6 in 10 puppy owners and 65% of kitten owners prefer pet toys made of rope, although they both also like to buy toys made of fabric (64% and 59%) and eco-friendly materials (56% and 57%).

Pet wellbeing

To ensure their pets’ safety, puppy and kitten owners tend to avoid laser toys (28% and 33% respectively), string toys (24% and 21%) and feather toys (20% and 21%).

The most commonly cited concerns include choking hazards (76% and 80%), the risk of ingestion of parts (78% and 76%) and sharp or dangerous components (56% and 62%).

Pet toys can also offer a wide range of developmental, physical and emotional benefits for both puppy and kitten owners.

Most respondents say that toys help relieve boredom (92% and 89% respectively) and encourage physical activity (88% and 86%).

Mental stimulation is seen as another key benefit, cited by 74% of puppy owners and 77% of kitten owners.

Toys are also credited with easing separation anxiety (39% of puppies and 47% of kittens), redirecting destructive behavior (47% and 61%) and supporting dental health through safe chewing (27% and 30%).