Nearly half of pet owners have canceled plans to stay home with their pets.
This is according to a new survey of 2,000 cat and dog owners, which found that not only have 48% of owners canceled plans with friends and family, but they've also done so an average of five times in their pet's lifetime.
A further 30% admitted to having taken time off work to be at home with their pet, with an average of four days off work since bringing their pet home.
Nearly all respondents (97%) agreed that their pets are part of the family, and a further 99% believe it's important to show them love and appreciation every day.
To show affection, owners talk to their four-legged friends an average of 11 times a day, hug them an average of 10 times, and pet or massage them an average of 10 times.
Respondents said that on average, they play games with their pets seven times a day, call them by their nicknames ten times, and sing songs to them about five times.
Even when they're not spending time with them, their pets are dominating owners' thoughts: Respondents think about their pets nearly every waking hour (four times a day).
Not only that, but 39% of people worry about their pet's nutrition at least once a day, and 22% say they think about it multiple times.
Survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of dog and cat food brands NutrishThe survey found that when asked about various aspects of their pet's health, pet owners most frequently selected “nutrition” (40%) as the aspect they consider most important.
The majority of pet owners (51%) feed their pets a combination of both dry and wet food, rising to 61% of cat owners.
According to owners, cats tend to prefer wet food (31%), while dogs prefer dry food (43%).
Taste preferences also differ: dogs eat chicken (44%), beef (31%) and bacon (30%) most often, while cats prefer chicken (57%), salmon (43%) and turkey (18%).
Regardless of flavor choice, 13% of pet owners report that their pets have special dietary needs, such as gastrointestinal sensitivities (38%) or weight control (28%).
“It's clear that cat and dog owners take parenting their pets seriously, from giving them lots of love and affection to paying special attention to their nutritional needs,” said Preston Buff, PhD, a certified animal nutritionist who works as lead scientist for nutrition and animal safety at Post Consumer Brands, makers of Nutrish. “Pet owners are going the extra mile to make their pets feel like part of the family, and high-quality food with ingredients that benefit mind, body and energy only strengthens that bond.”
The survey asked respondents to design a fictional “dream day” for their pet — one that combined all of their pet's favorite things.
According to the survey results, their special day begins around 8:36 a.m. and the main event of the day is either a road trip together (34%), a shopping spree at their pet's favorite store (29%), or dinner at a pet-friendly restaurant with a pet-friendly menu (27%).
Pet owners report that ideally they would spend an average of five hours sunbathing or sitting outside with their pets, and that on this special day their pets would like to nap for an additional six hours.
This is good news because nearly two in five pet owners (37%) say their favorite way to bond with their pet is by cuddling or napping on the couch or in bed.
Pet owners expect their pets to show quirky or playful ways of expressing happiness, such as “zoomies,” “wags their butts,” “trying to lick my cat's ears,” or “giving me a little nip on the nose.”
“Though hypothetical, planning dreams and special days for pets clearly demonstrates the lengths pet owners will go to to make them feel loved and stay happy and healthy,” says Dr. Buff. “Pets bring so much joy to our lives, and it's only natural that we reciprocate that joy by providing the quality time and quality food that we know makes a difference.”
Research Methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 cat and dog owners. The survey was commissioned by Nutrish and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between August 24th and August 30th 2024.
