“I like single life with pets”: Seniors and singles drive China’s pet economy

He, a thirty-year-old teacher, has three dogs and a cat.

“I like to spend my free time saving small animals. Taking all my pets on a trip to the prairies is my dream,” she said.

According to the China Pet Industry Operation Status and Consumer Market Monitoring Report released by market consultancy iiMedia Research, in 2023-2024, despite the growth rate halving from the peak of over 33.5% in 2020, China’s pet economy is expected to reach 811.4 billion yuan (US$112 billion) by 2025, up from 592.8 billion yuan in 2023 and 295.3 billion yuan in 2020.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, single-person households accounted for 16.77 percent of all households in China last year.

And while there is still a significant gap compared to the 70% in the United States and 46% in Europe, the penetration rate of pet-owning households in China is increasing rapidly, reaching approximately 22% by 2023, according to the iiMedia report.

The report says that young people’s concept of raising pets has shifted toward treating them as family members, even popularizing the concept of “treating pets as you would treat yourself.”

Nearly 56 percent of pet owners have made lifestyle changes for their pets, and 88 percent said their spending has increased significantly or remained the same from the previous year, as younger people are willing to spend generously in hopes of providing new experiences for their pets.

Xiaohongshu’s report states that “having both cats and dogs” was the hottest topic of discussion among pet owners online, with over 460 million related posts on the social media platform.

“Having only one pet is a reality; having both cats and dogs at a young age is a dream life,” the Xiaohongshu report reads.

Its platform offers high-quality medical products, such as stem cell treatments, psychological counseling, insurance and travel photography services for pets, reaching over 1 million pet owners across the country and engaging hundreds of pet-related startups.

“I prioritize my pets over my social life and would give up gatherings with friends for them. Their health and happiness are very important to me,” Luo said.

“Every month I spend more than 1,000 yuan ($138) on pet food and another 1,000 yuan on pet snacks and toys, and these purchases make me happy.

“To be precise, I like the single life with pets.”

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Pet counseling costs range from 100 to 500 yuan per hour.

“My cat, adopted last year, is disabled. I think he experiences the same feelings of isolation and sadness as humans. So I plan to pay for a pet communicator to help me understand his emotions and make him happier,” He said.

According to iiMedia’s report, 82.4 percent of Chinese consumers pay attention to pet product brands, and the process of domestic substitution is also taking place in the pet economy, with pet owners’ preference for Chinese brands increasing significantly.

According to market research database provider Euromonitor, in China’s mid-range dry pet food market, priced between 60 and 80 yuan per kilogram, among the top 10 brands in terms of market share, more than half were domestic brands.