In 2022, Europe had 127 million cats, making them the most prevalent pets in the region, found in 26% of households. Dogs were only slightly less common, present in 25% of European households. These statistics were revealed in the “Facts and Figures 2022” report by the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF), which also delves into detailed insights about pet ownership patterns across Europe.
The report listed the ten countries with the highest pet dog populations: According to the report, the ten countries with the highest pet dog populations are: Russia (17,558,000), United Kingdom (13,000,000), Germany (10,600,000), Spain (9,313,000), Italy (8,755,000), Poland (8,019,000), France (7,600,000), Ukraine (4,984,000), Romania (4,193,000), Portugal (2,605,000).
Additionally, the European pet food market saw substantial growth, reaching EUR29.1 billion (US$31.1 billion) in 2022, boasting an average annual growth rate of 5.1% over the past three years, as reported by the FEDIAF. Pet owners in Europe purchased a total of 10.5 million tonnes (11.6 million US tons) of pet food products, experiencing a 3.5% annual growth rate. The continent hosted 150 pet food companies, collectively operating around 200 facilities and employing 118,000 people.
In 2022, FEDIAF documented 91 million European households having at least one pet, meaning roughly 46% of European households were home to a furry or feathered friend, with the breakdown as follows: 127 million cats; 104 million dogs; 53 million birds; 29 million small mammals; 22 million aquaria and 11 million reptiles.
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