"Fur Baby Parenting Guide": New Pet Consumption Scenarios Driven by Gen Z’s Pet-Raising Needs

To Gen Z, what are "fur babies"? They are not just pets—they are "kids" to be held gently in the palm of the hand! Pet-raising now follows "parenting standards," and pet consumption has long evolved with innovative new forms.

When it comes to buying food, they never settle: milk cake for puppies/kittens, joint-care food for senior pets, and even custom-sized kibble—they are more meticulous than when choosing snacks for themselves. Smart pet products also come in "full sets": feeders, litter boxes, and cameras connected together, allowing them to remotely call out "Come eat, fur baby" even while sneaking a break at work. Even saying goodbye is filled with warmth: tree burials let their pets "stay in a different way," and digital memorial halls store every coquettish moment—every time they open it, it feels like touching that soft, fluffy fur again.

1. Market Overview: Growth Pattern of "Dogs & Cats as Core, Emerging Pets as Supplements"

The pet consumption market is expanding with the rhythm of "stable growth in core categories and breakthroughs in emerging tracks." As the foundation, the market scale of dog and cat food reached 24.2 billion yuan in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 10.8%—equivalent to over 66 million yuan spent on pet "diet" consumption every day. The "cat economy" leads with "quantity": From 2020 to 2024, the number of pet cats grew at a compound annual rate of 10%, cat food sales accounted for 71% of the market, and the number of buyers increased by 48% year-on-year.

The "dog economy" stands out with "unit price": The annual expenditure per pet dog is 5,258 yuan, 1.3 times that of cats, and the proportion of high-end dog food consumption continues to rise.

(Source: Nint)

2. Core Tracks: Upgrade from Functional Satisfaction to Emotional Adaptation

"Eating Healthily" Becomes a Basic Requirement for Pet-Raising

Pet food has long bid farewell to the rough "one-bag-fits-all" model.

Category: Dry food still dominates (87.3%), but wet food is growing significantly. In Q1 2025, dog and cat wet food sales increased by 33.1% year-on-year; on JD.com, the transaction volume of wet food for both cats and dogs surged by over 260%. Cat owners show a stronger preference for wet food due to their pets’ hydration needs.

Craftsmanship: "New-process food" such as baked and freeze-dried products is popular. Sales of baked/air-dried main food for cats grew by over 45%, and domestic brands dominate this field—with a CR5 (market share of the top 5 brands) of 59%, far exceeding the 27% CR5 of the overall dog and cat food market.

(Source: JD.com)

Pet Products: Dual Trends of Intelligence and Anthropomorphism

The pet products market is leaping from "basic functions" to "quality experience."

Smart Products: Although the current penetration rate of smart pet products is less than 20%, demand is exploding. On JD.com, searches for smart pet dryers increased by 128%, and air purifiers for pets rose by 202%. 68% of users buy smart products to "reduce care burdens," and 63% want to "remotely monitor their pets." However, the industry still faces pain points: over 20% of users report that "devices are not connected and require separate APP downloads," so the integration of smart ecosystems is the key to the future.

(Source: huo1818.com)

Funeral Services: Warmth in Remembrance; Exotic Pets: Personality in Choice

Pet Funerals: A typical representative of "emotional consumption." In 2024, the global pet urn market scale reached 1.2 billion US dollars, and the growth rate of biodegradable coffins was 11%—far exceeding the overall industry growth rate of 6.5%—as environmental protection and emotional needs overlap. Brands like MyfureverMemories became popular with custom pet tombstones (engravable with names and photos), and even with prices ranging from 68 to 290 US dollars, the brand still achieved an annual revenue of 5 million US dollars—proving the space for "emotional premiums."

(Source: 10100.com)

Exotic Pets: Targeting "personalized needs."

Aquatic animals and birds account for over 60% of exotic pet sales, while the user growth rate of reptiles/insects is the highest. Demographically, people under 25 (Gen Z) prefer exotic pets, while those aged 36-55 favor aquatic pets. Their motivations for raising pets focus on "content creation" (TGI 267) and "showcasing personality" (TGI 195)—a contrast to the "emotional companionship" needs of dog and cat owners.

(Source: JD.com)

3. Consumers: Pet-Raising Is Not "Raising an Animal," but "Building a Life Together"

58% of pet owners regard their pets as "family," and 29% see them as "good friends"—this emotional upgrade has turned pet-raising into "living together." 65% of people prepare customized diets for their pets, 39% plan pet-friendly holidays, and 26% take pet portraits. Even pets’ "moods" are valued: 61.5% of pet owners are willing to pay for their pets’ emotional needs, and 42% soothe their pets through toys and outdoor interactions.

• Consumption Decisions: "Scientific rationality" coexists with "emotional willingness." 55.3% of pet owners proactively learn scientific feeding knowledge. When buying food, they prioritize "pet-specific" options (adapting to age and size, 63.6%) and ingredient composition (60.5%).
• Channel Preferences: 83.7% choose comprehensive e-commerce platforms like JD.com; 54% stock up during promotions; the mainstream budget for pet food is 100-300 yuan. However, issues such as missing packages and near-expiry products still affect the experience. In Q1 2025, the positive review rate for cat food on e-commerce platforms was 93.47%, and 94.79% for dog food—service details still need improvement.

(Source: Nint)

The next stage of pet consumption will focus on "better understanding of love and greater standardization."

• Food Sector: More segmented products (by age and size) will emerge.
• Smart Products Sector: "Ecosystemization" with multi-device connectivity is the direction.
• Funeral Sector: Environmentally friendly and warm forms like tree burials and digital memorial halls will become popular.

More importantly, the industry needs "standardization": Currently, the definition of pet food categories is confusing, and pet funeral service fees are opaque. Only by establishing unified product standards and service norms can the love of pet owners not be let down. After all, when pets become family, the ultimate goal of the pet consumption market is to make this "mutual companionship" safer and longer-lasting.