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All Hail the Cat Dad
This International Cat Day, we profile this fast-growing demographic
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Happy International Cat Day!
Welcome to the Age of the Cat. Cat ownership in the U.S. is gaining serious momentum and has reached a record high.
This week’s spotlight looks at the driving force behind the surge in U.S. cat ownership: Millennial / Gen Z males, or “Cat Dads”.
This emerging demographic is feline-focused and ready to spend, but are brands waking up to this shift?
Here’s where we shamelessly plug our new sister publication, Feline Business Brief! The surge in cats’ popularity convinced us that felines needed their own standalone publication. We hope you’ll join us by subscribing!
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IN THE NEWS
🇺🇸 CATalyst Council launches landmark 40,000 household pet ownership study on advancing feline health
FRIDAY SPOTLIGHT: WHO’S YOUR (CAT) DADDY?
Move over, cat ladies. The Cat Dad is in town.
According to APPA’s 2025 Dog & Cat Report, U.S. cat ownership leapt by 23% in 2024 to a record 49 million households, thanks largely by Millennial and Gen Z men adopting cats in growing numbers.
The same report also shows nearly a 20% rise in Gen Z cat Dads, and almost 25% growth among Millennial male cat owners year on year.
Not only that: these so-called Cat Dads have disposable income, are lifestyle-focused, and emotionally invested:
They’re hosting cat birthday parties (up 250% since 2018)
Investing in cat training (48% now use training tools, +41%)
Buying high-quality cat collars, harnesses, and accessories
Premium cat food and functional nutrition
In short, Cat Dads (which by the way include A-listers such as Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo and Ed Sheeran) put paid to the stereotype of cat parents being mostly female. And sometimes dressed in a shawl while they knit.
The missing link
Pet brands have been slightly slow off the mark to cater to male Millennial/Gen Z pet parents. According to a poll by Pet Food Industry, over half (56%) of pet brands surveyed reported zero plans to cater to this emerging demographic.
Not only that, only 11% are using male pet-parent narratives, the survey said.
Here’s what brands are doing to address the Cat Dad segment:
Increasing digital marketing
Partnering with male influencers and content creators
Shifting advertising campaigns to feature more male pet parents
As cat households grow in size and beyond traditional profiles, brands able to speak to male pet parents will have the edge in this fast-growing demographic.
BEFORE YOU GO…
Don’t miss this week’s interview with Harry Bremner, the founder of Tuggs who decided to feed dogs insect-based food (and raised £1.1M doing it).
Tugg founder Harry Bremner
Have a great weekend!
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