Retailers increasingly market “Pet Parent” rather than”Dog owner” or “Cat owner”.
Because today, pet parents are increasingly comfortable being both.
The trend is especially visible among:
→ Millennials & Gen Z
→ Child-free households
→ Empty nesters
→ Remote workers
Europe is slightly behind the U.S. in measuring multispecies households, but the direction is similar. The strongest pet cultures today are found in Germany, France, UK, Spain, and Italy.
Pet brands used to build separate dog and cat businesses.
Today, a growing number are designing products around the pet parent household, meaning products that can be used by both dogs and cats (and sometimes even other species).
Some of the most notable categories are found in:
1. Food & Treats – like Oscar (The Nutriment Company) or YowUp! offer treats and ice creams marketed for both dogs and cats.
2. Raw Food & Fresh – Food like Instinct, Stella & Chewy’s or Primal Pet Foods while formulas differ nutritionally between dogs and cats, these companies increasingly market under a shared “raw feeding lifestyle.” Their social media often shows dogs and cats eating together, shared feeding stations and multipet homes.
3. Supplements – This may be the biggest multispecies opportunity. Companies like Zesty Paws, Pet Honesty or Native Pet. Many now offer probiotics, joint supplements, calming supplements, skin & coat products for both dogs and cats.
4. Grooming & Care – Brands increasingly market universal products like shampoos, wipes, paw care and even dental care. Brands like Earth Bath, TropiClean or Fiskars state safe for dogs and cats.
5. Furniture & Home Products – Brands like MiaCara, Meyou Paris, Never Too Small are shifting from: “Dog bed” to “Dog & Cat friendly home” with shared furniture, modular pet spaces, pet friendly interiors, home decor that works for multiple species.
6. Pet Tech – Tech brands are often species-neutral by default. Brands like Tractive, Sure Petcare, Petcube they all support dogs, cats, birds (I’ve seen pet ravens wearing Tractive) and sometimes even rabbits.
7. Travel Products – This is where I think the next wave will emerge. Sleepypod or Ibiyaya they already market carriers and travel systems for dogs, cats and birds.
8. Insurance – Pet insurance is slowly moving from “single pet” to “household pets” ManyPets, Pumpkin or Barkibu they offer multi-pet discounts.
The most innovative brands are already targeting pet households as a whole and moving away from dog owner vs cat owner.
And that changes everything 🧡
LinkedIn original post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/angels-bosch
