Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-12-11 Origin: Site
Pet food tops the spending list for Canadian pet owners, with annual expenditure on dog food reaching as high as 1,200 CAD per dog and 576 CAD per cat. What’s more notable is that pet owners are no longer just chasing basic nutrition but are willing to pay a premium for high-value-added food products.
Fresh and Low-Processed Food: The trend of fresh, gently cooked pet food, which has gained huge popularity in the US, is now booming in Canada. Brands like Freshpet and emerging local player Tom&Sawyer are competing fiercely in this segment. A survey shows 77% of pet owners attach great importance to purchasing less processed pet food. Retailers are also jumping on the bandwagon—for example, Pet Valu has launched its Performatrin Culinary fresh pet food line to cater to this demand.
Functional Food and Treats: 68% of dog and cat owners are ready to spend more on pet food with additional health benefits. Meanwhile, customized pet food tailored to factors like age, breed, and health conditions is also gaining traction. In 2023, Canada’s retail sales of dog and cat food hit approximately 3.9 billion CAD, with growth mainly driven by the premiumization trend rather than sales volume expansion.
Healthcare-related expenses form a large part of Canadian pet owners’ budgets, reflecting their strong focus on their pets’ well-being.
Pet Insurance: It is a must-have for many pet families. The average annual expenditure on pet insurance is 1,160 CAD per dog and 638 CAD per cat. It ranks among the top three expenses for both dog and cat owners, as it effectively alleviates the financial burden of unexpected medical bills.
Preventive Medical Supplies: Flea and tick prevention products, heartworm prevention medications are in high demand, especially among dog owners—more dog owners purchase these products compared to cat owners. Additionally, pet vitamins, supplements, and CBD-infused treats and snacks are also being adopted by a growing number of pet owners, with slight differences in adoption rates between dog and cat owners.
Senior Pet Care Products: As pets live longer, the elderly pet care market is emerging as a new growth driver. Products such as medications for age-related diseases and assistive devices are expected to achieve an 18% annual growth rate in the coming years. Moreover, professional dental care is a major healthcare expense, costing an average of 743 CAD per pet annually, whether for dogs or cats.
Daily use and durable products are regular purchases for Canadian pet owners, with distinct preferences between dog and cat owners.
Pet Toys: They are the most frequently bought durable pet care items. Over half of Canadian dog and cat owners purchased pet toys in the past 12 months. The average annual spending on dog toys is 75 CAD, while that for cat toys is 45 CAD, which is related to the different activity levels and play habits of dogs and cats.
Species-Specific Daily Items: For cat owners, cat litter is an indispensable daily product, with an average annual expenditure of 215 CAD. For dog owners, accessories like collars are common purchases, with an average annual spending of 50 CAD on this item. Besides, pet collars are also regular purchases, with slight differences in spending based on pet sizes and product functions.
The integration of technology into pet care is accelerating, and high-tech products that enhance pet safety and health management are gaining popularity.
Pet Trackers: About a quarter of dog owners use digital pet tracking devices or microchips to keep an eye on their pets’ locations and movements. Such products are less commonly used by cat owners, possibly due to differences in how dogs and cats move around.
Intelligent Health Devices: Products like smart collars and health monitoring tools that can track pets’ behavior and physical conditions are seeing a rising penetration rate, expected to grow by 15% annually. Additionally, advanced medical equipment such as CT and MRI scanners are being increasingly adopted by pet hospitals, pushing the continuous upgrading of pet medical technology.
Changes in lifestyle and pet emotional needs have spurred demand for grooming and emotional comfort products.
Grooming Products: Dog owners are more likely to buy grooming equipment than cat owners. Meanwhile, pet-specific cleaning, stain, and odor-removal products are widely used by both dog and cat owners. As pets live closely with their owners, these products help maintain a clean living environment.
Anxiety-Relief Products: The pandemic and the subsequent return of pet owners to office work have led to increased anxiety and behavioral issues in pets. Most dog and cat owners plan to increase spending on pet training services and anxiety-relief products such as calming treats, making this product category a new market highlight.
