What is the 5 most popular pet?

  • As one would expect, dogs are the most popular pets in the United States, with almost 50 million households owning at least one dog.
  • Cats are some of the oldest known pets, with scientists discovering that a cat was being kept as a pet in Cyprus more than 9,500 years ago.
  • Rabbits are adorable and cuddly, but they do require a lot of attention. However, this might be just what certain people need.
  • Reptiles are also starting to become increasingly more common as pets, possibly because they are unique, making them popular among younger people.

As far as the most popular pets go, you would not be wrong if you guessed that the majority of the pet owners in the United States own dogs and cats. However, what about other animals? Pets differ from usual domestic animals in that they do not perform any sort of task or produce a product. They mostly serve the purpose of companionship, creating a friend for us when we need one.

After dogs and cats, other popular pets include fish, reptiles, rabbits, birds, livestock, ferrets, and many more. Pets can be therapeutic for us, giving us the much-needed support just by constantly being there for us. This is why many people turn to pet ownership as a way to make life more bearable.

The Feeling Of Loyalty We Yearn For

As one would expect, dogs are the most popular pets in the United States, with almost 50 million households owning at least one dog. However, on average, a dog owner has 1.7 dogs, according to the American Pet Products Association, which significantly increases the total number of dogs being kept as pets. And, understandably, most people own more than one dog. The amount of love and loyalty these creatures are able to project is second to none. They are also extremely easy to train and are able to protect your home, making them practically the perfect pets.

As one would expect, dogs are the most popular pets in the United States, with almost 50 million households owning at least one dog.

Cats follow dogs as the second most popular pet in the United States, with a bit over 30 million households owning at least one. An interesting fact is that there are more cat than dog pets in the US, which would mean that cat owners prefer to have them in bigger numbers. On average, cat owners have 2.2 cats, and for several good reasons.

Just Watching Them Is Sometimes Enough

Fish are next on the list of the most popular pets in the United States, despite being wildly different from the previous two pet species. Even if people can’t cuddle with fish or take them out for walks, they do seem to give them the comfort they need. Most people opt for freshwater fish since those are much easier to maintain than saltwater fish.

Still, fish, in general, are considered to be pets that are easier to care for than most others, especially once you have an aquarium. They are as low maintenance as pets can be. Watching these creatures swim around their aquariums can be therapeutic and relaxing for many people, which is definitely one of the reasons why they rank so high on the list. 

Even if people can’t cuddle with fish or take them out for walks, they do seem to give them the comfort they need.

Reptiles are also starting to become increasingly more common as pets, possibly because they are unique, making them popular among younger people. They give their owners something to talk about since the experience of owning one is unlike anything else. This includes more common animals such as turtles and more exotic ones as snakes and various lizards.

They Are Just So Cute

Other mammal species are also fairly common, and these include animals like hamsters and guinea pigs, which have the advantage of being extremely cute. They are also mostly small, so people with smaller apartments can still keep them as pets. 

Other mammal species are also fairly common, and these include animals like hamsters and guinea pigs, which have the advantage of being extremely cute.

Rabbits and birds are the next on the list of the most popular pets in the United States, and both of the species have been kept as pets since what seems like forever, so it makes sense that they are still here. Rabbits are adorable and cuddly, but they do require a lot of attention. However, this might be just what certain people need. Birds are magnificent and can provide their owners with entertainment.

However, they are kept in cages since they are never really domesticated but can form bonds with their owners. In recent times, ferrets have become a popular choice for a pet. This makes sense, since they are small and not that hard to maintain, but are incredibly playful, cute, and cuddly. They are also always available in pet stores, which makes them perfect pets for most people today.

What is the 5 most popular pet?

i cat and dog image by jonnysek from Fotolia.com

In the United States, 62 percent of households have a pet, industry statistics show. Pets provide positive physical and mental benefits to their owners, including decreasing blood pressure and depression. Not every pet is right for every human, but some animals consistently rank at the top of the popularity list.

dog playing on the shore image by Victor B from Fotolia.com

Dogs are part of the family in 46.3 million households in the United States, more than any other pet, according to the American Pet Products Association. The average dog owner has 1.7 dogs, meaning that there are about 78 million pet dogs. Dogs have been domesticated for about 14,000 years, longer than any other animal. People love dogs because they generally are easy to train, faithful and loyal, and can go almost anywhere. They will also protect your home and act as a playmate for the entire family.

Woman with a cat image by Alexey Stiop from Fotolia.com

Approximately 38.9 million American households own cats, notes the American Pet Products Association. However, there are more pet cats than dogs, at 86.4 million, because cat owners tend to have more cats per household – around 2.2. Cats can exercise themselves and don’t need to be walked or taken outside to relieve themselves. They keep themselves groomed and even when they’re full, will gladly perform rodent-control duties.

aquarium fish 8 image by cherie from Fotolia.com

While you can’t curl up with them, fish are the third most popular pet in America. The American Pet Products Association reports that about 12.5 million households have an average of about 12 fish, to the tune of 150 million fish! Whether you have a freshwater or saltwater aquarium, you'll likely find it’s calming to watch these gorgeous creatures swim around. You can leave them alone without worry and with minimal arrangements, and an aquarium makes an excellent addition to your décor.

2 parrots image by graham tomlin from Fotolia.com

About 16 million birds perch in 5.7 million households in the United States. From canaries prized for their singing to talking birds to the long-lived macaw, birds provide entertainment and striking visual beauty. Pet birds are not really domesticated animals, but can still form bonds with their humans.

rabbit image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com

While statistics are not as clear cut for rabbits, the American Veterinary Medical Association reports that 6.2 million rabbits reside in 19 million homes. Cute and cuddly rabbits need proper attention and should never be an impulse buy. Rabbits are quiet so make great apartment pets, but they also need exercise. Once they realize they are not your prey, they can make affectionate and entertaining pets.

What is the 5 most popular pet?

Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.

Americans have a great love of animals and devote a great deal of time and energy to taking care of their pets. That should be no surprise! Our beloved pets are important members of our families. They give us companionship, entertainment, exercise, love, and comfort.

We researched the most popular pets in the U.S. and a look at how this breaks down across demographics and the different states. We’ll start with a look at the top eight pets and branch out from there.

We hope these numbers will give you a little insight into how important pets are to Americans. These statistics are in the following categories:

You’re welcome to use our images, but we require you link directly to this site for credit (ex. Image from Pet Keen)

(APPA)

Image Credit: Mahlebashieva, Shutterstock

The most common pets in the U.S. are unsurprisingly dogs. Approximately 69 million American households had at least one dog in 2021–2022.

(APPA)

Just as unsurprisingly, cats come in second as the most popular pet, with 45.3 million U.S. households owning a furry feline.

(APPA)

Image Credit: Ek Ing, Shutterstock

Perhaps this is a surprise, but 11.8 million American households own freshwater fish.

(APPA)

In fourth place, we find that 9.9 million American homes own birds.

(APPA)

Image Credit: Mandz11, Pixabay

The fifth most common kind of pet in U.S. homes is small animals. We don’t have a breakdown of what the most popular small animals are, but we can assume that rabbits, hamsters, and guinea pigs top the list.

(APPA)

Reptiles are the sixth most common pet in the U.S., with 5.7 million homes owning a reptile. Like the small animals, we don’t know the breakdown of what kinds of reptiles are the most popular, but snakes are likely the top candidates, along with lizards and turtles.

(APPA)

Image Credit: Piqsels

Coming in as the seventh most popular pet are horses. 3.5 million homes own a horse, whether keeping them at their own ranch or boarding them at a stable.

(APPA)

Saltwater fish are the eighth most popular pet in America. They are higher maintenance, which might account for their being less popular than the rest.

(AVMA)

Image Credit: Kaganovich Lena, Shutterstock

As of 2016, Wyoming had the highest number of households that owned pets, which was followed by West Virginia at 71% and Nebraska at 70%.

(AVMA)

The District of Columbia had the lowest rate of pet-owning households at 38%, followed by Rhode Island at 45.4% and South Dakota at 46.4%.

(AVMA)

Image Credit: Piqsels

This is followed by Montana at 52%, Arkansas at 52%, and Mississippi at 51%. It’s thought that more dog owners tend to be in the warmer, rural states, although there are plenty of dogs in the colder states.

(AVMA)

Maine came in second at 44%, West Virginia at 38%, and Indiana also at 38%. Many of the cat-owning states tend to be the colder ones.

(Franchise Opportunities)

Image credit: Pixabay

These numbers come from the 2017 Google Trends data for the most popular or most searched dog breed in each state. The Doberman Pinscher was the most popular, being the most searched in seven states. The French Bulldog came in second as most popular in five states and the Rottweiler in three states.

Pet Owner Statistics

(Statista)

Millennials are people born between 1981 and 1996 and are the age group that owns the most pets. After the millennials are the baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) at 27%. They are followed by gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) coming in third at 24%.

(Statista)

Image Credit: Nadtochiy, Shuttterstock

Millennials own the most pets and tend to spend the most on their pets over the holidays with an average of $51. This compares to the baby boomer’s average of $28.

(TD Ameritrade)

On dog food alone, dog owners spent about $442, while cat owners spent about $329 on cat food in 2020.

(TD Ameritrade)

Image Credit: RJ22, Shutterstock

The numbers are high across all of the age groups: millennials at 79% and both gen X and baby boomers at 78%.

(TD Ameritrade)

Across the generations, 84% were millennials, 87% were gen X, and 95% were baby boomers.

(CFA)

Image Credit: rock-the-stock, Shutterstock

The Ragdoll breed was the most popular in 2020 for the second year in a row. It was followed by the Exotic in second place and the Maine Coon in third.

(AKC)

The Labrador Retriever has been the most popular dog in the U.S. since 1991. That’s over 30 years! Labs also top the list in many other counties around the world.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Ownership in the U.S.

How many American households have pets?

A whopping 70% of Americans own a pet in 2021–2022! This works out to about 90.5 million homes that have some kind of pet. This number has gone up from 56% in 1988 and 67% in 2019–2020. (APPA)

Image Credit: ThamKC, Shutterstock

How much do Americans spend on their pets in a year?

Americans spent $103.6 billion on their pets in 2020: $42 billion on pet food and treats, $22.1 billion purchasing new pets and supplies, $31.4 billion on vet care and vet products, and $8.1 billion on other services. These conclude insurance, grooming, boarding, training, and pet walking and sitting.  (APPA)

How much was it estimated that was spent on pets in 2021?

It was estimated that $109.3 billion was spent in 2021. That’s $6 billion more than the previous year. (APPA)

Image Credit: Rosa Jay, Shutterstock

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted how Americans bring home new pets?

In December 2020, 10% of Americans stated that they acquired new pets because of the pandemic. (Statista)

Where do most Americans get their pets?

The most common place that Americans find their new cats is at an animal shelter or Humane Society, at 31%. However, 34% of dogs are typically purchased from a breeder. (ASPCA)

Conclusion

Our beloved pets mean everything to us, and these statistics truly highlight this. During difficult times, pets can provide us with much-needed love and companionship and save us from a truly challenging time.

Dogs are usually the most popular kind of pet across the country, but that preference can range between cats and dogs, depending on the state. We suspect that it has something to do with urban versus rural, as well as temperature. After all, if you live in a frigid part of the country, taking your dog out several times a day isn’t most people’s idea of a good time.

The statistics that we see today will constantly change depending on what is going on in the country and the world. The pandemic has had a significant impact on pet ownership, and when things eventually return to normal, we’ll probably see more changes. But no matter what happens,  as long as we cherish our pets, they will always give us their unconditional love and devotion.

Featured Image Credit: Susan Schmitz, Shutterstock

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