The U.S. is split on cats and dogs.
Adoption data analyzed by home improvement website Porch.com determined which states favored which pet in 2020.
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It turns out that the West Coast has been “cat country” with the exception of Oregon and the East Coast has been “dog country” with an exception of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, according to Porch, which used the independent nonprofit Shelter Animals Count as a source.
U.S. states most likely to adopt a cat
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming
The Midwest and South were a mixed bag. Alaska residents sided with cats and Hawaii residents sided with dogs.
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In 2020, an estimated 750,000 animals were adopted from shelters in the U.S. since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Cats were adopted more by a slight margin at 55% versus 54% for the adoption of dogs.
U.S. states most likely to adopt a dog
Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Virginia
“Cats might be ahead of dogs in terms of adoption rates, but it’s dog owners who splash their cash for their pets, outspending cat owners by $514 a year,” according to Porch. Food, vet care and grooming were reportedly the most popular spending categories among dog owners.
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The animal pet adoption rate overall was 54% in 2020, which was 3% higher than what was recorded the year prior.
The West Coast is reportedly “cat country” while the East Coast is “dog country,” according to Porch.com. (iStock)
Additionally, Porch cited a survey from Petfood Industry magazine where 83% of respondents said pet cats and dogs helped them with stress relief throughout the pandemic. Another 72% said having a pet helped to improve their mood during lockdowns.
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Meanwhile the pet industry market size was estimated to be around $99 billion in 2020, according to the American Pet Products Association.
