Number of pets continues to grow in Austria

The number of pets in Austria is continuing to rise slightly. At the same time, dogs and cats are ageing increasingly. These are the findings of the latest survey by the Austrian Pet Food Association (ÖHTV) and the Austrian Pet Trade/WKO on the domestic pet population, the results of which were presented at a press conference.

A total of 1.8 million Austrian households (46 per cent) have at least one pet. The number of cats increased slightly to 2.019 million (2022: 1.985 million animals), while the number of dogs living in Austria remained at the 2022 level of 836,000 animals.

"Our pets are getting older and older. The proportion of dogs and cats that are over ten years old has risen continuously over the last five years," says ÖHTV president Hermann Habe. This observation was prompted by a study on the pet population in Austria carried out by Gfk on behalf of ÖHTV and the Austrian pet trade. It was the first joint survey by the two associations.

The survey shows that the number of cats over ten years old has risen from 32 to 36 per cent compared with 2019. Over twelve per cent of households have cats that are even older than 15 years. Among dogs, the number of older animals, i.e. those over ten years old, has risen from 27 to 30 per cent compared with 2022. "With their high-quality pet food products, ÖHTV member companies make an important contribution to this - by providing the basis for a long and healthy life for all pets with a balanced diet," says Bernd Berghofer, managing director of ÖHTV.