Cats are quietly claiming more American homes, and the pet industry is finally noticing what cat people have known for furrever

Cats are the superior pet, and finally, people are starting to understand why.

The age-old question of whether dogs or cats are better pets is finally getting the answer we've all been searching for. Each camp has its own reasons for why their purrticular choice is the right one, but who can say for sure? Data. Data can tell us for sure.

It's a known fact that inflation and the rising cost of food, vet visits, and life in general have caused many pet owners in America to rethink their lives quite a bit. Ironically, as pets are getting more expensive, pet ownership is on the rise! Why? Because if pets are getting more expensive, so are babies. People, especially Americans, are having their first child (on average, of course) much later in life than their parents did, with many even questioning if they want to have them at all. And such, many of us (myself included) are adding pets to our family to supplement the lack of children. 

So if more people are becoming pawrents, which one is better? Well, it turns out that cat ownership is on the rise! Over the past couple of years, the pet industry has seen a steady increase in cat food sales and a steady decrease in several dog food categories. We can only assume one thing from this data: more cats are turning families into feline families and turning everyday Joes into feline fanatics.

Of course, we knew that cats were the ideal pet way before this data came out. I can't say that all cats are low maintenance, but they are much more self-sufficient (unless you have an orange one). With more people traveling and moving between rentals, it's easier to take a cat with you that requires significantly fewer things than a dog. And, you don't have to take them on walks 3+ times a day or train them - all you have to do is give them a cardboard box and a ball of crumpled up aluminum foil, and you've got yourself a happy kitty.