It’s no secret that we in the UK are a nation of pet lovers, and as today is National Pet Day, we’re celebrating by taking a look at the furry (or feathery, or scaly) companions that share our homes.
But first: what better day to announce the start of our #NatusanCats competition than National Pet Day?! Starting from today, you can be in with a chance of winning a monthly prize (and seeing your cat crowned Natusan Cat of the Month).
All you need to do is snap a photo of your feline friends with their Natusan, share it to your Instagram story or post, and tag it with the hashtag #NatusanCats. Every month we’ll pick a winner who’ll receive their very own prize! (Terms and conditions apply.) Head over to our Instagram @natusan_uk to follow and find out more.
Pets in the UK: The PAW Report
If you’ve got a cat (or two, or three) at home, you’re definitely not alone. Every year, the PDSA surveys the UK’s pet owners in the 2021 PAW report. Last year’s survey found that:
- 51% of UK adults have a pet
- 26% of UK adults have a dog, with an estimated 9.6 million dogs in the UK
- 24% of UK adults have a cat—but clearly a few of us cat lovers have more than one feline friend at home, because according to the report, there’s an estimated 10.7 million cats in the UK!
In fact, in ten years of PAW reports, their results have consistently found a higher number of cats in the UK than any other pet!
Our Favourite Cats & Dogs
When it comes to cats, it’s beloved moggies that make up the majority of pet cats. After moggies, the British Shorthair ranks top in UK cat breeds. For dogs, the most popular breed is a Labrador Retriever, but just like the cats, it’s crossed and mixed breed dogs that are our most common canine companions overall.
The UK’s Pet Population
The PAW report is just one of many pet-based surveys, and other reports have put the current number of pets in the UK even higher. One report, PFMA’s Pet Population data, suggests that 59% of UK households had at least one pet in 2021. For 2022, their estimate of this figure increased to 62%—that’s 17.4 million homes with pets across the UK!
So we know that dogs and cats take the top spot, but what are our other favourite pets? In 3rd place, it’s rabbits. They’re the third most popular pet in the UK, with an estimated pet population ranging from 900,000 to 1.1 million rabbits—that’s a lot of cute bunny ears. They’re followed by indoor birds (with an even higher number of birds, but in less households). And in fifth place, it’s the guinea pig.
If you take a look at the lists, you might notice that they don’t take fish into account. Anyone who’s ever had a pet goldfish will confirm that fish can definitely be pets too. Back in 2012, studies estimated that up to 10% of households had pet fish, which means they deserve their own place near the top of the list!
Do your cats share their home with another species? We’d love to know more about what pets you have at home! Let us know over at our Facebook page.
11/04/2022 by NatuTeam