| ou looking for the perfect pet gifts? Join the club. With | | | | gifts. |
| pet ownership on the rise, Americans are now | | | | * Almost 40 million cats are given Christmas gifts. |
| spending double what they did ten years ago. As pets | | | | * Approximately 13 million cats celebrate birthdays with |
| become more valued as family members, more | | | | their families. |
| people than ever are looking to treat them with gifts | | | | * Not to be left out, nearly 10 million dogs receive |
| and holiday celebrations. | | | | birthday celebrations, as well. |
| Don’t believe it? Consider the following facts: | | | | * On average, individual pet owners buy approximately |
| * 78% of people greet their pets before their spouses | | | | $113 worth of dog toys and treats for each of their |
| when returning home. | | | | dogs each year. |
| * 39% of pet owners display their pets’ pictures | | | | * Cat owners aren’t much further behind, |
| somewhere in the home. | | | | spending just over $72 a year on each of their cats |
| * 92% of dog and cat owners consider their pets to | | | | each year. |
| be family members. | | | | It only stands to reason, then, that sales of gifts for |
| Obviously, this evolution of the family pet from | | | | pets have skyrocketed during the last few years. |
| plaything to family member only strengthens the desire | | | | However, variety has as well. Those looking for the |
| of owners to treat their pets as family members in | | | | perfect pet gifts find that stores (both online and the |
| every way possible. Choosing and purchasing pet gifts | | | | brick-and-mortar variety) cater more and more to the |
| is just a natural extension of this phenomenon. | | | | ever growing segment of pet owners looking to spoil |
| Despite these overwhelming numbers, those buying | | | | their creatures with special goodies. |
| gifts for their pets must be in the minority, right? Not | | | | Owners today lavish pets with everything from |
| necessarily. Over 139 million cats and dogs | | | | jewelry to designer clothing. The advent of online pet |
| (that’s not even counting birds, fish, or exotic | | | | businesses catering to pampered pets only adds to |
| pets!) currently reside in households across the United | | | | the amount of products available on the market today. |
| States. Out of this number, approximately 63 million are | | | | No longer do customers have to search for |
| dogs and 77 million are cats. That’s a lot of | | | | hard-to-find pet boutiques or hope that the local pet |
| pets! But how many actually receive presents from | | | | warehouse carries what they are looking for. Now pet |
| their owners or participate in holiday events? The | | | | owners can order presents for their pets with the |
| numbers are surprising: | | | | simple click of a mouse. |
| * Over 31 million dog owners give their dogs Christmas | | | | |