It is cats with the advantage over dogs in Canada.
A survey by the Canadian Animal Health Institute estimates we own an estimated 8.5 million cats compared to 7.9 million dogs.
Our love for pets spiked during the pandemic with the cat population increasing by 400 thousand over the last two years.
The dog numbers increased by about 200 thousand over that same period.
“We know that dogs, cats, and other animals can provide many benefits for mental health, including companionship and coping with stressful situations. It comes as no surprise that the trends show an increase in both the Canadian dog and cat populations, with the largest increases happening from 2020-2022,” say Dr. Emily Bond, Programs Director for CAHI.
Dr. Bond says it will be interesting to see if the trend continues as we begin to return to a more normal lifestyle.
The survey found sixty per cent of all households report owning at least one pet.
