Kittens just overtook puppies in American homes. Here’s who’s driving the cat boom

Cats are having a moment. In American homes, cats have long played second fiddle to dogs. More U.S. households own dogs, but the balance is starting to tip. Last year, the number of U.S. homes with a dog under a year old was basically equal to the number of homes with a cat under the same age, according to recent data from market research group Packaged Facts. In 2026, the ratio tipped to .94 puppies for every one kitten. Compare that to 2014, when 1.8 households owned a puppy for every one h...