Kattly.se has conducted a new analysis based on data from the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) to map the proportion of households in various European countries that own at least one cat or dog. The results reveal fascinating differences in pet ownership between cats and dogs, as well as between different countries and regions.
Cats dominate over dogs in Europe
The analysis shows that cats are generally more popular than dogs in Europe. On average, 27% of households own at least one cat, while 25% own at least one dog. However, the variations between countries are significant, and in some nations, one type of pet is clearly more popular than the other.
Romania – Europe’s most cat-loving country
The analysis identifies Romania as the country in Europe with the highest proportion of cat owners. A remarkable 48% of Romanian households have at least one cat, making Romania the most cat-loving nation in Europe. Poland follows in second place with 41%, while Latvia takes third place with 37%. This highlights a strong tradition of cat ownership, particularly in Eastern Europe. At the same time, Greece has the lowest percentage of cat owners, with only 13% of households owning a cat, followed by Türkiye at 14%.
Hungary and Poland – leaders in dog ownership
Hungary tops the list as the most dog-loving country in Europe, with 50% of households owning at least one dog. Poland comes in second with 49%, followed by Romania in third place with 45%. The Czech Republic ranks fourth, with 42% of households owning a dog. These countries demonstrate a strong commitment to dogs as valued family members.
Pet-loving nations
Romania and Poland stand out as Europe’s most pet-loving nations, excelling in both cat and dog ownership. Romania ranks first for cats and third for dogs, while Poland secures second place for both types of pets.
Türkiye and Switzerland – low interest in dogs
Türkiye shows little interest in dog ownership, with only 5% of households owning a dog. This low figure, combined with its second-to-last ranking for cat ownership, makes Türkiye the least pet-loving country in Europe. Switzerland also has a low rate of dog ownership, with only 12% of households owning at least one dog, placing it second to last on that list.
Major differences between cats and dogs in some countries
The analysis also highlights countries with notable differences in the number of cats and dogs. In Switzerland and Türkiye, cats are over three times more common than dogs. Conversely, in Croatia and Slovakia, dog ownership dominates, with 69% and 68% more dogs than cats, respectively.
Belgium and the Netherlands – cultural differences between neighbours
Despite their geographic proximity, Belgium and the Netherlands show significant differences in pet ownership. In Belgium, 33% of households own a cat, and 30% own a dog. In the Netherlands, these figures are much lower: 23% for cats and 18% for dogs. This suggests a stronger pet culture in Belgium compared to its Dutch neighbour.
More cats than dogs per household
Among households that own pets, it is generally more common to have more cats than dogs. There are over 129 million cats in Europe, compared to approximately 106 million dogs. These numbers are distributed across 27% of households for cats and 25% for dogs. Countries like Italy, Slovenia, and Finland stand out with particularly high numbers of cats per household compared to dogs.
In Italy, for instance, there are 10.2 million cats and 8.8 million dogs, even though only 22% of households own a cat compared to 28% that own a dog. In Slovenia, there are 461,000 cats and 299,000 dogs, with 32% of households owning a cat and 39% owning a dog. In Finland, 24% of households own at least one dog, while 23% own at least one cat. However, the total number of cats exceeds one million, while the dog population is just under 800,000.
Data on cat and dog ownership across European countries:
| Country | No. of cats | No. of dogs | % of households with at least one cat | % of households with at least one dog |
| AUSTRIA | 1 985 000 | 837 000 | 28% | 17% |
| BELGIUM | 2 536 000 | 2 029 000 | 33% | 30% |
| BULGARIA | 817 000 | 752 000 | 25% | 24% |
| CROATIA | 434 000 | 735 500 | 15% | 29% |
| CZECH REPUBLIC | 1 364 000 | 2 208 000 | 23% | 42% |
| DENMARK | 698 000 | 643 000 | 19% | 21% |
| ESTONIA | 300 400 | 243 500 | 18% | 22% |
| FINLAND | 1 002 000 | 797 000 | 23% | 24% |
| FRANCE | 14 900 000 | 7 600 000 | 31% | 20% |
| GERMANY | 15 200 000 | 10 600 000 | 24% | 21% |
| GREECE | 606 000 | 655 000 | 13% | 14% |
| HUNGARY | 2 380 000 | 2 800 000 | 34% | 50% |
| IRELAND | 373 000 | 520 000 | 18% | 25% |
| ITALY | 10 228 000 | 8 755 000 | 22% | 28% |
| LATVIA | 407 000 | 268 000 | 37% | 27% |
| LITHUANIA | 638 000 | 580 000 | 32% | 34% |
| NETHERLANDS | 3 010 000 | 1 830 000 | 23% | 18% |
| NORWAY | 720 000 | 500 000 | 30% | 17% |
| POLAND | 7 250 000 | 8 109 000 | 41% | 49% |
| PORTUGAL | 1 957 000 | 2 840 000 | 32% | 39% |
| ROMANIA | 4 424 000 | 4 244 000 | 48% | 45% |
| RUSSIA | 23 262 000 | 17 643 000 | 34% | 28% |
| SLOVAKIA | 541 000 | 911 000 | 15% | 29% |
| SLOVENIA | 461 000 | 299 000 | 32% | 39% |
| SPAIN | 5 860 000 | 9 313 000 | 17% | 27% |
| SWEDEN | 1 715 000 | 1 051 000 | 21% | 15% |
| SWITZERLAND | 1 853 000 | 544 000 | 31% | 12% |
| TÜRKIYE | 4 737 000 | 1 409 000 | 14% | 5% |
| UNITED KINGDOM | 11 900 000 | 12 700 000 | 27% | 33% |
| UKRAINE | 7 575 000 | 4 948 000 | 30% | 19% |
| TOTAL EUROPE | 129 133 400 | 106 364 000 | 27% | 25% |
About the survey
The data on cat and dog ownership in European countries pertains to 2022 and was published in a report by the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) in 2024.
For more information, please contact:
Andrew de Lisle, Founder, Kattly.se, andrew@kattly.se.
About Kattly.se
Kattly.se, created by cat lovers for cat lovers, is becoming the leading Swedish resource for cat enthusiasts. Founders Andrew de Lisle, Joakim Flisberg, and Weronica Bartoszek share their passion for cats and wish to provide comprehensive information on everything from cat breeds and behaviour to cat products and health. Their goal is to gather thorough and accessible information in one place to meet the needs of cat lovers. In 2025 the resource will be launched in more countries throughout Europe. More information about Kattly.se.