In the past few years, pets have become a growing trend in China as more and more Millennials and Gen Z turn to animals for companionship. This is partly due to the influence of Western culture, where caring for companion animals has long been common. But in 2026, what I see is something different: pet ownership has moved from a lifestyle trend to a serious consumer category, with spending behaviors that mirror what we track in cosmetics.
The pet market grew even faster during Covid-19 lockdowns, with many Chinese consumers looking for comfort from their furry friends. Analysts estimated that by 2023, China’s pet industry would reach over $66 billion dollars, and that figure has continued to climb. By 2026, industry reports place the total pet economy above $90 billion, with pet grooming and beauty products leading the fastest-growing subcategories.
China’s pet industry
In 2020, the pet market in China reached $46.3 billion. The growth rate (CAGR) was 32.74%, the biggest increase in the world. The Chinese pet market has gradually matured with 10 years of fast development. In the past five years, the number of pets in Chinese cities grew by nearly 50%, showing the huge potential of China’s pet market.
Since the first Asian pet show was held in Hong Kong in 1997, China’s pet industry entered a new period of growth. Over the decades since, the market has expanded rapidly and continues to show considerable potential for development.
With pet ownership rates currently standing at only 6%, Chinese citizens are rapidly embracing animal companionship. Statista data showed over 200 million pets in China in 2021, and that number has grown since. Compare this to the US, where 67% of households own a pet, and you see how much room remains for growth in China.
Pet owners demographics: who owns pets in China?
An increasing number of Chinese Millennials and Gen Z are turning to pet ownership as a family alternative. Research indicates that 50% were born after 1980, and 20% after 1990. These younger generations represent a serious consumer segment when it comes to pet supplies, pet food, pet services, and other pet products.
Urban citizens generally have higher incomes, and low levels of childbearing among this demographic means companies can count on passionate consumers who treat their pets as family members. 41% are unmarried singles, a detail that directly shapes their spending priorities.
Which pets are the most popular among pet lovers in China?
Despite the common assumption that dogs are more favored than cats, figures suggest otherwise in China. According to statistics released at the end of 2021, cat owners outnumbered dog owners with 58 million and 54 million respectively.
Year-on-year growth in the cat market has seen a 20% increase compared to 4% for pet dogs. According to China Briefing, the cost could be one factor behind this preference: on average, owners spend 390 dollars annually per dog versus 270 dollars per cat. That cost gap matters in a market where young buyers are budget-conscious but still want to spend on quality products for their animals.
Pet beauty and grooming: the category cosmetics brands need to watch in 2026
I have been following the China cosmetics market for 15 years. What I see in pet beauty today mirrors what I saw in human skincare a decade ago. Pet shampoos, conditioners, dental care, and even SPF sprays for animals are now standard SKUs on Tmall and JD. The humanization of pets is not a passing trend. It is a structural shift in how Chinese consumers allocate disposable income.
In my experience, brands that enter this space early win category leadership. The pet beauty market in China reached an estimated 12 billion RMB in 2025, with grooming products growing at over 25% year-on-year. Brands that work with us to enter this market find that the product communication strategy maps closely to human cosmetics: claim clarity, ingredient storytelling, and social proof from real users. The playbook is the same. The audience is just slightly furrier.
How Chinese consumers discover pet products in 2026
The discovery path for pet products has shifted. Three years ago, Taobao search was the starting point. Today it starts on Xiaohongshu marketing and Douyin, where pet content generates billions of views monthly.
On XHS (Xiaohongshu, also called Little Red Book), pet grooming tutorials and daily pet content drive direct product discovery. I have seen bath products and coat sprays go from zero to top-10 Tmall search results in under three months, simply because one viral XHS post triggered a wave of user-generated content. The comment section on those posts is where purchase intent converts. That is where smart brands place their KOL strategy.
On Douyin, short-form video showing before-and-after grooming transformations performs exceptionally well. Douyin advertising for pet products follows the same mechanics as beauty content: emotional storytelling, close-up visuals, and a strong product demonstration in the first three seconds. Brands that treat their pet line the same way they treat their human beauty products consistently get better results than brands that treat pet as a secondary category.
Ingredient trends in Chinese pet beauty products
Chinese pet owners in 2026 read ingredient labels. This is relatively new behavior, and it comes directly from the human beauty market. Pet owners who buy clean beauty products for themselves apply the same standards to their animals. The top ingredient trends I track in pet grooming right now:
- Plant-based surfactants replacing sulfates in pet shampoos, driven by sensitive-skin concerns
- Oat extract and ceramides for coat conditioning, borrowed directly from human skincare formulations
- Probiotic formulas for skin microbiome balance in cats and dogs with recurring skin issues
- TCM botanicals, including chrysanthemum and ginger extracts, appealing to consumers who trust heritage ingredient systems
- Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic claims, now a baseline consumer expectation rather than a premium positioning
Brands that anchor their messaging around these ingredient stories on XHS and Tmall product pages see measurably better conversion rates. The consumer already understands this language from human skincare. You are not starting from zero when you have the right ingredient story.
AI-assisted product discovery and what it means for pet brands
Since 2025, AI search tools integrated into Taobao, Douyin, and WeChat have changed how consumers find products. Pet owners type natural language queries: “best shampoo for Persian cat with dry skin” or “gentle treatment safe for kittens.” Products with well-structured Tmall listings, clear ingredient information, and strong review bases appear at the top of these results.
In practical terms, your product titles, A+ content, and customer review strategy matter more than ever. Brands that work with us on cosmetics marketing in China already apply this discipline to their human SKUs. The same approach applies to pet products. Content optimization for AI-assisted search is now a baseline requirement, not an optional upgrade.
Consumer behavior shifts: the pet parent mentality
The language Chinese pet owners use has changed. They do not say they “own” a pet. They say they have a “fur baby” (毛孩子, máo háizi). This is not a minor cultural detail. It determines every purchasing decision. A pet parent spending 5,000 RMB per month on skincare for themselves will not hesitate to spend 500 RMB on a premium shampoo for their cat.
What this means for brands entering this market in 2026: do not talk to the consumer as a pet owner. Talk to them as a parent. The messaging that works is about care, safety, and visible results. The same emotional drivers that move premium human skincare purchases also move premium pet beauty purchases. I have seen this directly with brands we support on both sides of the category.
The other shift worth noting is the move toward subscription and routine purchases. Chinese pet owners increasingly buy on auto-replenishment, particularly for consumables like shampoo, dental care, and coat supplements. Brands that build a subscription mechanic into their Tmall store or WeChat Mini Program strategy see significantly higher lifetime value per customer. This is the same dynamic that built loyalty in human skincare. It works here too.
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