NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cat Person, the new brand catering exclusively to cats and cat people, today released key findings from a national survey of 1,000 cat owners to better understand how pandemic disruptions have impacted the relationship between cats and their owners. The report aims to uncover whether cat owners have experienced a change in their bond with their pet, and how cats are infiltrating the work life of remote employees.
A previous survey conducted at the start of the pandemic in March found that 80% of cat owners felt overlooked within a U.S. culture that caters more to dog people. Yet new data underscores the value of feline companionship: the majority (59.6%) of owners have relied on their cat for emotional support during the pandemic, leading to an improvement in their relationship with their pet. The feeling appears to be mutual, as the majority (57.1%) of owners believe their cat enjoys their increased presence at home. These findings upend traditional stereotypes of cats as aloof and independent.
Employers should also take note. As employees directed to work from home navigate this “new normal,” the report also found the majority (57.5%) of cat owners are now more partial to working remotely to spend more time with their pet.
With the holidays approaching, cat owners may wish to express their appreciation for a year of emotional support and companionship. The majority (64.3%) of cat owners have purchased a holiday gift for their cat in the past.
Key survey insights include:
Pandemic life
- Emotional support is mutual: The majority (59.6%) of cat owners have relied on their cat for emotional support or comfort during the pandemic. Over a quarter of cat owners (26.8%) report their relationship with their cat has improved since the start of the pandemic. The majority (57.1%) of cat owners believe their cat likes having them home more often.
- More opportunities to bond: Nearly half of cat owners (46.8%) report the amount of attention or playtime they give their cat has increased since the start of the pandemic.
- Food intake is increasing: Over a quarter of cat owners (26.4%) report the amount of food or treats they feed their cat has increased since the pandemic began. Yet while over three quarters (72.5%) claim to know their cat needs a high protein diet to survive, over a quarter of cat owners (27.7%) find it confusing or difficult to know what food is best for their cat’s health.
- Quality formulations are key: When selecting food for their cat, cat owners consider a high protein formulation to be most important (46.2%), followed by no grains or fillers (23.1%), easy to serve packaging (20.5%), no meat byproducts (8.1%), and a low carb formulation (2.1%).
Remote work
- Cats are entering the chat: Out of those who are currently working from home, 43.2% report their cat disrupts their work, most commonly by sitting on them or their computer (43.7%), followed by meowing or crying for attention (27%), being cute or funny (14.3%), getting the “zoomies” (11.1%), or making a mess (4%). Over a third (38.4%) have had their cat “Zoom bomb” a video conference.
- Warming up to WFH: Yet out of those who are currently working from home, the majority (57.5%) report spending each day with their cat has made them more partial to remote work.
Methodology
Survey insights were collected by Cat Person through AYTM — Ask Your Target Market online research platform from October 26 to October 27, 2020, among 1,000 cat owners in the U.S. ages 18 - 65+ years old.
About Cat Person
Cat Person is committed to strengthening the relationship between cats and cat persons by delivering food, treats, and products that are specially made for the unique needs of cats, and thoughtfully designed for their people. Cat Person is prioritizing the unmet needs of the $14B pet market and flipping the script on the stereotype about cat owners. Cat Person was founded by Jimmy Wu and Lambert Wang in March 2020 with the support of Harry's, Inc and is headquartered in New York City. See more at www.catperson.com.
