THE VERDICT
We plan to spend $2.14 billion on our four-footed companions this February 14th.
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Breaking mews! This year, Americans plan to spend an estimated $2.14 billion on gifts for their cats and dogs on Valentine’s Day, more than double the amount spent last year.
The number sounds huge and you might be thinking “dog-gone-it!”, but numbers don’t lie. Research reflects an astounding 185.3% increase of $1.39 billion from last year, when Americans spent an estimated $751 million.
Some 41.0 million adults will shower their pet dogs with gifts, representing roughly 16.1% of all American adults.
Roughly 12.3% of Americans, or 31.5 million adults, say they’ll pick up presents for their kitties.
You have got to be kitten me right now
Collectively, more Americans are buying gifts for their pet doggos again this year than for their cats and they’re spending more, as well. However, the average expected spent for both dogs and cats have grown compared to last year.
On average, adults are expected to drop $31.24 on their pet dogs compared to $27.42 on their pet cats. If we do the math, adults in 2021 will shower their dogs with $1.28 billion in gifts and their pet cats with $863 million in gifts.
Man’s Best Friend
On average, men spend more on V-day gifts for their dogs, while women spend more gifts for their cats. Men are planning on spending an average of $33.62 on Valentine’s gifts for their dogs and an average of $26.80 on Valentine’s gifts for their cats. Women favor the cats this year – spending an average of $28.36 on the purr-fect gift and an average of only $27.54 on a pup related piece.
However, although women might spend more on average on their cats, more men are likely to buy a gift at all for both dogs and cats. 20.54% of men plan on buying gifts for the dogs compared to 11.98% of women. And 15.52% of men plan on buying gifts for their cats compared to only 9.44% of women. That ends up translating into $1.34 billion spent by men on gifts for their furry friends compared to only $799 million spent by women.
| Gender | Average expected spend on dogs | Average expected spend on cats |
|---|---|---|
| Male | $33.62 | $26.80 |
| Female | $27.54 | $28.36 |
Gen X to shower their canines and felines the most
Millennials are planning on spending the most on Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets, spending an average of $37.68 on their dogs and $30.16 on their cats.
Felines take the lead again with baby boomers who are planning to spend $29.52 on average on V-day gifts for their cats and an average of $26.93 on their dogs! They were the only generation who planned on spending more on their cats than their dogs.
Gen Z is planning to spend an average of $27.06 on their dogs and $23.91 on their cats. Gen X expects to spend an average of $30.68 on their dogs and $26.98 on their cats.
| Generation | Average planned spending on dogs | Average planned spending on cats |
|---|---|---|
| Gen Z | $27.06 | $23.91 |
| Millennial | $37.68 | $30.16 |
| Gen X | $30.68 | $26.98 |
| Baby boomers | $26.93 | $29.52 |
| Silent gen | $9.75 | $7.30 |
By region
In total, all regions are planning on spending more on their pet dogs than on their pet cats. This disparity is greatest in the South where people are planning on spending a estimated total of $543 million on their dogs compared to only $295 million on their cats.
| Region | Total expected spend on dogs | Total expected spend on cats |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast | $178 million | $176 million |
| Midwest | $276 million | $184 million |
| South | $543 million | $295 million |
| West | $284 million | $208 million |
Gabrielle Pastorek
Shopping expert, Finder
3 money-saving tips when shopping for pets
1. Save today, and keep saving tomorrow. Several pet supply sites like Chewy, Petco and SmartPak offer an initial discount on your first autoship order, then an extra smaller discount on every subsequent delivery. So you can save big on your pet’s Valentine’s Day goodies, then keep saving on food, litter and other essentials every month.
2. Go for generic toys.Name-brand toys are almost always more expensive than generic brands, but we’ll bet your pooch won’t be able to tell the difference. I personally buy Frisco squeaky tennis balls from Chewy vs. a virtually identical ball from Kong that costs almost a dollar more per ball.
3. Scoop up free shipping. Many pet supply websites offer free shipping when you order a certain amount of merchandise. This threshold is usually pretty easy to hit if you also do your monthly shopping for pet essentials while snagging a few toys and treats for Valentine’s Day. Another easy way to save on shipping is to choose free curbside or in-store pickup where available.
Don’t forget National Love Your Pet Day
If you forget your pet on Valentine’s Day, you’ve got a second chance soon after. February 20th is National Love Your Pet Day — a holiday dedicated to lavishing special attention and pampering on your animals.
An official holiday might not be necessary for owners who shower love on their pets every day. Still, you have many ways to say a special “I love you” to your four-footers.
For dogs
- Simple homemade treats
- A new plush toy
- An extra-long walk in the park
For cats
- Catnip toys
- A new scratching post
- A food maze
Methodology
Finder’s data is based on an online survey of 1,800 US adults born between 1928 and 2002 commissioned by Finder and conducted by Pureprofile in September 2020. Participants were paid volunteers.
We assume the participants in our survey represent the US population of 254.7 million Americans who are at least 18 years old according to the July 2019 US Census Bureau estimate. This assumption is made at the 95% confidence level with a 2.32% margin of error.
The survey asked respondents how much they planned to spend on gifts, with spending on Pet Cat and Pet Dog as some of the available fields.
Average calculations of spending were based just on the participants who were planning on spending in that particular category — for example, to calculate mean spending on Valentine’s gifts for dogs, participants who selected “Not purchasing gifts for Valentines Day” and participants indicated that they were spending “0” on pet dogs were not included. Total Valentine’s gift spending for pets was calculated based on estimated spending in the categories of Pet Dog and Pet Cat.
We define generations by birth year according to the Pew Research Center’s generational guidelines:
- Gen Z — 1997-2002
- Millennials — 1981-1996
- Gen X — 1965-1980
- Baby boomers — 1946-1964
- Silent generation — 1928-1945
We define geographical regions according to the divisions of the US Census Bureau.
Past Valentine’s Day Statistic
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