The cat food and snacks market is projected to exhibit substantial growth by 2027, delivering a notable CAGR through the assessment timeline, due to surging pet ownership, coupled with the soaring demand for cat snacks that made with premium ingredients and are rich in protein.

Following the COVID-19 outbreak, there was an increase in the number of pet owners, especially those people who were forced to live in isolation. In July 2020, a study conducted by a team from Monash University surveyed several participants to assess how pet ownership affected people during the pandemic.

In the survey, which was published in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry, cat owners said that having a pet helped them during the lockdown by reducing loneliness. As a result, mounting pet ownership propelled market demand across the globe, and is speculated to fuel industry expansion through the coming years.

For extensive analysis, the cat food and snacks market has been segmented on the basis of form, application, and region. Based on form, the market has further been segregated into food and treats & mixers.

In 2020, the treats & mixers sub-segment accounted for around 8.3% share in the cat food and snacks market and is projected to exhibit sizable growth through 2027. Increasing popularity of treats made with premium ingredients, such as protein-rich freeze-dried products and puree-style tube products, is expected to boost segmental adoption through the forecast timeline.

Freeze dried treats are considered to be nutritious and concentrated protein snacks and require no starches or binders to hold their form, which allows these snacks to be 100% meat. Moreover, puree-style tube products fulfill cats’ dietary requirement for moisture, and are known to be an excellent mixer, which is anticipated to further support market demand across key markets.

From the perspective of distribution channel, the market has been divided into specialized pet food shops, supermarkets/hypermarkets, online, and others. The specialized pet food shops sub-segment is projected to showcase substantial growth at a CAGR of 3.6% during the forecast period.

Other distribution channels are expected to grow at a moderate pace during the forecast period owing to the emergence of novel channels for cat food and snacks sales across the globe.

In the regional landscape, the North America cat food and snacks market accounted for around 33.2% share in the cat food and snacks market revenue in 2020. North America is projected to see profitable growth over 2021-2027 owing to booming business scenarios in leading countries across the region.

In 2020, the Asia Pacific cat food and snacks industry held around 15.4% share in the overall market revenue and is estimated to grow at a sizable rate through 2027 driven by proliferating pet ownership in the region.

Latin America held over 3.9% share in the cat food and snacks market revenue in 2020 and is projected grow at a CAGR of 5.4% through the assessment period. The Middle East & Africa cat food and snacks market is also anticipated to showcase significant growth over the forecast period.