Rover.com®, the world’s largest online marketplace for pet care, released its 2023 Most Popular Dog and Cat Breeds Report. Rover’s fifth iteration of the report reveals America’s most popular dog and cat breeds, the top trending and rarest dog breeds in the country, and breaks out local trends in 10 U.S. cities. In conjunction, Rover surveyed 1,000 U.S. based pet parents to uncover insights around which factors impact decision-making when choosing a pet.
According to the report, non-designer mixed breeds are the most popular dog breed in America, followed by the Labrador Retriever, Goldendoodle, Golden Retriever, and German Shepherd. For cats, the Domestic Shorthair, American Shorthair, and Domestic Longhair are the most popular.
Breed is less important to pet parents with cats, as just one-third (30%) say breed was an important factor when considering which type of cat to bring home. Instead, cat parents indicate the color of their cat’s fur (48%) was more impactful.
Some other interesting questions asked of cat owners included:
Do you know your cat’s breed?
Just half (52%) of cat parents claim they know their cat’s breed.
If you had to pick, what is the most important factor when considering which type of cat breed (or color) to bring home?
When considering which type of cat to bring home, the top three most important factors for pet parents were family-friendly (23%), hypoallergenic (11%) and low maintenance (10%). 11% were hoping for a more hypoallergenic breed that doesn’t shed as much. 23% were looking for a family-friendly breed.
Which personality or behavioral trait do you value the most when choosing a cat?
According to pet parents, the most attractive cat personality or behavioral traits are:
Cuddly (30%)
Friendly or social (26%)
Calm or low-energy (10%)
Active or high-energy: 5%
Highly intelligent: 9%
Do you believe in superstitions and/or stereotypes regarding a cat’s color? (e.g. black cats are a bad omen, orange cats aren’t smart)
Yes: 18% of pet parents believe in superstitions, or stereotypes, regarding a cat’s color.
No: 82%
Which personality traits are you most likely to associate with orange/ginger cats?
The top three personality traits associated with orange, or ginger, cats are friendly (44%), Crazy (39%) and Ditzy (36%).
Which personality traits are you most likely to associate with black cats?
The top three personality traits associated with black cats are mischievous (36%), independent (34%) and smart (27%).
Which personality traits are you most likely to associate with white cats?
The top three personality traits associated with white cats are lazy (23%), temperamental (22%) and ditzy (20%).
Which personality traits are you most likely to associate with gray/blue cats?
The top three personality traits associated with gray, or blue, cats are loving (22%), lazy (20%) and smart (18%).
Which personality traits are you most likely to associate with Tortoiseshell cats?
The top three personality traits associated with tortoiseshell cats are temperamental (13%), ditzy (13%) and curious (12%).
How often do you post pictures of your cat on social media?
Over half (53%) of pet parents post photos of their cat on social media once a week or more.
To celebrate the ever-growing popularity of unique mixed breeds, pet-obsessed Rover experts curated a limited edition “Breed Reveal Party Kit” to help pet parents learn more about, and celebrate, their unique pets. The customizable build-your-own-kit, available on the Rover Store for a limited time, includes a DNA testing kit and options to mix and match including treats, toys and supplies.
To view the full report on popular dog breeds, please visit here. A similar report was conducted in Canada (dog and cat) , the U.K., France (dog and cat) and Spain. To view Rover’s annual report on America’s most popular cat breeds, please visit here.
The Catington Post is reader-supported. That means, if you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. All images and names which are not the property of The Catington Post are the property of their respective owners.About the Report
Rover data from June 2023 includes the top 12 most popular and top 4 rarest dog breeds across the U.S., the top 8 trending dog breeds–where breeds experienced the most growth in 2023–and the top 10 most common cat breeds in America. Rover also conducted a survey via Pollfish in July 2023 of 1,000 U.S. based pet parents.
About Rover:
Founded in 2011 and based in Seattle, Rover (NASDAQ: ROVR) is the world’s largest online marketplace for loving pet care. Rover connects pet parents with loving pet care providers who offer overnight services, including boarding and in-home pet sitting, as well as daytime services, including doggy daycare, dog walking, and drop-in visits. Millions of pet parents have booked a service on Rover across North America and Europe.
