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Study reveals people spend a lot of money on their pets for the holidays.
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Survey Reveals Whether Cats Or Dogs Receive More Holiday Gifts

by Gillian Walters
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With the holidays around the corner, consumers across the United States are prepping their shopping lists. And to no animal lover's surprise, pets are a top concern for shoppers, a new poll conducted by SunTrust confirms. But what is a tad surprising? Holiday spending on pets is biased toward a specific type of furry friend, and the statistic might leave some pet owners shaking their head.

Last year was the first opportunity I had to buy holiday presents for my cats, and it was a pretty fun experience. That is until their interest wore off seconds after receiving the toys, with my little enchiladas preferring to sit in the empty boxes instead. I suppose cats and kids are similar in this way — there's just something so intoxicating about a cardboard cube, I guess.

Perhaps cats being hard to please explains why dog owners are 59% more likely to buy a gift for pet compared to 34% of cat owners. That being said, I'm surprised the difference is fairly high — cats deserve to be spoiled, too! What's more? As a cat owner myself, I can confidently say we don't give up, continuing to solider on in the face of ambivalence. So yes, I will get my tortie and calico presents again this year.

And in case you're wondering, pet owners spend an average of $137 on their pets for the holidays.

Speaking of presents, the most popular items are new treats and toys, ranking at 65% and 61%, respectively, followed by holiday clothing at 19%. Considering 99% of pets hate holiday clothing, this tracks.

Another fitting finding revolves around which generation spends the most on their pets. Younger pet owners are more likely to buy their pets a present this year, leading with Gen Z at 63%, followed by millennials with 57%. Gen X clocks in at 51%, while Boomers rank at 46%. Ok, boomer.

Of course, you're not a bad pet owner if you don't buy your pet a holiday gift, because I don't think they're keeping score. Scratch that — cats definitely have naughty lists.

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