Pet-care app Rover is adapting to a new reality: Many of its youngest users are cat people.
During the pandemic, many people adopted dogs, cats, and other pets. Those with jobs that allowed them to work from home often enjoyed the companionship and, without a commute, had more time to take the dog for a walk or break out a laser pointer for an energetic cat.
Now, though, Rover is seeing more requests for its gig-worker sitters to check on cats, CEO Brent Turner told Business Insider in an interview. The trend is particularly pronounced among Gen Z users, he said.
“Dog adoptions have been slower to recover, whereas cat adoptions have really gone fast,” Turner said.
For Gen Z workers, many of whom are just starting out in their careers, cats represent a lower barrier to pet ownership.
“The industry understanding is that they’re lower-maintenance, generally lower-cost, and easier to take care of,” Turner said.
Of all demographic groups, cat ownership grew the most among Gen Z — 18% — and millennial men — 24%— in 2024, according to a report published last year by the American Pet Products Association.
Many pet owners have displayed a willingness to spend money on their companions, whether it’s better-quality food or a new toy, even as they rein in spending in other areas, such as travel.
In January, Rover responded to that demand when it paid an undisclosed amount for Meowtel, an app that provides cat-sitting services with an emphasis on in-home visits — a strategy the company says appeals to cat owners, who are generally averse to boarding their pets.
The company also offers back-up pet care through a partnership with Bright Horizons, a company that has traditionally offered parents last-minute childcare. Turner said the partnership, which provides pet care as a workplace benefit, has gained traction as more people returned to the office.
Rover’s newest offering includes private training sessions for dogs. Turner said the move seeks to prevent dogs from being sent to shelters due to behavioral issues — something “we cannot abide,” he added.
It also gives Rover a chance to establish a relationship with pet owners when they first adopt a dog, he said.
“It gives us a chance to engage with pets early in their life cycle,” Turner said.
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