The pet food market in Spain keeps growing, and with a new protagonist: the cat. According to data from ANFAAC (Spain’s National Association of Pet Food Manufacturers) published by Alimarket in March 2026, petfood generated €2,118 million in 2025, 6.1% more than the previous year.
In this article we review the market’s key figures, the trends behind them and what they mean for manufacturers, distributors and stores that want to sell more, especially online.
Petfood figures in Spain in 2025
These are the main figures reported by ANFAAC for 2025:
- Total revenue: €2,118 million, up 6.1%.
- Dog food: €1,139 million, up 1.1%.
- Cat food: €1,039 million, up 12.2%.
- Volume: 603,527 tonnes, 5.3% more than in 2024.
- Tonnes by species: dogs remain practically flat (+0.2%) while cats grow 14.4%.
There’s a caveat worth noting: the published dog and cat figures don’t add up exactly to the market total, so it’s better to focus on trends than on the last euro. And the trend is crystal clear: dogs and cats are getting ever closer in revenue, and all the meaningful growth comes from cats.
More registered pets than ever
Petfood growth rests on an ever-larger pet population. The first national census unifying regional registries, presented by Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda and reported by El Español, counts more than 15.1 million registered pets: about 7.56 million dogs and 5.61 million cats. The figure has grown 14.1% since 2021.
More animals, better fed, with owners willing to invest in their well-being: that’s the combination that explains why the sector holds up even when other consumer categories slow down.
The trends driving the market
1. Cats, the engine of growth
Urban households, smaller and with less time, are a great fit for cats. For brands, this means expanding ranges (wet food, treats, specific diets for indoor or neutered cats) and adapting communication: cat owners don’t buy the same way as dog owners.
2. Premiumization and food “like ours”
Owners treat their pets as family members and read the labels: natural ingredients, quality protein, grain-free recipes or fresh food. This opens room for specialist brands that know how to explain their product, something done far better in their own online store than on a store shelf.
3. Recurring purchases and the online channel
Pet food is a purchase that repeats at a predictable frequency. Whoever masters repeat purchases, with subscriptions and replenishment reminders, keeps the customer for years. Marketplaces and big chains know this, which is why they compete so hard here.
4. Animal health and well-being
Veterinary diets, supplements, hygiene and care products: the line between food and health is blurring. For animal health manufacturers and distributors, the challenge is to sell well both to owners and to the trade channel, with a B2B portal for clinics and stores.
What all this means for brands
A growing market doesn’t guarantee your brand will grow. These are the levers that, in our experience with clients in the sector such as Ownat, Kit Cat and VetNova, make the difference:
- Own your channel. An online store provides margin, customer data and a direct relationship. It’s the foundation for loyalty.
- Work on repeat purchases. Calculate when each customer’s product runs out and notify them in time. See how it works with our pet food bag duration calculator.
- Explain the product. Product pages with ingredients, benefits and portions, expert content and personalized recommendations with AI Agents.
- Connect all channels. Own store, marketplaces and trade channel with synced stock, prices and orders.
- Decide with data. Know which ranges, species and customers are growing so you invest where there’s a return.
Conclusion
Petfood in Spain exceeds €2.1 billion and keeps growing, driven by cats, premiumization and recurring purchases. The brands that will make the most of it are those that turn that growth into loyal customers: with their own channel, automated repeat purchases and a shopping experience that explains why their product is better.
If you have a brand or store in the sector and want to grow online, TRILOGI is a marketing and eCommerce agency for the pet sector. Let’s talk.
