Houzz surveyed more than 1,000 pet owners and found that nearly half (48%) prioritize pets in their decision-making process when upgrading their home. Considerations include pet-friendly products and materials (34%) and choosing design or functionality specific to their pet, such as incorporating space for an animal’s bed or feeding station (22%). More than three-quarters (77%) of those surveyed are in the midst of, are planning or recently completed a home renovation.
Read on for paws-itively enlightening insights revealed in the 2024 U.S. Houzz Pets & the Home Study.
Pets of All Stripes Are in the Houzz
Almost half of pet owners (44%) have a single pet, while more than a quarter (26%) have three or more animals in their home.
Dogs are the the most common pets (83%), followed by cats (33%), suggesting that some pet owners have both. Birds and fish are tied for third place at 3%. Other animals include reptiles, horses, goats and even aquatic snails.
Nearly all pet owners (96%) say their pets provide companionship, 75% say they reduce stress, and 56% say they encourage physical activity. Many cite “unconditional love” as a benefit of having their pet.
Many pet owners report that their pets are “purr-fect.” Nonetheless, pet owners’ top challenges include an overabundance of fur and hair (65%) and tracked-in dirt, mud or other outdoor elements (42%). Keeping pet-related items organized and out of the way is a struggle for more than a quarter of pet owners (28%). One pet owner is contending with a cat that can open interior doors!
Nearly three-quarters of pet owners (73%) report they’ve had to replace a household item in the last two years because of their pets. Carpets or rugs (35%) are the most frequently replaced items due to pet damage, followed by furniture (17%) and bedding (15%).
On respondent joked, “My dog told me she knows she is the reason we no longer have nice things.”
Nearly half of pet owners (48%) completed a home improvement project in the last two years, 14% are in the midst of one, and 15% are in the planning stages.
For those who recently completed a project, the most popular upgrade was flooring (51%). Outdoor landscaping and walls or baseboards (each 34%) were also common upgrades, as were doors or door frames (31%). Nearly 1 in 10 pet owners who recently remodeled (8%) added a built-in or designated pet area as part of their home upgrades.
Nearly half of those pet owners (48%) say their pet was an important factor when making home upgrades, including when making product and material choices (34%) or deciding on design and functionality (22%). Among pet owners who are in the midst of or planning a remodel, the percentage who say their pet is an important factor in their decision-making process is even higher, at nearly 65%.
“As pet ownership rates continue to increase, we’re seeing an impact on home renovation decisions,” says Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist. “Whether selecting pet-friendly materials or incorporating built-in feeding stations and cozy nooks, homeowners are designing spaces that prioritize the needs of all family members, including pets. This highlights the important role pets play in shaping how people invest in and customize their homes, often with the help of professionals.”
Feeding stations are top additions. Of the 8% of recent remodelers who added a built-in or designated pet area, 39% added a feeding station. And of that group, 41% added the station in the kitchen and 18% placed it in the laundry room.
Outdoor enclosures, such as catios, were the second-most-common addition (34%), and sleeping or relaxation areas were third (21%).
popular location (50%), followed by the primary bathroom (25%).
Grooming stations and play structures (each at 18%) were equally common upgrades.
One respondent said they added a “kitty cubbyhole.” “Got the idea from a photo on Houzz,” they wrote. “It looks fabulous!”
Pet Precautions Are Put in Place
More than half of pet owners (57%) who remodeled made special arrangements for their pets during the project, such as limiting the pets’ access within the home (43%) or temporarily moving their animal out of the home (6%).
Contractors on Houzz suggest creating a pet policy for homeowners and pros to follow during a project to ensure the safety of humans and their four-legged friends.
More than 4 in 5 pet owners (86%) who recently completed a renovation hired professional help. Nearly half of them (48%) hired a general contractor, 29% hired a building specialist (such as a plumber or electrician), and 25% hired a flooring specialist.
For 66% of those pet owners, the most important factor in deciding whom to hire was recommendations or references, while 43% prioritized pricing within their budget. A similar share (42%) said experience with the scope of projects similar to theirs was the deciding factor.
Over the past two years, nearly two-thirds of pet owners (64%) purchased a bed for their pet. Other purchases included a food or water dish or feeder (61%), a treat container (29%), a food subscription (26%) and a door gate or flap (23%).
Pampering pets doesn’t come cheap: The median annual spend on typical pet-related items (not including feeding, grooming and health care) was $175, and 2% of pet owners report spending more than $5,000.
More than 3 in 5 pet owners (63%) allow their pets in all areas of their home, and 60% allow their pets on the furniture. More than 1 in 10 pet owners (11%) say their animals aren’t allowed on the furniture — but some suspect that their pets break the rule when the owners aren’t home.
Even the bed is fair game: Pets are more likely to sleep with their owners than in their own bed or crate (47% versus 38%). That said, one reader did clarify that that while the dogs and cats share the owner’s bed, the chickens sleep in their coop and the fish and snails in their aquariums.
So who rules the house — pet owners or their pets? More than a quarter (27%) of the former think it’s themselves or their family, while 12% say their pet’s in charge. For 61% of pet owners, the answer is “a little of both.”