China's Cat Market: Domestic Brands Capture 62% of Sales

Executive Summary

China's online cat consumer market reached CN¥ 46.75 billion (+6.9% YoY), outpacing the broader pet market's +1.5% growth rate as cats solidify their position as the dominant pet type^[1]. Domestic brands now account for 62% of top-100 cat staple food sales revenue, growing at +16.9% YoY -- approximately five times the imported brand growth rate. However, average prices fell -20.2% as volume-for-price strategies intensify competition. This analysis examines cat market dynamics, the domestic-versus-imported brand battle, and product form innovations driving the next wave of growth.

Cat Market Sales Surge but Prices Compress

The online cat consumer market reached CN¥ 46.75 billion in sales revenue over the past rolling year, posting +6.9% YoY growth while sales volume surged +33.9% to 720 million units^[1]. The store count declined -8.0% to 147,000 stores and the product count fell -11.1% to 1.65 million SKUs, painting a picture of market consolidation alongside topline expansion.

The -20.2% average price decline is the most strategically significant metric. With revenue growing +6.9% but volume growing +33.9%, the implied average price compression is severe. This volume-for-price dynamic reflects:

• Aggressive competition among domestic brands seeking market share
• Platform-driven low-price promotions on Tmall (天猫), JD.com (京东), and Douyin (抖音)
• Consumer willingness to trade down on staple categories

Baseline months have strengthened year-over-year -- May 2024 reached CN¥ 4.31 billion versus CN¥ 3.10 billion in May 2023, representing +38.9% growth in a non-promotional month, suggesting genuine demand expansion rather than promotional dependency.

Cat market reached CN¥ 46.75 billion (+6.9% YoY) with volume surging +33.9%, while average prices fell -20.2%

Category Breakdown: Staple Food and Supplements Lead

Cat staple food dominates all sub-categories with CN¥ 19.44 billion in sales revenue and +14.4% YoY growth, confirming its position as the cornerstone of the cat consumer market^[1]. Cat dietary supplements emerge as the fastest-growing sub-category at +16.1% YoY, reaching CN¥ 2.80 billion -- signaling a market inflection where preventive health products transition from niche to mainstream.

The mid-tier categories reveal diverse growth patterns: treats (CN¥ 6.31 billion, +11.7%), cat litter and toilet (CN¥ 6.39 billion, +4.2%), and feeding supplies (CN¥ 1.07 billion, +13.6%) all show positive growth. Notably, beauty and grooming (+12.6%) and feeding supplies (+13.6%) are growing faster than the overall cat market (+6.9%), reflecting premiumization in care and lifestyle categories.

Cat staple food dominates at CN¥ 19.4 billion (+14.4% YoY), while dietary supplements grow fastest at +16.1%

Domestic Brands Win on Value, Imported Brands Defend Premium

The cat staple food brand landscape is undergoing a structural shift. Domestic brands now represent 69 of the top 100 brands and account for 62% of top-100 sales revenue, growing at +16.9% YoY to CN¥ 11.08 billion^[1]. Imported brands hold the remaining 38% at CN¥ 6.75 billion, growing a more modest +3.8% YoY.

The pricing gap tells the story: domestic brands average CN¥ 99.6 (-13.4% YoY) versus CN¥ 248.1 (-3.1% YoY) for imported brands. Domestic prices sit 60% below imported, yet the quality gap has narrowed sufficiently to drive consumer switching. Key brand positions include:

• Royal Canin leads the overall market with 7.3% share, leveraging brand awareness and veterinary distribution
• NetEase Yanxuan (4.2%) and Myfoodie (4.1%) lead domestic brands, with Myfoodie gaining +0.8pp share
• Lanshi (+1.1pp share change) and Xianlang (+0.9pp) are the fastest-gaining domestic challengers
• Orijen (-1.0pp) and Acana (-0.7pp) show premium imported brands under competitive pressure

Domestic brands capture 62% of top-100 sales revenue with +16.9% YoY growth, 5x the imported brand growth rate

Sandwich Kibble: Product Form Innovation Drives Growth

Sandwich kibble has emerged as one of the most dynamic product format innovations in cat staple food, reaching CN¥ 130 million in sales (+19.6% YoY) with volume surging +83.6%^[1]. The format combines the convenience of traditional kibble with the palatability of fresh meat filling, addressing the common "picky eater" challenge.

The category average price declined sharply from CN¥ 126.2 to CN¥ 82.2 (-34.9% YoY), reflecting brands' strategic use of low-price trial products to drive category adoption. The competitive landscape is concentrated among five brands controlling approximately 70% of market share:

• Myfoodie leads at 24.4% share, though declining -7.1pp as competition intensifies
• Navarch gained +3.6pp share to reach 14.0%, growing +59.5% YoY through social media marketing
• Sheba surged +127.2% YoY to capture 4.6% share, the fastest-growing brand in the category

Sandwich kibble reached CN¥ 130 million (+19.6% YoY) with volume surging +83.6%, driven by aggressive pricing and small-portion trial products

Key Takeaways

• China's online cat market reached CN¥ 46.75 billion (+6.9% YoY), with volume surging +33.9% as average prices fell -20.2%
• Cat staple food leads all sub-categories at CN¥ 19.44 billion (+14.4% YoY), while dietary supplements grow fastest at +16.1%
• Domestic brands capture 62% of top-100 staple food revenue, growing +16.9% YoY -- 5x the imported brand growth rate
• Sandwich kibble reached CN¥ 130 million (+19.6% YoY) with social media mentions surging +513.9%, signaling product form innovation as a growth lever
• Store count declined -8.0% and SKU count fell -11.1%, confirming market consolidation is underway

## About the Data

This analysis draws on Moojing Market Intelligence (魔镜洞察) data covering Q3 2024.

Moojing tracks 400,000+ brands across 30+ e-commerce platforms,

representing 58-65% of China's online retail GMV. For full methodology

and additional insights, see the complete Pet Consumer Market whitepaper.