Chennai Among Top Five Indian Cities for Dog and Cat Care, Says Instamart Report
Chennai: Chennai has emerged as one of India’s leading cities for pet care, ranking among the top five cities for both dog and cat care, according to insights released by Instamart.
The report highlights a broader shift in India from traditional pet ownership to pet parenting, with spending on pet food, grooming, wellness products, and treats witnessing significant growth across the country.
According to the data, pet care orders on Instamart increased by 41% year-on-year, reflecting growing consumer spending on pet well-being. While Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi remain the largest pet care markets, Tier II and smaller cities recorded the fastest growth, with pet care orders rising 96% year-on-year.
Cat Food Leads Pet Care Demand
The report found that cat food now accounts for nearly 60% of total pet food demand on the platform, making it the dominant segment in India’s pet care market.
“Cat food” was also the most searched pet-related term on Instamart.
Mumbai ranked as India’s leading city for cat care, followed by Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata. Kolkata recorded the highest concentration of cat-related purchases, with more than 80% of combined cat and dog food orders attributed to cats.
In the dog care category, Bengaluru ranked first, followed by Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi.
The report also noted growing interest in other pets, with bird food orders increasing by 178% year-on-year and rabbit food demand rising by 130%.
Premium Nutrition and Grooming Gain Popularity
Pet grooming and premium nutrition products recorded strong growth during the period.
Searches for dog shampoo increased by nearly 600%, making it the fastest-growing pet-related search term on the platform.
Grain-free pet food registered 152% year-on-year growth, emerging as the fastest-growing pet nutrition category. Wet food accounted for nearly 45% of all pet food orders, while pet supplements and wellness products grew by 42%.
Bengaluru Leads in Pet Lifestyle Spending
Bengaluru recorded the highest spending on non-essential pet products, with nearly 66% of pet care expenditure going towards treats, toys, and premium products.
Gurgaon topped the platform’s Pet Treat Index, recording 37 treat orders for every 100 pet food orders.
Demand for pet treats also increased significantly. Searches for dog ice cream rose by 245%, while searches for leading protein-rich pet treat brands increased by 1,097%.
The report further revealed that one pet parent in Delhi spent ₹60,957 on pet care during a single year.
Tier II Cities Drive Growth
Pet care demand is expanding rapidly beyond metropolitan cities.
Among the fastest-growing markets, Guwahati recorded 1,473% growth in pet care orders, followed by Dibrugarh (796%), Meerut (677%), Madurai (591%), and Kottayam (577%).
Other emerging markets included Rajkot, Patna, Siliguri, and Tirupati. According to the report, all of the top 25 fastest-growing pet care cities in India recorded growth of more than 50% year-on-year.
The findings indicate increasing consumer interest in pet health, nutrition, grooming, and lifestyle products across both metropolitan and non-metro markets.
