CNN: Taiwan's Pet Cat Population Exceeds Pet Dogs for the First Time, East Asian 'Cat People' Faction Growing
CNN, citing a Taiwan government survey, reported that the number of pet cats in Taiwan surpassed pet dogs for the first time last year. The 'cat people' faction is growing across East Asia, attributed to urban living conditions and declining birth rates.
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- 📰 Published: May 10, 2026 at 20:25
- 🔍 Collected: May 10, 2026 at 20:31 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 10, 2026 at 20:34 (2 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Hong Kong, May 10, Comprehensive Foreign Report) "Are you a cat person or a dog person?" CNN, citing a Taiwan government survey, pointed out that the number of pet cats in Taiwan surpassed pet dogs for the first time last year, and not just in Taiwan, but more and more people in East Asia have joined the "cat people" faction in recent years.
CNN reported that, according to a government survey, the number of pet cats in Taiwan exceeded pet dogs for the first time in 2025, and the number of pet cats grew rapidly, from 1.3 million in 2023 to 1.7 million last year, an increase of nearly 33%.
A similar phenomenon occurred in China in 2021, and Japan might have pioneered this trend, with cats having surpassed dogs more than ten years ago. Even in places like South Korea and Hong Kong, where dogs are still more common, the popularity of cats is rising steadily.
These places share some commonalities: people live in small apartments in crowded cities, many live alone and are busy with work, unable to spare time to accompany dogs.
Ellen Chung, a Hong Kong resident, said in an interview with CNN at a cat cafe one afternoon: "It's more convenient to raise cats (in the city) because you need to walk dogs frequently, you might not have that much time, and some people are afraid of dogs."
She added: "I just think cats are cuter."
Birth rates are also declining in these places. Paul Wong, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong and a clinical psychologist specializing in animal-assisted therapy, said: "People nowadays choose not to have children, so raising pets is almost like raising children."
He added that the various challenges of urban life "might make people prefer raising cats over dogs." (Compiled by: Yang Chao-yen) 1150510
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(Central News Agency, Hong Kong, May 10, Comprehensive Foreign Report) "Are you a cat person or a dog person?" CNN, citing a Taiwan government survey, pointed out that the number of pet cats in Taiwan surpassed pet dogs for the first time last year, and not just in Taiwan, but more and more people in East Asia have joined the "cat people" faction in recent years.
CNN reported that, according to a government survey, the number of pet cats in Taiwan exceeded pet dogs for the first time in 2025, and the number of pet cats grew rapidly, from 1.3 million in 2023 to 1.7 million last year, an increase of nearly 33%.
A similar phenomenon occurred in China in 2021, and Japan might have pioneered this trend, with cats having surpassed dogs more than ten years ago. Even in places like South Korea and Hong Kong, where dogs are still more common, the popularity of cats is rising steadily.
These places share some commonalities: people live in small apartments in crowded cities, many live alone and are busy with work, unable to spare time to accompany dogs.
Ellen Chung, a Hong Kong resident, said in an interview with CNN at a cat cafe one afternoon: "It's more convenient to raise cats (in the city) because you need to walk dogs frequently, you might not have that much time, and some people are afraid of dogs."
She added: "I just think cats are cuter."
Birth rates are also declining in these places. Paul Wong, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong and a clinical psychologist specializing in animal-assisted therapy, said: "People nowadays choose not to have children, so raising pets is almost like raising children."
He added that the various challenges of urban life "might make people prefer raising cats over dogs." (Compiled by: Yang Chao-yen) 1150510
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.