[Survey on Households Living with Pets] Top Housing Concern for Dog and Cat Owners is 'Slippery Floors', About Half Interested in Pet-Friendly Building Materials and Housing Items

Pet Lifestyle Co., Ltd. (https://pet-lifestyle.co.jp/), which publishes the pet lifestyle media 'AMILIE Magazine', regularly conducts reader surveys to understand the housing environment needs and consumption patterns of owners living with dogs and cats.

In this Vol.12 survey (conducted from March to June 2026), data was collected on housing concerns, monthly pet expenses, interest in building materials and items, and appliance needs, providing important insights for construction companies, house manufacturers, building material manufacturers, and pet product manufacturers involved in the pet-friendly housing market.

This press release focuses on data particularly beneficial for companies in the housing, building materials, and pet product industries.

The survey was conducted using reader information gathered from approximately 12,000 veterinary hospitals and pet salons nationwide where the latest issue of AMILIE Magazine is distributed and available for viewing.

■ Survey Overview

Item
Details

Survey Name
AMILIE Magazine Vol.12 (Published end of March 2026) Reader Survey

Survey Method
Survey form within the magazine

Survey Target
AMILIE Magazine readers (dog and cat owners)

Survey Period
March to June 2026

Conducting Body
Pet Lifestyle Co., Ltd.

Basic Attributes of Respondents
・Housing Type: Owned detached house 68.6%, Rental apartment 17.5%, Owned condominium 10.0%
・Family Composition: Couple only 34.0%, Couple with children 30.4%, Living alone 12.0%
・Pet Ownership: Dog owners 77.7%, Cat owners 46.9%

[Survey Result 1] Ranking of Housing Concerns for Dog and Cat Owners, 1st Place is 'Slippery Floors'

When asked about concerns and challenges in the living environment when living with pets (multiple choices allowed), 'Measures against slippery floors' ranked first at 40.6%. This was followed by 'Living environment for senior pets' (30.8%) and 'Odor control measures' (29.9%).

[Concerns and Challenges in Living Environment When Living with Pets]

Three major categories of challenges:
・Living environment issues (floors, senior care) = Top priority
・Comfort environment (odor, utility costs) = Secondary issues
・Balancing with aesthetics (design) = Important accompanying condition

Furthermore, the feature article 'Flooring Special Feature for Dogs and Cats' ranked 2nd (46.0%) in reader popularity, reflecting the high interest in flooring and floor coatings.

[Senior Care Needs Expected to Expand Further]

The 2nd place concern, 'Living environment for senior pets' (30.8%), is expected to become an even more important issue in the future. The average lifespan of dogs and cats is about one-fifth that of humans. As pet aging progresses more rapidly than human society, the need for living environment improvements for senior pets, such as barrier-free designs and flooring that reduces joint strain, is expected to increase.

[Utility Cost Reduction in Extreme Heat, an Issue Directly Linked to Living Environment]

The 6th place concern, 'Utility cost reduction' (24.0%), is also a significant need. With increasingly severe heatwaves year after year, pet owners who need to maintain appropriate room temperatures even when away from home are showing growing interest in building materials with high insulation performance and energy-saving equipment. Balancing utility cost reduction with a comfortable living environment could be a major differentiator for construction companies and house manufacturers.

[Insights for the Industry]

While floor slipperiness countermeasures are the most common issue faced by pet owners, 'senior care' and 'utility cost reduction' represent future growth markets. Proposing solutions that anticipate future demand expansion, including not only flooring-related products like flooring, cushioned floors, and coating materials but also barrier-free renovations and high-insulation building materials, can lead to acquiring new clients.

Furthermore, as indicated by the need for 'items that also offer design appeal (27.9%)', harmony with interior design, in addition to functionality, is an important purchasing criterion.

[Survey Result 2] Interest in Pet-Friendly Building Materials and Items Increases, About 30% Become Aware of New Building Materials

When asked about the benefits gained from reading AMILIE Magazine (multiple choices allowed), 'I was able to learn about products and items' was the most common response at 47.4%. 'I learned about the existence of building materials and items' also accounted for 30.2%, indicating that the media significantly contributes to building awareness of building materials and items.

[Benefits Gained from Reading AMILIE Magazine]

Particularly noteworthy is the combination of 'I became interested in flooring' (35.1%) and 'I learned about the existence of building materials and items' (30.2%). This shows that the magazine's feature content is bringing latent demand in the flooring and building materials categories to the surface.

In the ranking of the most popular and highly evaluated features by readers, 'Flooring Special Feature for Dogs and Cats' (46.0%, 2nd place) and '20 Useful Items for Dog and Cat Lovers' (36.2%, 4th place) ranked high, confirming the strong demand for information on building materials and items.

[Insights for the Industry]

AMILIE readers have a purchasing process where they learn about building materials and products through specialized media and then consider purchasing them. Advertisements and sponsored articles linked to features are expected to have high awareness effects, and categories such as 'flooring materials', 'odor control building materials', and 'storage systems' are particularly easy genres to generate leads.

■Survey Result 3 | Interest in Pet-Related Appliances and Goods – Air Purifiers Dominate, Home Alone Care Needs Also High

When asked about interest in pet-related appliances and goods (multiple choices allowed), 'Air purifiers' topped the list at 47.6%. This highlights the high awareness of measures against pet-derived odors and allergens.

[Interest in Pet-Related Appliances and Goods]

The 2nd place item, 'Pet cameras' (37.9%), reflects the need to check on pets while away from home. Demand for smart home integration and monitoring functions is increasing, particularly among dual-income households.

[Insights for the Industry] The need for air purifiers is linked to the housing environment issue of 'odor control (29.9%)'. Approaches from a building equipment perspective, such as ventilation systems, building materials with deodorizing functions, and equipment with built-in air purification functions, are considered effective. There is room to enhance product value by combining these with IoT and smart home functions.

[Survey Result 4] Average Monthly Pet-Related Expenditure is 13,200 Yen, About 70% Spend Over 10,000 Yen Per Month

When asked about monthly expenses for pets, the most common response was '10,000 to 20,000 yen' (35.0%), followed by '5,000 to 10,000 yen' (32.7%).

[Interest in Pet-Related Appliances and Goods]

The average monthly expenditure is approximately 13,200 yen. About 68% spend over 10,000 yen per month, indicating a high willingness to invest in pet-related expenses. Additionally, 24.0% of readers cited 'utility cost reduction' as a challenge, suggesting a tendency to invest in necessary items while being cost-conscious.

[Insights for the Industry] The fact that about 70% of households spend over 10,000 yen per month on pets indicates the existence of a customer segment with high purchasing power in the housing, building materials, and pet product markets. The needs for 'utility cost reduction' and 'pet-friendly living environment' coexist, making it effective to promote building materials and equipment that combine energy-saving performance and functionality.

■Comment from the Person in Charge

This survey has once again clearly shown that pet owners' concerns about their homes are...