The numbers leave little room for debate: South Africans are far more likely to own a dog than a cat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GHS found that 21,0% of households owned dogs, compared with 6,4% that owned cats. Around 17,2% of households owned only dogs, while 3,8% owned both dogs and cats. Just 2,5% kept cats without a canine companion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Together, South African households were home to an estimated 7,5 million dogs and 2 million cats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For most, one paw-some companion is plenty<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While some households are home to energetic packs of dogs, most appear content with a single four-legged friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most dogs don’t have to compete for attention. More than half (56,0%) are the only dog in the household, while just over a quarter (27,1%) had two. Multi-pet households exist, but the five-dog household remains the exception rather than the rule. Only 3,4% of households had five dogs or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While some households clearly have room for a feline family member, most cat owners kept things simple. Around two-thirds of cat-owning households had just one cat, while one in five had two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which province is barking mad about dogs?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If there were a “Dog Lover’s Province” award, Northern Cape would take the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Northern Cape leads the country in dog ownership, with 34,7% of households owning a dog, followed closely by the Western Cape at 34,1% and the Eastern Cape at 31,8%. In contrast, dog ownership was less common in Limpopo (14,3%), Gauteng (15,9%) and Mpumalanga (16,1%). However, when looking at the average number of pets per household, of those households that owned a cat or dog, Gauteng and Northern Cape led with 1,8 cats per household, while KwaZulu-Natal led with 2,0 dogs per household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dogs were also more likely to be found outside the country\u2019s metropolitan areas. According to the survey, 7,48 million dogs were recorded, and 2,88 million (38,5%) were in metropolitan areas. Of those households that owned a cat or dog, Ekurhuleni led with 2,3 cats per household while Tshwane and Ekurhuleni led with 1,8 dogs per household. While 19,8% of urban households owned dogs, the figure was higher among rural households, at 23,9%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cat ownership showed a similar pattern, with 5,6% of urban households owning cats compared with 8,1% of rural households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, when looking at where pet-owning households are located, urban areas still account for the larger share. About 65,3% of households that owned dogs, and 61,2% of households that owned cats, were in urban areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having room to roam may be one factor associated with dog ownership. More than 81,2% of households that owned dogs lived in freestanding dwellings, and dog ownership was most common among households that owned their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dog ownership becomes more common as the household head gets older<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps it is due to having more time for long walks or simply appreciating loyal companionship; the figures show that dog ownership increased steadily with the age of the household head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Only 11% of households headed by those aged 15-34 years owned dogs. By age 75 years and older, that figure had climbed to 31,2%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cat ownership followed a similar trend, increasing from 2,9% to 10,2% across the same age groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bigger families, bigger packs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Households with children were also more likely to include a wagging tail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dog ownership increased from 18,1% among households without children to 25,5% among households with three or more children. Cat ownership also rose steadily, from 5,6% to 8,3%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether it’s children asking for “just one puppy” or families enjoying the companionship that pets bring, larger households were more likely to include four-legged family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Does household wealth make a difference?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The survey found that pet ownership was more common among wealthier households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among households in the highest Living Standards Measure (LSM 8\u201310), 41,8% owned dogs and 12,7% owned cats. This is well above the national averages of 21,0% and 6,4%, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same pattern emerged when households assessed their own financial wellbeing. Those who described themselves as wealthy or financially comfortable were considerably more likely to own dogs and cats than households that considered themselves less fortunate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Income quintiles told a similar story. Households in the wealthiest quintile were more than twice as likely to own dogs (33,9%) than those in the poorest quintile (12,9%), while cat ownership increased from 3,6% to 10,4% across the same groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More than man’s best friend<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n International Dog Day is about more than celebrating beloved pets. It also shines a spotlight on dog adoption, responsible ownership and the remarkable contribution that dogs make to society, from guiding people with disabilities and assisting police and military units to helping search-and-rescue teams save lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The General Household Survey (GHS) reminds us that dogs are woven into everyday life across South Africa. Whether they’re faithfully waiting at the gate, accompanying farmers in the fields, joining families on evening walks or happily chasing a ball in the backyard, millions of dogs have found a place in South African homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And while every pet owner might insist that their<\/em> pet is the best and cleverest, the data reveal one thing for certain: when South Africans choose a pet, they’re far more likely to choose a dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GHS collects information on a number of themes, including basic service delivery, access to health care, education, and agriculture, amongst others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more information, download the full tail-wag approved report here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Every neighbourhood has one. The family whose dog enthusiastically greets everyone walking past the gate. The retiree taking the same faithful companion for an early morning stroll, or the farm dog that’s always first to notice a visitor arriving. On International Dog Day (26 August), these everyday companions, or \u201cfur babies\u201d, take centre stage. While read more »<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.statssa.gov.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ownership-of-Dogs-or-Cats-by-Household_final-scaled.jpg\")
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