Pets are awesome. We love them and they love us. Having pets is something that can fill our homes with joy and bring smiles to our faces. Kids love them, adults love them, grandparents love them, a qualified emergency vet cares for them, and the internet adores them. Pets are awesome, and we thought about compiling everything there is to know about the top pets here in the US. Which are the most popular pets around?
Dogs
Did this catch you off guard? No? Yeah, you can see this one coming a mile away. Dogs are definitely the most popular household animals Americans have as pets. When you review numbers from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), There were over 76 million household dogs in 2018. This means that, in that year, every household had about 1.5 dogs in them. Numbers are funny; that just means most households had either one or two dogs.
Dogs are usually easy to care for, highly social animals, great companions, and eat almost everything.
Here at Orange County Emergency Animal Hospital, the team treats several dogs year-round. You should definitely check out some of our other articles on taking proper care of dogs. Do you know which are some of the best dog breeds for Newport Beach weather? How about reading a bit of a quick guide on how to safely trim your dogs’ nails?
Another point where even the most popular pets need to educate their owners is proper dog nutrition. And if you just want to read some interesting facts, you can click here to learn more about the history of the pug.
Cats
No list would be complete without these little fur balls of love, affection, and a few indifferent stares. Cats are a close second to dogs and enjoy a close relationship with America as they were brought by English settlers to help control rodent problems on the east coast.
According to the AVMA study linked above, cats are the preferred pet for over a quarter of Americans who have pets. There are an estimated 58 million household cats in America who receive constant love because of their playfulness, internet popularity, and curiosity.
Cats can be even easier to care for than dogs, but you should still pay close attention to several details. There are simple concerns, such as how can cat sneezing be treated when it happens a lot to your cat.
Traveling with a cat is not an easy task either. Check out a compilation of tips we have for you on how to transport a cat by car for a long distance. And in case you cannot take them with you on a trip, you can check out what to do with your cat when you’re away for the weekend.
Fish
Fish sit comfortably in the third place of most common pets in the US. Many kids and adults love having a small aquarium in their homes that reflects some degree of calmness to everyone within.
We’ve seen them everywhere in media, and there’s no denying that fish are great pets who require their fair share of attention. You will have to clean their tank frequently, remember to feed them, and check what type of fish they are; after all, freshwater fish require different environmental conditions than saltwater ones.
These popular pets lighten up our rooms with colors and their gracious dances around a well-cared-for aquarium.
Hamsters
So yeah, these cute little rodents are some of America’s most popular pets. Their story from wild creatures to domesticated pets is quite interesting. It was almost a century since a zoologist first discovered them in Syria until the scientists were finally able to breed and domesticate the species.
Hamsters have enormous cheek pouches where they store food and are a preferred pet by families who want a cute pet for their children but don’t have all the space required by a larger pet, such as a dog. They are tailless, and velvet-furred, which make them perfect playing companions for growing kids.
Hamsters are very affordable pets and docile in temperament; however, they are not very long-lived, making them a cautionary tale for most parents and a hard lesson for young kids.
Get in Touch with Us
We will continue to update this article with more information on what are some of the most popular pets in the US and how you can properly care for them. In the meantime, you should consult with your pet’s veterinarian about what are the best ways to care for your pet.
If you ever have an emergency that requires specialized attention at a moment’s notice, you can trust our team to have your back and do everything it can to help your pet. Get in touch with us, call ahead, and we’ll do everything we can to help out.
See you around!
