China’s pet economy is entering a new stage of growth as artificial intelligence (AI) transforms the way people care for their pets. According to the latest industry report, China’s urban pet dog and cat population exceeded 126 million in 2025, while the pet market reached 312.6 billion yuan (about US$46 billion).
Driven by younger consumers born in the 1990s and 2000s, demand is shifting toward smarter and more personalized pet care solutions. At the sixth ONE Pet Show, AI-powered products such as smart feeders, water dispensers, health-monitoring collars, and intelligent litter boxes attracted strong attention.
Many smart feeders now use facial recognition technology to identify individual pets, automatically dispensing customized meals while allowing owners to monitor feeding records remotely through mobile apps. AI-powered health devices can also track pets’ activity levels, sleep patterns, heart rates, and hydration, helping owners detect potential health issues at an early stage.
Leading Chinese pet technology companies are building integrated AI ecosystems that combine smart feeders, water dispensers, litter boxes, and health-monitoring platforms to provide comprehensive pet management solutions.
AI applications are also expanding beyond health management. New products such as AI-enabled pet phones, wearable cameras, and smart travel accessories allow owners to communicate with pets remotely and monitor their daily activities in real time.
Local governments are supporting the sector’s development. Zhejiang Province has introduced policies encouraging companies to develop intelligent pet products, including smart feeders, automated litter boxes, wearable devices, and AI-powered monitoring systems.
Despite rapid progress, industry experts note that AI adoption in the pet industry remains at an early stage. Most current applications focus on data collection and behavior recognition, while accurately interpreting pets’ emotions and making autonomous decisions remains a long-term goal.
Challenges such as high computing costs, fragmented industry data, limited application scenarios, and interoperability between devices still need to be addressed as China’s AI-powered pet economy continues to evolve.
