Feline clinical visits at U.S. veterinary practices grew 2.7 percent year over year in the third quarter of 2026, while canine clinical visits* fell 3.3 percent, according to Vetsource data reported in CATalyst Council Feline Veterinary Market Insights: Volume VII. Feline clinical visits grew in each of the last 12 quarters, and canine clinical visits fell in 11 of them.
“Cats are the one large segment of companion animal practice that has grown in every quarter for three years. With puppy visits down, growing feline care has become a strategic necessity for practices.” – Jon Ayers
*Clinical visits are defined as a patient receiving medical care, including both wellness and non-wellness visits.
Source: CATalyst Council, October 13, 2026. Link. Vetsource data show that feline visits rose to 24 percent of companion animal clinic visits in the third quarter of 2026, up from 21 percent in the third quarter of 2023.
Kitten visits have stayed above pre-Covid levels for six straight years, so practices are seeing a steady stream of new feline patients. The real question is how many of those kittens are still coming in as they age.” – Gina Fortunato
Also see: The Kitten in the Room: Turning Kitten Season into Lifelong Feline Care, AHD, September 1, 2026. Link.
“The kitten series may be the single most important relationship-building period in veterinary medicine with feline clients. For many of these cats, those early visits are one of our best opportunities to build a relationship that can support a lifetime of care.” – Kristin Wuhrman
Also see: CATalyst Council report, Animal Health News, October 14, 2026. Link. The findings highlight the growing importance of feline care to veterinary practices as declining puppy visits reshape the companion animal market.
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