Kimmon, a mixed-breed cat, recently scarfed one tablespoon of a salmon treat in 49.42 seconds to win a competitive eating contest for cats. It’s called “cat licking” in Thailand and is but one of many pet competitions there. Others include cats that look like cows, skateboarding dogs and orange-colored cats.
These are indicative of Thailand’s fast-growing pet industry, forecast to hit nearly $1.8 billion next year. Pet ownership is rising, the birth rate has declined and the population is aging. “Mommy” and “Daddy” are common terms for pet owners who spare nothing to buy the best for their babies.
Source: The New York Times, November 2, 2025. Link. “Ms. Chutiwan, 27, said she spent much more on clothes for her nine cats and dogs — all of them rescues — than herself. Dinogong wore a Victorian-styled hat and Milan, one of her dogs, donned a hot pink beret with a fluffy pink tutu.
I see them as my own babies and treat them as my flesh and blood.”
INSIGHTS: The U.S. fertility rate, or birth rate, is declining and spending on pets continues to rise. In addition to existing cat and dog exhibitions, will contests like these start taking place here? And, given existing national pet obesity challenges, does our industry need speed-eating contests for any species?
Photo: The New York Times