Bird food, grain-free diets and pet wellness products recorded triple-digit growth rates, highlighting the expanding scope of India’s fast-evolving pet care market
Cat food accounted for nearly 60 per cent of all pet food demand on Instamart over the past year, as pet care orders on the quick-commerce platform rose 41 per cent year-on-year, reflecting a broader shift towards premium pet spending across India, according to Instamart report.
The strongest growth came from tier 2 and smaller cities, where pet care orders surged 96 per cent year-on-year between June 2025 and June 2026, according to an analysis of orders placed across more than 130 cities.
The data highlights changing consumer preferences in India’s pet care market, with spending extending beyond basic food requirements to specialised nutrition, treats, wellness products and grooming items.
Cats Gain Ground
Cat food emerged as the largest pet food category on the platform and was also the most searched pet-related term. Mumbai ranked as India’s largest cat food market, followed by Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata.
Kolkata recorded the highest concentration of cat food demand, with more than eight in 10 combined cat and dog food orders going towards cats. At the same time, Bengaluru remained the country’s largest market for dog food, ahead of Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi.
Demand for other pet categories also increased sharply. Bird food orders rose 178 per cent year-on-year, making it the fastest-growing category, while rabbit food demand grew 130 per cent during the same period.
Premiumisation Accelerates
Premium nutrition products registered some of the highest growth rates on the platform. Grain-free pet food sales increased 152 per cent year-on-year, making it the fastest-growing nutrition segment. Wet food accounted for nearly 45 per cent of all pet food orders. Pet supplements and wellness products recorded 42 per cent growth, indicating rising consumer interest in preventive care and specialised nutrition.
The grooming segment also witnessed strong momentum. Searches for dog shampoo jumped nearly 600 per cent year-on-year, making it the fastest-growing pet-care search term on the platform.
Treats continued to gain popularity, with searches for dog ice cream rising 245 per cent. Searches for leading protein-rich pet treat brands increased 1,097 per cent over the past year.
Smaller Cities Lead Expansion
Tier 2 and smaller cities outpaced metropolitan markets in growth. Guwahati led the country with a 1,473 per cent increase in pet care orders, followed by Dibrugarh at 796 per cent, Meerut at 677 per cent, Madurai at 591 per cent and Kottayam at 577 per cent.
Rajkot, Patna, Siliguri and Tirupati also featured among the fastest-growing pet care markets.
Among major urban centres, Bengaluru emerged as the city with the highest share of discretionary pet spending, with 66 per cent of purchases comprising treats, toys and premium products rather than essentials. Gurgaon topped the platform’s pet treat index, recording 37 treat orders for every 100 pet food orders.
The analysis also found that the highest annual spend on pet care came from a Delhi-based customer, who spent Rs 60,957 on pet-related purchases during the year.
The findings suggest that India’s pet care market is increasingly being driven by premium products and emerging cities, as consumers spend more on nutrition, grooming and wellness for their pets.
