The question many have asked has finally been answered: Switzerland is a nation of cat people, not dog lovers! According to data from Statista, there is a clear preference for cats across all Swiss cantons, with dogs actually coming in as the third most popular pet!

Fish come in second place in Switzerland

Interestingly, two natural adversaries are pitted against each other for the top spot, cats and fish - but there’s one clear winner! The data shows that in Switzerland today, there are 1.853.000 cats in people's homes (and hearts!), with fish trailing behind in second place with just 848.000. 

Since Switzerland is a nation of apartments, it makes sense that smaller pets that need less space to roam such as cats and fish are popular with homeowners. In third place comes dogs, with the country having around 544.000 happy hounds living within its borders. 

Reptiles are hot on the heels (or tails!) of dogs

The fourth most popular pet belongs to that quirky friend everyone has who loves snakes, lizards and everything in between - as long as it’s scaly! Switzerland is now home to 413.000 reptiles, just a fraction less than the number of dogs, showing how popular the animals have become. 

Birds are also popular as pets in Switzerland, but nowhere near as popular as cats. There are 300.000 birds kept as pets across the country, each with its own cute characteristics. 

Switzerland is an incredibly pet-friendly country with a love for cute little animals, but it comes at a cost - all of these animals need to be fed. According to the Watson newspaper, 2022 saw Switzerland’s pets gobble up 170.000 tons of food - roughly 17 times the weight of the Eiffel Tower!