India, Feb. 18 -- Most Indian pets are usually fed home-cooked food. While several pet food brands have tried to promote packaged food as an alternative, they have largely remained an alternative to home-cooked food. This has also shaped the growth of the pet food market in recent years.

However, while affordable, localised dog food has grown quickly, cat nutrition is still a smaller and more restricted category.

It's not that Indian cat parents are denying their feline overlords better food, but rather, as a country, we're more likely to welcome a tail-wagger into the family than a purring self-appointed CEO of the house.

As of 2024, India had an estimated 37 Mn pet dogs, compared to just 4 Mn cats. But the gap isn't only about number...