Do you know your pet's love language?

The way to your pet’s heart is not only through toys and treats — half of pet parents say physical touch is their furry friend’s love language.

A survey of 2,000 cat and dog owners found that between petting them (83%), giving them hugs (62%) and kisses (55%), respondents are speaking their pet’s love language.

The next most popular pet love language is quality time (27%), which includes letting their four-legged friend sleep in their bed (62%) and bringing their pet along when they can (40%).

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Nulo pet food, the survey also discovered that food still speaks to pets, and that their parents aim to provide them with high-quality meals (53%), prioritize their health and nutrition (47%) and add variety to their diet (32%).

Pet parents take showing affection seriously — an astounding 95% of pet owners believe that their pet knows how much they love them.

Almost two-thirds (62%) of pet owners believe that they share the same love language with their pet.

In return, pet parent respondents are on the receiving end of affection in the form of their pet following them around all day (65%), sleeping next to them in bed (58%), giving kisses (48%) and playing with either them or their toys (47%).

Almost half (47%) of pet owners believe that their pet views them as a best friend and 42% agree that they see their pet in the same way.

Others love their pet as if they were their own and see them as a child (38%), while 37% of respondents believe that their pet sees them as a parent.

In fact, this love runs so deep that seven in 10 (69%) of respondents would sacrifice their own diet to provide better quality food for their pet.

Currently, 87% believe that their pet is enthusiastic about their diet, and they’ve been feeding it to them for an average of three years.

But if respondents were in their pet’s shoes, about half (48%) believe they'd only be able to survive eating the same meal every day, multiple times a day for a maximum of three months.

“With 69% of respondents willing to put their pet’s dietary needs before their own, the data clearly shows just how important a role pets play in their people’s lives,” said Heather Acuff, Ph.D., Nulo's Director of Research & Development. “Not only are pet parents speaking their pet’s love language, they’re going above and beyond to provide optimum care and nutrition to ensure the healthiest and happiest lives for their pets. ”

When hunger strikes, it takes less than 10 minutes (9.5) of begging before pet parents give in and feed their pet.

When asked why they feed their pet the diet that they do, respondents believe that their pet enjoys it (50%), they know the ingredients are high quality (35%) and it’s within their budget (29%).

In evaluating whether or not it’s the right diet, respondents look for regular bowel movements (59%), if they sleep well (50%), how smooth or soft their coat is (50%) and their energy levels throughout the day (49%).

“Feeding your pet a high-quality diet is one of the biggest ways you can show them your love and appreciation,” said Acuff. “Pets don’t have the ability to voice their food and nutrition preferences, so it’s up to us as pet parents to do the homework and to ensure that the food we are providing is considerate of their dietary needs, is high quality and offers great taste and variety. There is no doubt that food is one of the most important investments we make in the quality of life for our pets.”

Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 cat and dog owners was commissioned by Nulo between September 22 and September 26, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).