India’s relationship with its pets is changing fast and becoming much more indulgent. From grain-free meals and gourmet treats to premium grooming kits and specialised nutrition, pet parents across the country are truly taking care of their fur babies. Instamart recorded a 41% growth in pet care orders, as shoppers move beyond the basics and start treating their pets’ wellness like their own. Searches for dog shampoo surged nearly 600%, grain-free pet food grew 152% year-on-year, and treats are outpacing every other category in the pet aisle.
While Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi remain the biggest pet care markets overall, the real headline is happening elsewhere: Tier II+ cities posted 96% year-on-year growth in pet care orders.
India Is Having a Cat Moment
Settling the dog vs cat-lover debate, data shows that cat food now makes up nearly 60% of all pet food demand on Instamart. Cat food is the single most-searched pet term on the platform.
On the feline front, Mumbai is crowned India’s cat capital, followed by Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata
Kolkata stands out as India’s most cat-dominated city, with more than 8 in 10 cat-and-dog food orders going to cats
Bengaluru is India’s most dog-loving city, followed by Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi
The real dark horse? Bird food, up 178% YoY, with rabbit food close behind at 130% growth
Beyond Food: Grooming Goes Mainstream
The pet food bowl is getting a glow-up, too, and so is the rest of the pet care basket. “Dog shampoo” is now Instamart’s fastest-growing pet search term.
Grain-free pet food grew 152% YoY, making it the fastest-growing nutrition segment on the platform
Wet food now accounts for nearly 45% of all pet food orders
Pet supplements and wellness products are up 42%, with premium nutrition showing no signs of slowing down
Bengaluru Has India’s Most Pampered Pets
Nearly 66% of all pet-care spending in the city goes toward treats, toys, and premium products, making it India’s undisputed pet-pampering capital, with Gurgaon, Noida, and Hyderabad close on its heels.
Gurgaon tops India’s Pet Treat Index, clocking 37 treat orders for every 100 food orders
Pet indulgence is going mainstream: Searches for treats, from dog biscuits and jerky to dog ice cream are climbing rapidly, with dog ice cream searches up 245% and top protein-rich pet treat brands surging 1,097%
Treat searches (think dog biscuits, jerky, and even dog ice cream) are climbing fast
India’s most dedicated pet parent (based in Delhi) spent ₹60,957 on pet care in a single year
From Guwahati to Tirupati, Pet Parenting Goes Mainstream
Pet care isn’t a metro-only story anymore. Tier II+ cities are growing 96% faster than metros, led by Guwahati (+1,473%), Dibrugarh (+796%), Meerut (+677%), Madurai (+591%), and Kottayam (+577%). Rajkot, Patna, Siliguri, and Tirupati are right behind them as the next wave of fast-growing pet care markets, and remarkably, every single one of the top 25 fastest-growing pet-care cities in India grew by more than 50% year-on-year.
All insights are derived from an analysis of Instamart orders placed between June 2025 and June 2026 across 130+ Indian cities. All metrics are indexed or relative; no absolute order volumes are disclosed.