Hi readers,
As the year closes, we’re taking a look at a handful of feline market signals we’re following into 2026.
Several sit at the intersection of feline health and commercial strategy: from recent regulatory approvals that are beginning to change what’s treatable in cats, to the knock-on effects this has for diagnostics, nutrition and long-term care models.
We’re also keeping an eye on the evolution of AI-powered feline monitoring tools, as well as how increasing focus on preventive health is shaping feline nutrition.
Many of these themes feed into work we’ll be expanding on in early 2026, including the upcoming Feline Business Monitor (Q1 2026), a new quarterly market intelligence report on the global feline economy.
Wishing you a great rest of 2025, and see you next year!
What we’re watching
Feline market signals that will shape 2026
As 2025 draws to a close, Feline Business Brief is keeping an eye on several major shifts in the cat economy. Here’s what stands out:
1. Chronic disease treatability is reshaping demand (rather than the other way around).
For decades, many common feline chronic health conditions were diagnosable, but not meaningfully treatable. This limitation affected demand for feline healthcare and led to relatively low use of diagnostics or follow-up as well as a general attitude of “cats get ill when they’re older.”
This is now changing. Recent approvals of effective feline chronic disease treatments are changing feline care. Examples include:
Zoetis’ Solensia (frunevetmab), the first FDA-approved monoclonal antibody (mAb) for osteoarthritis pain in cats; and Portela (relfovetmab);
Elanco’s Varenzin-CA1 (molidustat oral suspension), the first and only FDA conditionally approved oral medication for the treatment of non-regenerative anaemia in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD); and
TriviumVet’s Felycin-CA1, the first and only FDA conditionally approved once-weekly drug for the management of ventricular hypertrophy in cats with subclinical HCM).
Once treatment exists, diagnostics, monitoring and vet follow-ups typically follow.
2. The medicalisation of the feline lifespan is accelerating
Rather than “low-maintenance” animals who slowly decline, cats are now increasingly seen as ageing patients with chronic needs. This shift in thinking is reflected in the changing focus of R&D and regulatory approvals to pain management, metabolic disease, renal health and obesity-linked conditions.
Implications: Chronic care models, which have long been standard in dogs, are increasingly applied to cats. This shifts feline care from an episodic treatment model to a long-term care model.
3. Feline technology is advancing, but into closed ecosystems
The availability of AI-powered monitoring tools (e.g. smart feeders and litter boxes, wearable behaviour trackers) is expanding, especially in the North America and Asia-Pacific regions.
However, most platforms are developing as closed systems, characterised by:
Proprietary data;
Limited interoperability; and
Limited compatability or integration with veterinary software platforms.
Implications: Cats yield valuable longitudinal health data (e.g. weight, elimination patterns, activity and appetite) which are then unavailable to the veterinarian. While closed ecosystems make business sense, the ability to share long-term health data with clinicians is key to feline care.
4. Feline nutrition launches are increasingly based on veterinary recommendations
In several markets, cat food innovation is shifting away from simple lifestyle positioning. Brands are increasingly focusing on therapeutic, functional and “medically adjacent” nutrition (e.g. renal support, weight management, digestive health and senior formulations).
This reflects consumer behaviour: Cats are increasingly diagnosed with chronic conditions, yet cat parents remain cautious about over-medicalisation and high veterinary bills. Nutrition (particularly preventive nutrition) has become a middle ground.
Implications: For feline nutrition brands, formulation transparency and veterinary backing are becoming more important than flavour or format alone.
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Coming up: Feline Business Monitor
The Feline Business Monitor is a quarterly market-intelligence report designed for operators, investors and decision-makers who want a view of where the feline economy is heading.
The Q1 edition (out next month) focuses on four core questions:
Where is feline growth becoming structurally durable?
A global market snapshot identifies where cats are gaining revenue share, clinical attention and investment priority.How far has feline therapeutics really progressed?
An assessment of approvals, pipelines and mechanisms of action, distinguishing first-in-class advances from incremental extensions.What is happening in feline health technology?
An analysis of AI-enabled monitoring, smart devices and diagnostics, including the risks of closed ecosystems and limited interoperability.Which markets are stress-testing feline business models?
A regional spotlight examines how feline propositions perform under mature-market constraints, offering insight into resilience rather than hype.And lots more.
The Monitor is available from January 15. See the overview here.
Feline Business Brief provides market intelligence on the global feline economy. We analyse early signals, emerging risks and structural shifts across feline nutrition, health, therapeutics, diagnostics, technology and retail.