1 in 4 pets sleep in their owner’s bed

Manuel Wenk

12/1/2026

Translation: Katherine Martin

Fifty per cent of households in Europe own pets. While Switzerland’s home to the highest number of cat owners, Italy’s more of a dog-loving nation. And in Germany, one in three dogs and one in three cats are allowed to sleep in their owner’s bed. That’s according to a representative survey commissioned by Galaxus.

Whether it’s the gentle purr of your cat making you forget your everyday stresses or the joy of your dog bounding towards you as you walk through the front door, pets provide emotional support, loyal companionship and often become fully fledged members of the family. Pet-pampering, however, varies from country to country. In Italy, people are more likely to give gifts to their four-legged friend than their brother-in-law. In Germany, many people allow their pets to sleep in their beds. Meanwhile, households in Switzerland own fewer pets than their European neighbours. For a representative survey commissioned by Galaxus, market research institute YouGov polled 5,125 people across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France and Italy about their pets and pet-rearing habits.

Europe’s biggest animal lovers live in Italy, with 40 per cent of respondents there reporting they owned a pet. An additional quarter of Italian respondents said they had several pets, with similar numbers reported in France and Austria. Respondents living in Switzerland keep the fewest pets. With 39 per cent stating they owned one or more pets, the country comes in last place in the European rankings. On average, more than half of respondents across all countries said they had at least one pet.

The survey results also reveal some gender-based differences. Although pet ownership is split fairly evenly between men and women in Italy, France and Austria, it’s a different story in Switzerland and Germany. In those countries, women are significantly more fond of cats, dogs, canaries, guinea pigs and the like.

Doesn’t Switzerland like dogs?

There are also clear cultural preferences for certain types of pets. Switzerland’s dominated by cat lovers – two thirds of pet owners have cats, while only a third have dogs. No other country has such a high cat ownership to dog ownership ratio. By contrast, in Germany and Italy, there’s an almost fifty-fifty split between dog and cat ownership.

Dogs and cats are by far the most popular pets in all the countries surveyed, with a minority of pet owners choosing to keep small animals such as hamsters, rabbits, birds or fish. While Switzerland leads the pack when it comes to small pet ownership, Germany has the highest number of pet birds.

1 in 4 people share a bed with their pet

There’s a surprisingly high level of agreement between European countries when it comes to sleeping arrangements. In each country, around half of pets sleep in their own basket or cage. Meanwhile, almost a third are allowed to spend the night on the sofa. Almost as many as that even get the green light to share their owner’s bed – a privilege most common in German bedrooms.

Famously, the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach. And when it comes to pets, it’s also through their toys. Many pet owners shower their furry friends with lavish gifts – in Italy, more than half of pets regularly get presents on special occasions. It’s also common to give pets Christmas presents. In Italy, one in four pets receive more gifts than a brother-in-law, parent or other close relatives. Switzerland’s four-legged friends are the exception here, often going empty-handed at Christmas or on their birthday.

Austria’s pet owners willing to spend more on their furry friends

Austria leads the way when it comes to monthly pet expenditure, with 30 per cent of the country’s pet owners spending between 50 and 99 euros per month on their four-legged friends. Meanwhile, 20 per cent of respondents based in Austria shell out between 100 and 199 euros a month on their pet. Pet owners in France are relatively frugal in comparison.

Whether we’re talking about cats, dogs, fish or hamsters, pets are an integral part of Europeans’ day-to-day lives. They’ve also secured a place in their owners’ hearts – and sometimes even their beds. Europe loves pets, with more than half of respondents in many of the countries surveyed reporting that they own one. Evidently, people are willing to invest a lot of time, love and a considerable amount of their income in their four-legged friends, reptiles and small animals.

Do you have any pets? If so, what kind? And if not, why not?

Manuel Wenk

Communications Manager

Manuel.Wenk@digitecgalaxus.ch

As a Multimedia Producer, preparing multimedia content and knowing about cutting-edge technology is my business. My main focus at digitec is producing videos. I can’t wait to try out new products such as cameras, drones or smartphones as soon as they’re launched. This is where being at the source comes in rather handy. When I’m not working, I’m probably skiing, biking or hiking – the mountains are my place to be. more

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