How keeping pets is becoming easier in the city

When Nahian first decided to adopt a cat named ‘Jerry’, no one in his family agreed. Animals belong outside the house, why keep them indoors? Feeding them, taking them to the doctor, spending money on them—these things were still considered Western luxuries or simply unrealistic for many families in Bangladesh. Except for a handful of wealthy families, no one kept cats.

Nahian’s mother objected the most after Jerry was brought in. But surprisingly, she was the one who eventually started taking care of Jerry the most. But one day, Jerry went outside and never came back.

Nahian later adopted another cat named ‘Tuku’. Now his family has become so accustomed to having cats that cat food, vaccinations, visits to the vet, and installing nets on the windows for the cat’s safety—these have now become a part of their lives.

But cats don’t need all of these. According to Salek’s research, people are preferring cats because of their convenience in keeping them in small spaces.

However, the popularity of dogs has also increased, although not as fast as cats. Those who have enough space and can afford it are also raising dogs.

For example, in elite areas like Gulshan, where residents have large houses and high incomes, the Gulshan Society Lake Park authorities have created a designated area for pets. Registered members can walk their dogs in the park at specified times.

The cat food market in Bangladesh is currently worth about Tk 5 billion. Of this, Tk 4 billion is imported.

According to the Department of Animal Husbandry, about 32,156 tons of cat food were imported to Bangladesh in the 2024-25 fiscal year. Of this, the largest amount came from China (17,738 tons). Next are Thailand (7,418 tonnes) and Turkey (6,740 tonnes). Small quantities of food also came from France and India.

People’s awareness about vaccinations has also increased. Now conscious owners regularly administer vaccines like rabies and flu.

Sabrina said, “As a core vaccine or emergency prevention, rabies and flu vaccinations are somehow mandatory.”

She said, “The flu vaccine is basically a combination of five vaccines, which have to be given once or twice a year.”

A flu vaccine costs 800 to 1,500 taka and the rabies vaccine costs between 200 and 500 taka. They are available at low prices in government hospitals.

There has also been an increase in the trend of spaying or neutering cats. This is because cats become aggressive when they are in their reproductive cycle. Sabrina said, “This happens every month.” Not only does the behavior change, but a mother cat gives birth to 3-4 kittens at a time. Frequent pregnancies also compromise the health of the cat. ‘So, if you want to avoid this situation, getting your pet cat spayed or neutered is the best solution,’ says Sabrina.

‎A private clinic costs 1,000 to 3,000 taka to neuter a male cat and 1,500 to 4,000 taka to spay a female cat. This service is usually not provided in government hospitals, so private clinics are the only hope.

‎Another major reason to take a cat to the clinic is to administer deworming medication. Since worm infestation in cats is very common, this is a very important preventive treatment. It removes worms from the cat’s body and ensures proper nutrition, keeps it healthy and reduces the risk of worms spreading from cats to humans.

‎According to Sabrina, there has been a big change in people’s thinking. Instead of treating them only in case of illness or danger, they now see cat health as a regular responsibility. She said, “It is very positive that people now have a sufficient understanding of the care and maintenance of pets. They are taking care of cats as if they were their own children or family members.”

However, Sabrina warned about cat food, saying, “The ready-made cat food in the market is not very healthy, especially if the cat becomes completely dependent on it.”

Dry foods like peas in the market are very high in calories but have very little water content. As a result, feeding them for a long time can lead to obesity, constipation, and various urinary tract problems in cats.

Therefore, Sabrina advises, “Cats should be given ordinary homemade food, and packaged food from the market can be given occasionally.”