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Having a cat has changed my pre-vacation ritual drastically: There’s a pet-sitting schedule to be set up months in advance and a guidebook I’ve created that lists not just emergency contact numbers but also my cat’s favorite toys and food preferences – down to the gram.
Thanks to the internet, finding a cat sitter was relatively easy. I picked one a couple of years ago based on their profile and experience, and an in-person introduction later, we were good to go. The same person has been my go-to pet sitter ever since.
As more people opt to have furbabies instead of children, pet ownership is on the rise. It’s no surprise then that in the next five years, the pet tech sector in Asia Pacific is projected to grow faster than in North America and Europe.
Fun fact: In 2024, pet owners in Singapore spent on average US$195 a year on their pets, more than twice as much as their counterparts in Thailand and Malaysia did.
Products and services for pets are also increasingly mirroring that of the baby market – think premium food, daycare, and telehealth.
Dare I say, it’s the purr-fect time to get acquainted with pet tech?
— Melissa Goh, journalist at Tech in Asia
Top stories this week
Image credit: Timmy Loen
1. SEA’s pet tech firms have investors’ tails wagging
Thailand is the fastest-growing market in the region’s US$3.3 billion pet care industry.
2. How one minister is making Apple sweat in Indonesia
Power moves or policy tactics? Politics could be fueling the industry minister’s tough stance on Apple.
3. More loans, more growth? Indonesian banks think so
Indonesian banks anticipate a boost in lending performance this year amid fresh incentives from financial regulators.
4. Una Brands confronts slowing growth, even as tariff clouds loom
Una Brands says that what sets it apart is a “strong local China team,” which has “deep expertise” in managing supply chains.
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