With the onset of the summer season, the country has entered a period of continuous high temperatures. For many pets, besides their own summer-proof needs, it is important to keep the “cool kids” warm, safe and clean for the summer.
In the recent past, the market for pets has been warmed up, and pet ice pads, cold collars and pet fan products have performed well online. However, behind the hot market scenes, there is growing discussion of the usefulness of pet summer supplies, which is perceived by consumers as having a significant impact, but it is also argued that the actual impact of these products is less than expected, given the individual nature of the pets and their adaptability.
With the hot season coming in, a wide variety of “kid children-specific” summer supplies have attracted the attention of many lovers.
Online platform data show that the sale of pet products with key words such as “summer” “cool” and “summer” continues to increase. In the case of pet ice pads and pet cooling nests, the Kyoto list shows that on 9 July, the commodity heat in this category rose by 38 per cent and sales by 42 per cent. On the same day, the top three products on the Cat Cat List, the pet bed heats, were also in the cooling pet nest. Of these, a pet ice pad that sold only $7.99 has been at the top of the list for two weeks, with sales exceeding 10,000 in nearly seven days.
The pet air-conditioning fan is also well sold on the electrician platform. On the treasure-hunting platform, a pet fan called "spray and wet" was purchased by over 100 people within 48 hours. In addition to this, a variety of pets, such as the “Puppet Suncoat” “Puppet Ice Circle”, and so forth, have made a number of pets call the “Big Hole Open”.
On the online market, pets also sell good summer supplies. “A few cold-sensored pets have been in the shop before, and they've been sold out these past two days and are waiting for supplies.” During a field visit by journalists to a large chain of pet stores in Beijing, the shop staff said that “there are still a few ice pads in the shop, which have been bought by many people recently, which look good and which offer gifts to their own cats and dogs or to other pet owners”.
A pet ice pad sold at a pet store in Beijing.
In addition to professional pet stores, there is also a combination of non-printed retail outlets, such as Sam, with summer-proof items such as a pet cooler. Journalists observed that a cooling pet nest without a print mentioned in the product presentation that the commodity uses instant contact cold fabric, which can cool and sleep quickly, that support around it can reduce the pressure of the pet ' s spine, and that it is not easy to fall off the top of the cat ' s sandbath with a smooth design.
A new cold-sensored pet house was launched this year without a print.
The price tag shows that this cold-sensored pet house without a print is worth $198. In the view of some consumers, this price is not cheap, but there are still people willing to pay for it. "It's more expensive than my sheets, but I can't stand it." On social platforms, there are pet owners who evaluate the product as such.
Individual differences in actual needs
In the evaluation area of hot pets such as pet ice pads and pet fans, many of the pet owners have left a positive opinion on these commodities.
"The nest is cold and cold, and the dog sleeps once." "The two cats in the house love it, they climb up as soon as they get back, and they don't worry about the heat." Some consumers wrote in a comment section about a pet on the poaching platform that is resistant to biting a tart.
However, some pet owners also find that when similar commodities are purchased, “pure children” do not demand them as they expected.
"I bought my cat a little icing pad for pets, but when I got it back it didn't work." Beijing’s working man, Dandan (alias), told reporters that he was worried about the summer heat when he was still looking after new ones, but only after a long time had he discovered that his own cat seemed colder in winter than in summer.
"Maybe because my Siamese cat is of Thai origin, afraid of cold and not hot." “It's not interested in the ice pad I bought, it's more like hiding under the bed or under the cupboard when it's hot.
Mr. Chen, the owner of Hangzhou's pets, also told journalists that he had purchased an “automated cooling cathouse” on the Internet, at a cost of over 300, but had ended up in a setup.
“My cat would rather lie on the balcony tile than go into this house. And the product's promotion refers to `fast-cold' effects, which actually need to be in the air-conditioning room to be effective, and not long-lasting cooling.” Mr. Chen was somewhat helpless to mention this shopping experience.
Ms. Sue, who raised the firewood dog, also mentioned that she had bought a special pet table for the dog, but that, according to her, the dog rarely fell on it or preferred to lie directly on the floor. However, she had purchased a bottle for the dog, "In the summer, the dog needs to drink in time, and when we walk the dog, we fill it up with water at any time. It's still practical." Ms. Sue.
“Sometimes, some pets are actually `people think pets are needed', not pets themselves.” In Beijing, the head of a dog curry stated to the press, “However, just as humans have different consumption needs, the demand for these products will be `frowned on'.”
In addition, journalists note that the keyword “pets” is becoming a “sale code” for some businesses. In the case of one of the above-mentioned “pets use air-conditioning fans”, why the products of the newsshops are designed for pets and how special they are compared to other fans, it is suggested that the air-conditioning fan is relatively small and suitable for winding pets on the ground. In practice, however, there is no difference of substance from common domestic air-conditioning fans.
According to China's White Paper on the pet industry 2025 (Consumer Report), published by the Large Data Platform for the pet industry, the number of our urban pet dogs and cats continued to grow in 2024, reaching 120 million, an increase of 2.1 per cent over 2023. In 2024, the urban pet (cat) consumer market grew by 7.5 per cent to $30.2 billion. It is also expected that by 2027, the size of the pet market industry in our country will exceed $400 billion.
In addition, the China Petty Industry Market Report 2025 mentions that pets are gradually changing from the role of “functional partners” to that of “family members” and that this shift has led to the pet consumer industry being exposed to multiple industrial chains with “emotional values” at their core.
However, this trend has also led to some of the pets currently on the market being wrongly designed to be human beings. – Some businesses may be more focused on satisfying the host's emotional projection, with insufficient consideration given to the physiological characteristics and actual needs of the pet. In addition to the use of products such as pet ice pads, which are divided by feedback, the above-mentioned head of the dog curry also submits that some pets may choose clothing and shoes blindly for pet dogs in the summer and may not be conducive to the normal life of the pet dog if they look at beauty and ignore the properties of security, comfort, ventilation, flexibility, etc.
A doctor at a pet hospital in the Haidian district of Beijing informed journalists that the number of cases of pets in the recent hospital was not exaggerated. “Summer protection for pets is indeed more important, and for pet dogs and pet cats, the owner can be careful to avoid walking dogs in hot hours, with regular ventilation and timely water recharge. In addition, air conditioners are now available in most of the homes, and if the pets are found to be hot, proper air conditioning can also meet their summer requirements.”
In addition, the doctor reminds pet providers to seek help from pet stores or professionals before choosing to purchase pets, if they are not certain that the product is suitable for their own pets.
“A commodity such as a pet summer item does not necessarily apply to all the pets and requires the master to make a specific determination of the pet's own circumstances. In the event of a negative reaction by a pet after the use of certain items, the owner shall cease to use it in a timely manner and consult a professional pet physician.” The physician warns.