The French love their little ones – and sometimes big – hairy beasts. As proof: the population of domestic animals continues to grow. PMore than 17 million dogs, cats and ferrets have been registered in the National Domestic Carnivore Identification File (I-CAD) since its creation, i.e. 1.91% more than a year earlier and 15.30% more than five years ago.
In 2022 alone, more than 1.7 million pet dogs, cats and ferrets were identified in France thanks to the I-CAD file, which depends on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty. Since 2017, identifications have increased by nearly 40%.
Less than one in two cats identified
This process, free and compulsory since 2012, makes it easier for owners to find their pet in the event of loss or theft. It is also “an effective response to establishing a policy for managing animals in the city, protecting against health risks and preserving biodiversity”, recalls the manager of the I-CAD. However, even today, less than one in two cats is identified in France.
If we stick to the I-CAD file, a quarter of the French population owns a cat or a dog. The inhabitants of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Centre-Val de Loire and Occitanie are those who declare the most, far ahead of the Ile-de-France residents. And in 2022, it is in the departments of Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Guadeloupe that the most animals have been identified.
That same year, among dogs, the French especially fell for the border collie (37,834 identifications), the Australian shepherd (36,376) and the chihuahua (36,241). But the Labrador remains the most represented dog in France, with a total of 461,689 identifications, followed by the Yorkshire terrier (448,352) and the jack russell (471,335).
As for cats, the European unsurprisingly remains largely in the lead, with 804,849 cats identified in 2022 and more than 6.6 million in total. Maine Coon and Persian complete the podium.
The eternal Nala and Simba
Tina, Tokyo, Tango… In 2022, the name of purebred dogs was to start with the letter “T”, which inevitably had an impact on the ranking of the most given names that year.
A tradition that is less respected by cat owners: last year, the names Simba, Tigger and Nala were acclaimed. Nothing very original, since they are among the most represented names among all the cats registered with the I-CAD.
Max and Roxy for dogs, Minette and Mimi for cats: among the most given names in France, some suit one animal better than another. But almost thirty years after the release of the animated film The Lion Kingthe names Nala and Simba continue to appeal to four-legged pet owners, whether they’re meowing or barking.
