Furkids outnumbered the children accompanying parents, highlighting the growing popularity of pets in Malaysia.

According to reports, Malaysians spend about US$500 (RM2,040) annually on pets. Cats are the most popular, making up almost 80% of pet ownership.

For Sumitha Shaanthini Kishna, “furparent” to two dogs and a cat, the statistics hit close to home. “When birth rates decline, pet ownership rises. I’m part of the trend,” the 51-year-old human rights lawyer said with a laugh.

With declining fertility rates and an ageing population, Sumitha and her partner, Kuganeson Poologasingam, 53, have chosen pets over children. They also care for her elderly aunt with dementia, making human children “too much”, she said.

Their dogs Casper and Bleu, and cat Kitty, are their children – and they have no plans to add a human version.

“I lost interest in having kids when I was in my 30s … I’m also not prepared for all that responsibility,” Sumitha added.

While this suggests that pets are replacing children, research paints a different picture. A Taiwan study, “Cats, Dogs and Babies: Quasi-Experimental Evidence on Substitutes or Complements”, found that pet-owning couples are more likely to have children later, with pets often serving as a “starter family”.

The study suggests that pets help couples test the duties of care, responsibility and sacrifice before raising children.

For Sharifah Adrinni and her fiancé Afieq Danial, the findings ring true: their five adopted cats are family members. They recently lost their six-year-old cat, Bresco, after intensive care, having used their wedding savings to pay for treatment.

“He was our first baby,” Sharifah said, eyes glistening. “He really meant the world to me.”

Afieq added: “They are family members, not an inconvenience.”

Sharifah said caring for their cats together has strengthened their relationship and taught them about commitment and shared responsibility.

Research further shows that pets reduce stress, boost feel-good hormones like oxytocin and serotonin, lower blood pressure, and ease anxiety and loneliness.

The Taiwan study also found that pets play an important role as emotional and social support for those transitioning to a new normal following major life changes, such as divorce or loss of a spouse or child.

Case in point: Sumitha adopted Kitty, her late father’s cat, after his passing in 2023. “She’s a link to my father,” she concluded.