In Q3 2026, we analyzed 1,140 ChatGPT recommendations across five pet care categories to compile the EMARKETER AI Visibility Index. Our index tracks how often brands are mentioned, how they rank against competitors, and how those rankings have shifted since the previous month. This article will be updated quarterly to highlight our key takeaways for the pet care industry’s performance.

Overall AI Visibility Leaderboard: Q3 2026

Purina held the top spot in overall brand mentions in ChatGPT recommendations in June and July. The company dominated our US pet care leaderboard with a 61% brand mention rate in July—29 percentage points higher than No. 2 Hill’s Pet Nutrition at 32%.

The top three brands held steady month over month in the overall mention rate rankings. Purina, Hill’s, and Royal Canin all kept the same spots they had the previous month. The overall leaderboard was somewhat static in July, with six brands retaining their June rankings. However, Purina’s July brand mention rate climbed 7 percentage points from its June value of 54%, extending its lead over Hill’s.

Purina made a very strong showing at the product category level—especially for dog and cat food. It ranked among the top five brands in four of the five product categories we track—dog food, cat food, dog treats and chews, and cat litter. And Purina’s brand mention rates for dog food (84%) and cat food (95%) were the highest for any pet care product category.

The cat treat and cat litter categories each had at least two clear leaders competing for the top spot. For cat treats, No. 1 PureBites had just 3 percentage points over No. 2 Inaba. In cat litter, Dr. Elsey’s held a 6-percentage-point lead over World’s Best Cat Litter. And Greenies’ 50% brand mention rate for dog treats and chews was lower than any other first-ranked brand among all product categories.

Category AI Visibility Leaderboard: Dog Food

Key Movements

The top three dog food brands kept their brand mention leaderboard spots from the previous month. With an 84% mention rate in July, Purina held a comfortable lead over No. 2 Hill’s (68%) and No. 3 Royal Canin (65%). Purina’s rate increased by 4 percentage points month over month, while rates for Hill’s and Royal Canin were relatively steady.

Brand Mention Rate vs. Share of No. 1 Mentions

Purina and Hill’s both had above-average mention rates and share of No. 1 mentions in the dog food category. Purina had the highest brand mention rate (84%) by a substantial margin. Its share of No. 1 mentions was also comparatively high at 78%. Hill’s had a high brand mention rate (68%), but its No. 1 mention rate was significantly lower than Purina’s, at just 20%.

Source Citation Rate

Authorities dominated nonbrand citations for dog food, holding six of the top seven spots. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) held the top three positions. Publisher PetMD held the No. 4 spot with a 23% citation rate; it was the only other type of domain to break authorities’ stranglehold on the category.

FAQ: Pet Care

Which pet care brands were mentioned the most in AI-generated recommendations?

Purina was the most mentioned pet care brand in ChatGPT recommendations, with a 61% overall brand mention rate in July 2026. Purina also led the dog food category (84% mention rate) and the cat food category (95% mention rate). Other category leaders included Greenies for dog treats and chews, PureBites for cat treats, and Dr. Elsey’s for cat litter.

Why does ChatGPT recommend some pet care brands more than others?

ChatGPT recommendations reflect both brand visibility and the sources informing AI-generated answers. Brand-owned domains accounted for 56% of pet care citations in July, while authoritative sources captured 23% of citations. Category relevance also matters: JustFoodForDogs appeared in every recommendation for prompts about “fresh” dog food, demonstrating how a brand can build strong AI visibility around a specific product niche.

Which pet care categories are most competitive in AI-generated recommendations?

The cat treats category showed especially close competition among leading pet care brands in July, with PureBites, Inaba, and Greenies posting brand mention rates of 57%, 54%, and 51%, respectively. The cat litter category also had two clear leaders: Dr. Elsey’s and World’s Best Cat Litter. Dog food was more concentrated at the top, where Purina, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and Royal Canin retained the first three positions.

Why is AI visibility important for pet care brands?

AI visibility determines how often pet care brands appear—and how prominently they rank—when consumers use generative AI platforms for product recommendations. High visibility alone does not guarantee first placement: Royal Canin appeared in 65% of dog food recommendations but ranked first in only 1%. Tracking both brand mention rate and No. 1 mention rate helps brands benchmark competitive visibility and identify product niches where they can gain prominence.

What were the biggest AI visibility trends for pet care this quarter?

Pet care AI visibility in Q3 2026 was characterized by strong category leaders, rising brand and authority citations, and declining retailer and publisher citations. Purina continued to lead overall brand mentions in July, while brand-owned domains increased their citation share by 11 percentage points month over month. Authority citations also rose, but major retailers including Chewy, Petco, and Walmart lost citation share, highlighting how quickly the sources informing ChatGPT recommendations can shift.

FAQ: EMARKETER’s AI Visibility Index

How is the pet care AI Visibility Index measured?

EMARKETER’s AI Visibility Index is based on a structured analysis of ChatGPT recommendations in response to US-based interactions across five pet care categories: dog food, cat food, dog treats and chews, cat treats, and cat litter. Each interaction asks ChatGPT for product recommendations using standardized prompts (e.g., “most popular dog treats,” “dog food for sensitive stomachs”). Prompts vary by product type, product attribute, consumer need, target audience, and price tier to capture a representative range of real-world consumer questions for each category.

How does EMARKETER choose the prompts?

Prompts are built with EMARKETER analysts and researchers who cover each industry, then validated and prioritized using consumer search volume data. Prompts reflect the language consumers actually use.

What is “brand mention rate”?

Brand mention rate is the percentage of ChatGPT recommendations that mention a given brand.

What is “No. 1 mention rate”?

No. 1 mention rate is the number of ChatGPT recommendations that mention a given brand first as a percentage of all ChatGPT recommendations that mention the brand.

How can I improve my brand’s AI visibility?

Brands strengthen how often AI assistants recommend them by sharpening their generative engine optimization (GEO) strategy and building the trust signals AI models weigh. EMARKETER’s AI Visibility Index shows where a brand stands today and how that position moves month over month—the baseline for any optimization effort. To learn more about how the index can help your brand, including custom-scoped advisory insights, visit our AI Visibility Index hub.

What do EMARKETER PRO and PRO+ subscribers get?

EMARKETER PRO subscribers get in-depth quarterly reports featuring further category breakouts, data cuts, and analysis. PRO+ subscribers can access the AI Visibility Index’s complete data set, including monthly updates across every category cut, in the live dashboard.