Increasingly pets are being viewed as members of the family, leading to growth in the sale of targeted products.

NORTH AMERICA–Toy sales in the pet care category surpassed the $1 billion in the U.S. in 2016, up from $851 million in 2011, reflecting a growing consumer appetite for the category.

The findings are part of Packaged Facts’ new report “Dog and Cat Toys: U.S. Pet Market Trends and Opportunities.”

The growth of the category is mirrored in the licensing industry where brands are increasingly finding success in the pet segment.

A score of brands have recently stepped into the pet aisle with merchandise spanning not only toys, but beds, leashes, bowls, pet carries and more. Brands that have expanded their presence category include: “Shaun the Sheep,” Dr. Seuss, The Secret Life of Pets, Star Wars, Ellen DeGeneres, WWE, Boo the World’s Cutest Dog and WWE, among others.

According to the report, dogs accounted for 75 percent of pet toy sales in 2016, with cats accounting for the remaining 25 percent.

According to Packaged Facts, the “pets as family” trend is playing a key role in the growth of the pet toy industry.

Packaged Facts also found that dog toys continue to see steady growth and are one of the faster growing segments within the pet toy category, an indicator that spending could continue to increase.

The percentage of households with either cats or dogs purchasing toys has stayed above 53 percent over the past six years; however, there has been a downward shift in the percentage of households buying toys that own only cats or only dogs. For households with both species, toy purchasing has increased from 57 percent in 2011 to 67 percent in 2016.