Cat Owner Segmentation

Cat Owner Segmentation Project

Sector: Consumer

Location: Norfolk

Website:https://www.naturesmenu.co.uk/

The Research Project

This market segmentation research was commissioned to help Natures Menu explore the cat owner landscape in more detail. The goal was to understand the profiles, behaviours, and motivations of cat owners who are purchasing natural and premium pet food. Mackman Research designed a layered approach that first explored existing beliefs within the organisation and then gathered quantitative data to validate, challenge or expand on those assumptions.

Feedback Results

Over two weeks, Mackman Research collected survey data from 500 cat owners across a wide range of demographics, ensuring representation from key consumer segments. Participants responded to a variety of question types, including multiple-choice and open-ended questions designed to reveal feeding habits, brand engagement, and perceptions of Nature’s Menu compared to competitors.

The segmentation analysis revealed a number of distinct personas with varying motivations and behaviours. Some aligned with expectations from internal stakeholders, while others challenged them, highlighting the complexity and diversity of the market. While some personas were well-defined, overlaps between segments suggested that cat owners may have both primary and secondary motivations when choosing pet food.

The survey achieved an equal gender split between male and female respondents, allowing Natures Menu to test the assumption that cat food purchasing is largely driven by women. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to transition into a second qualitative phase of research that would explore the emotional and behavioural aspects of the personas in more detail.

The Client

Natures Menu was established in 1981 in Norfolk, starting life as a small family business with a focus on natural pet food. They offer an extensive range of raw and natural pet foods for both cats and dogs, ensuring that their recipes are nutritionally balanced and locally sourced. Natures Menu has a wide range of employees, from a dedicated customer service team to registered veterinarians. Their welfare and quality standards comply with DEFRA approved micro-biological testing and raw material traceability. This means that pet owners can be sure that their cat or dog is eating only the best food available.

Brand Facts

• Natures Menu is a well-established cat and dog food manufacturer based in Snetterton, Norfolk, since 1981
• Natures Menu comprises several sub-brands, including Country Hunter and True Instinct, all of which have a high meat content
• In addition to their focus on quality ingredients and processes, their home delivery service is particularly popular among pet owners who feed their cats or dogs a raw diet
• Their team of veterinary experts ensure that Natures Menu’s raw and natural meals constitute a balanced and healthy diet

Research Aims & Objectives

Natures Menu wanted to conduct a market orientation study to identify customer profiles of cat owners who purchase premium and natural feeding. The research needed to deliver insights into feeding behaviours, purchasing channels, and brand engagement across different audience segments to inform strategic decisions for their cat food product ranges.

The Research Challenge

Market segmentation always pose a particular set of challenges. The client had existing assumptions about their market. We needed to test those beliefs whilst allowing space for new segments to shine through. Here we wanted to collect quantitative panel data that would allow for thematic divisions to be made. Yet panel data is not always 100% reliable. As a quantitative method, it would not reveal any in-depth emotion or motivation behind purchasing. To overcome this challenge, we designed a layered mixed methodological framework that would build on pre-conceived notions. That allowed us to ‘drill down’ on quantitative responses to provide tried and tested research outcomes.

Dr. Gemma Mackman, Research Director – Mackman Research

The Research Design & Methodology

The research began with a segmentation workshop involving team leaders and key organisational stakeholders. This generated initial persona concepts and informed the design of the panel questionnaire. In collaboration with Nature’s Menu, Mackman Research deployed a panel survey targeting cat owners who were the main household decision-makers for pet food. The survey needed to assess feeding preferences, motivations, purchasing behaviours, and awareness of Natures Menu in relation to other pet food brands.

Phase One included a segmentation workshop, a quantitative panel survey, and a trend analysis to explore both current market behaviours and future opportunities. The target audience—premium ‘pet parents’—was defined as largely female and ABC1 social grade. However, to test this assumption, the survey aimed for gender balance in its sample.

Phase One of the market orientation study comprised the following elements:

• A segmentation workshop conducted with key organisational stake holders and team leaders. This produced recommendations for quantitative panel questions.
• A quantitative questionnaire to collect both specific and open-ended panel data.
• A trends analysis to identify current market orientations and to investigate future movement opportunities for the pet food sector.
• A comprehensive report with an executive summary identifying clear lines of inquiry for Phase Two.

Research Outcomes

The panel survey generated a strong dataset that was visually presented in a detailed report, including verbatim responses that offered further context. Key trends emerged around what motivates cat owners to choose premium pet food, how they engage with the Natures Menu brand, and where the brand sits within the competitive landscape.

Personas were developed based on recurring themes in the data, providing Natures Menu with clear direction for targeting and messaging. However, the analysis also revealed overlaps between segments and highlighted the need for deeper exploration. These findings informed a set of recommendations for a follow-up qualitative research phase, where in-depth interviews would validate and expand on the personas established through the quantitative data.

The research gave Natures Menu a strong foundation for understanding its cat owner market and a roadmap for more targeted, data-led marketing strategies moving forward.