The Highest-Earning Celebrity Pets

The celebrity landscape for pets has undoubtedly changed with time. While some may think of Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, Bud, or Beethoven, animals in the acting industry don't quite make the same money as their Instafamous counterparts (just look at the amazing lives of Taylor Swift's cats and their sizeable online followings). With millions of fans, these pets can rake in big bucks.

To identify the highest-grossing earners, we looked at Instagram followings to pinpoint how much these pet influencers can make on a single sponsored post. As most famous pets expand past social media, other avenues of income will be touched on to get a more complete picture of the worth of these renowned canines and felines. All information, including current social media followers and engagement rates, was gathered in November 2024.

The estimated price ranges per Instagram post were identified using Influencer Marketing Hub's Instagram Money Calculator. Meanwhile, we determined engagement rates via Trend Hero's Instagram Engagement Rate Calculator. Amounts for sponsorships, appearances, endorsements, and merchandising are not often disclosed, so monetary gains in these categories are mentioned only as potential additional earnings. All amounts were calculated based on available information; Instagram does not pay a fixed rate to its users.

Nala Cat has reigned supreme as the top-earning Instagram pet and held a Guinness World Record for the feline with the most followers on the platform since 2020 (she had 4.5 million as of late 2024). Nala's owner, Varisiri Methachittiphan, better known online as "Pookie," brought the feline home when she was 5 months old. In an interview with Muchiecat, Methachittiphan shared, "Even though I never intended to adopt a cat that day, when I saw Nala, I couldn't resist her big blue eyes. Once I had Nala in my arms, she looked up at me and licked my face. I knew it was meant to be." A year and a half later, Methachittiphan created an Instagram account for Nala with the goal of sharing her feline friend with those close to her; however, Nala's popularity steadily rose until she had captured a global audience.

While Nala's estimated earnings per sponsored Instagram post are impressive, the beautiful kitty's worth goes beyond social media. She has her own cat food brand, Love Nala, which includes wet and dry food, supplements, and treats. The famous feline also inspired the book "Living Your Best Life According to Nala Cat," appeared in the 2018 film "Nine Lives" along with other cat celebrities like Lil Bub and Waffles, and won Tik Toker of the Year at the Shorty Awards with her following of over 200,000 people. All these accomplishments have led to Nala being valued at over $100 million. That is one rich kitty cat.

The golden retriever has a notable reputation as a family pet, and Tucker has become the poster child of that bond with over 3.9 million Instagram followers, 11.5 million TikTok followers, and 5.6 million YouTube subscribers. He rose to stardom pretty quickly, with the pup gaining 60,000 followers at only 6 months old. Adopted by Courtney and Mike Budzyn, the two went on to quit their jobs and focus full-time on managing Tucker's social media and other projects for the world's No.1 most followed doggo. Courtney spoke candidly about how much the famous pooch makes with The New York Post in 2023, "A YouTube-paid post can be anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000 for a 30-minute pre-roll. Instagram, we make about $20,000 for anywhere from three to eight stories."

Like many influential pets, Tucker has expanded to ventures beyond social media. Through Tucker & Todd, the adorable golden retriever sells plushies, calendars, clothes, leashes, and bandanas, among other pup-related items. Tucker has also entered the wellness industry with his CBD oil, Tucker's Gold. The entrepreneurial golden retriever looks to keep building his legacy and growing his empire with his son Todd, who is an integral part of the Budzyn household and plans. With Tucker at 6 and his son at 3 years of age, they have plenty of time to build their impressive following together.

Doug's rise to pop culture icon status can be tied to a singular event: In March 2015, his owner uploaded a video of the adorable pug on an outdoor adventure with a pug balloon as Harry Nilsson's "Best Friend" played in the background. The footage received over 20 million views on Facebook on day one and led to appearances on various TV shows, including "Good Morning America." Yet owner Leslie Mosier always knew she had something special with her little friend. She enjoyed dressing him up and showing off his unique personality from when she first adopted him, falling in love as most owners do with their pugs and pug-mixes. Now Doug the Pug is known worldwide, with 3.6 million Instagram followers, 5.6 million Facebook followers, and 6.1 million TikTok fans.

Doug the Pug has an edge over many of his fellow online pet celebrities as one of the few to step into voice acting. He provided the snorts and borks for Monchi in the 2021 Netflix Original animated film "The Mitchells vs. the Machines." While Doug has also tapped into merchandising, sponsorship, and his line of holistic products called Nonipup, the happy pug has also looked to inspire others. As the face of the Doug The Pug Foundation, he has brought awareness, smiles, and donations to kids with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Juniper has gotten a lot of help from her furry companions in building her online presence. Still, the "happiest fox" has become the face of the Juniper Wildlife Refuge, which gives a home to animals that cannot live in the wild. Jessika Coker adopted the red fox from family farm that specializes in ranched foxes that trace their ancestry back to the fur trade. Juniper, along with others like Jam Jar the skunk and Newt the raccoon, helped the Juniper Wildlife refuge Instagram page amass 3.3 million followers, with another 4 million fans on TikTok.

Juniper's rise has certainly been a journey, and Coker used the fox's surprise stardom to create a home for many animals that need help in the Juniper Wildlife Refuge. Other residents include a surprise friend in Fig, a fox that charmed followers as it bonded with Juniper, becoming her first fellow fox companion. While conservation and awareness are at the forefront of Juniper's image, she, along with a couple of her friends, also sells art and merchandise while helping to raise money for other charitable causes. Fans can also support the pals through an Amazon wishlist or Patreon.

Swaggy Wolfdog is a newer addition to the list of Instafamous pups, a feat he's accomplished by bringing an abundance of style to the red carpet and other events. The partying Husky and his owner, who stays anonymous and goes by "Swagrman" online, have managed to amass a large fanbase, with 3.1 million followers on Instagram and 7.4 million on TikTok. As part of his rise to fame, he has appeared countless times alongside celebrities, including a picture with Taylor Swift that brought him to the attention of many.

For Swaggy, it is all about bringing that drip wherever he goes, and showing that he has the cash to back up his bark. The dog even made headlines when, in September 2024, he lost a $100,000 diamond chain while appearing at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. The sunglasses-wearing canine serves as the face of his own cryptocurrency when he is not too busy rubbing shoulders with the biggest celebrities. Is Swaggy Wolfdog a publicity stunt or a means to push crypto? The debate rages on, but he is also an adorable Husky who puts the swag in Swaggy, earning him a fan following. Just remember to exercise caution when taking financial advice from a partying dog.

Adopted in 2009 by owners Christina and Chris, Venus' remarkable appearance stunned many online. Some have even claimed that the unique look is fake, but the former stray has been quick to clap back, saying, "In the salon where I get my pedicures done, Photoshop and spray paint aren't even allowed" (via Independent). Venus' two-toned appearance is certainly rare but not unheard of, with the cat either being a chimera (two sets of DNA resulting from the fusion of two embryos) or extremely lucky. Most don't deny the feline's fabulous looks, which has led to her amassing 2.2 million followers on Instagram and Tiktok.

Venus has followed in the footsteps of other pet celebrities, making special appearances and gaining sponsorships, including a deal with Chewy, an online pet food and supply store. However, unlike many other famous kitties on this list, Venus has yet to branch out into her own business ventures or merchandising. Christina, now the sole owner of Venus, has also started sharing the life of her many other pets, which include Roo, Diesel, Tater, Ginger, and Halo. A cryptocurrency uses the image of the split-colored kitty, but there doesn't appear to be a direct connection between Venus and this endeavor.

There is no way around it: Tuna is one of the most beloved, derpy dogs you will find online. With a charming smile punctuated by an overbite, recessed jaw, and "shrivelneck," the Chiweenie (Chihuahua x miniature Dachshund) saw a pretty quick rise to fame two years after Courtney Dasher adopted him thanks to Instagram featuring an image of the pup on its official page. Since then, the charming little pooch with a knack for taking hilarious photos in and out of costume has garnered a following on Instagram of 1.9 million people.

Tuna's presence remains primarily on Instagram, but the doggo has branched out into other ventures. Together with Dasher, the pup penned the book "Tuna Melts My Heart: The Underdog with the Overbite," which gives a behind-the-scenes look at Tuna's life while driving home that all pets deserve a loving home regardless of their appearance. On his official site, Tuna also sells plushies and an annual calendar (not available at the time of this writing), so you can take a piece of the charming little Chiweenie home yourself.

Loki the Wolfdog certainly lives a life many naturalists can admire, with much of the canine's social media showing him happily traveling with owner Kelly Lund and his brother, Raven. While the Husky, arctic wolf and Malamute mix certainly has that image of a wild-bred pup, Loki's adorable antics and tendency to misbehave have also made him an endearing persona online.

Lund spoke about Loki's independent nature and their unique bond in an interview with Backpackers.com, saying, "I receive love from Loki by watching him and listening closely as he explores and fills his nose and eyes with the world around him. I just need to give him the opportunity." Building on this sentiment of allowing Loki to explore, the wilderness-loving doggo has gained 1.8 million Instagram followers.

An active member of his community in Colorado through his work as an outdoor recreation coordinator, Lund has used Loki to help convey the importance of exploration and exercise. His career and Loki's wanderlust led to the wolfdog having a line of natural CBD products, gear, and merchandise on his official site to celebrate those who love to travel with their pets. Lund shared some of his journey with Loki, who he first met in 2012, in the book "Wild Together: My Adventures with Loki the Wolfdog."

An adventurous and energetic Bengal cat, Suki has built an audience through her various treks across the wilderness of Canada (where she is from), Europe, and South America with her owner, Martina Gutfreund. A well-trained kitty, Suki's love of exploration and expressive personality have earned her an impressive following, which includes her 1.7 million Instagram followers and just under 100K TikTok fans and YouTube subscribers. At 7 years of age, Suki's online presence is only likely to grow with more adventures.

Amidst their journeying, Suki and her human found the time to write a book called "Travels of Suki the Adventure Cat." Beyond this, the Bengal thrives on time in nature rather than merchandising. Her busy schedule also means that Suki has only had a few chances to meet with fans, with a rare appearance at the Edmonton Cat Fest in 2019 marking one of the few times she strutted her stuff in public.

Smudge's modest (at least comparably) 1.5 million Instagram followers is somewhat offset by his online fame, which puts him on par with (if not more popular than) the other cats on this list. Better known as "Table Cat," Smudge has been "yelled at" by Taylor Armstrong and Kyle Richards of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" countless times over the years, at least in meme form. In fact, the white domestic cat may be the most memed feline currently online. This single image also led to success on Facebook, with the cat having many dedicated meme pages and his official Facebook page amassing over 100k followers.

Owner Miranda Stillabower took Smudge in at a time when she was not actively looking for a new companion; however, she instantly fell for his charms when she met him. Stillabower spoke to Munchiecat about how the infamous photo came to be, "He freaks out if he doesn't have his own chair. So he'll hop onto someone else's before they sit down, or he'll meow at everyone throughout dinner. That's how Smudge found himself in front of a plate of salad." Growing his brand off of his famous photo, Smudge has plenty of merchandise available on his official site. The salad-despising puss also likes to give back to his community, with his Instagram page linking to donation requests for Furry Tales Rescue in his home province of Ontario.

Bunny is one smart sheepadoodle (sheepdog x poodle); her owner, Alexis Devine, says that she has taught her over one hundred words since bringing her home in 2019. While some online have been quick to challenge this claim, Bunny's followers adore the playful, clever pooch and the advice given by Devine, a professional dog trainer. Also helped by her sibling, Otter, the three have built a large online fanbase with 1.5 million Instagram followers, an 8.6 million TikTok followers, and over 330k YouTube subscribers.

Bunny's impressive work with the soundboard to express her wants and feelings has certainly inspired many to train their canine to speak. This focus has led to Bunny and Devine becoming spokespeople for FluentPet, including events held by the company behind soundboards for pets. You can see the range of FluentPet products on Amazon. The remarkable duo also came together to write the well-received book "I Am Bunny: How a 'Talking' Dog Taught Me Everything I Need to Know About Being Human."

Brodie is one big fluffy dood, with the 80-pound curly goldendoodle catching looks wherever he goes. His owner, the aptly-named Cliff Brush, has made his dog's luxurious locks a viral sensation when, during COVID, he took to sharing their lives to help entertain those stuck at home. Their online antics resulted in a healthy following on various platforms, with 1.4 million on Instagram, 6.9 million on TikTok, and 5.46 million on YouTube.

Brush initially tried to capitalize on Brodie's success with ideas like an official backpack or a dog park/bar. However, the pieces finally fell into place when the pair settled on the most apparent answer with such a giant mascot: dog hair products. Floof by Brodie aims to become the glorious golden doodle's bread and butter, selling various canine grooming items and supplies. Brodie still has his backpack, which he sells through Little Chonk, and the doggo is always happy to meet with his fans. Still, Brodie and his bro stay grounded, as Brush said in an interview with Tubefilter, "Our content is ever-evolving, and the underlying theme is we're best friends and I want to show that off."