Best Credit Cards for Pet Owners
Updated September 24, 2024 at 12:37 pm
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Having a pet can be incredibly rewarding—and incredibly expensive. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates it costs $1,391 each year to own a dog and $1,149 to own a cat. And that’s not counting emergency expenses or non-routine medical costs.
Since you’re spending so much money on your furry friend, you might as well get something back for it. The best credit cards for pets and their expenses can provide above-average rewards or give you extra time to pay large vet bills without interest. Not sure where to start? Here are a few of the best credit cards for pet owners.
Our Methodology Understanding the value of cash back is simple, but valuing airline miles or points redeemable for travel requires digging a bit deeper. At Newsweek, we’ve developed a common language to talk about the value of points and miles: our valuations.
Our valuations translate points into dollars and cents in a way that reflects reality. They are based on actual data across a balance of accessible redemption options, not just the aspirational first and business class redemptions that require a PhD in miles and points to book. The upshot is that our valuations help you understand the actual value you can easily get from your miles and points.
Our Picks - Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®
- Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Discover it® Secured Credit Card
- Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
- Grow Credit Mastercard
- Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®
- Citi Double Cash® Card
- All Pet Credit Card
- TSC® VISA® Card
- Target Circle™️ Card
- Prime Visa
Vault’s Viewpoint on Credit Cards for Pet Owners
- Using a credit card for your pet’s everyday expenses can help you earn cash back.
- You can also use a credit card for pets to earn miles or points that you can redeem for travel purchases.
- If your credit isn’t the best, you may be able to leverage your pet’s expenses to help you build credit.
Best Credit Cards for Pets and Everyday Expenses
Some of your biggest pet expenses are probably quite ordinary. Food, treats and toys all add up after a while. The good news is that finding a card that rewards you for these purchases is easy. Cash back credit cards for pets offer a good rate at places you buy pet supplies, like grocery and retail stores.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.
Why We Chose It
With the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, you get cash back at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. online retail purchases. This can work well if you like to grab your dog’s food from a local U.S. supermarket but order their prescription medications from a site like Chewy. And if you’re eligible and have a large pet expense over $100 that qualifies, the American Express Plan It® option lets you break it up into equal monthly installment payments with a fixed fee (see rates and fees). Enrollment is not required.
| Rewards | -3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1% cash back) -3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1% cash back) -3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1% cash back) -1% cash back on other eligible purchases -The cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout |
| Top features | -Earn $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months of card membership -0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening (followed by a variable APR of 18.24% – 29.24%) |
Learn more or read our Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express review.
Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in Walmart stores for the first twelve months when you use your card with Walmart Pay
Why We Chose It
Do you like shopping online or at Walmart to get your pet’s supplies? If so, you’ll love the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®’s elevated cash back rates at Walmart.com and at Walmart stores. When it’s time to redeem your rewards, you can choose cash back, statement credit to cover a recent purchase (like a big vet bill), gift cards (from Walmart or other retailers) or statement credit for trips and travel purchases.
| Rewards | -5% cash back on Walmart.com purchases, including pickup & delivery -2% cash back in Walmart stores2% cash back at Walmart and Murphy USA fuel stations -2% cash back on restaurant and travel purchases -2% cash back on gift card purchases at Walmart -1% cash back everywhere else Mastercard is accepted |
| Top features | Earn 5% cash back in Walmart stores for the first twelve months when you use your card with Walmart Pay. |
Read our Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® review.
The Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® is no longer available to new applicants. All information about the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard has been collected independently by Newsweek Vault.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.
Why We Chose It
If you don’t buy all of your pet’s supplies at one store, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card might be a better option. This flat-rate card offers straightforward cash rewards on all purchases, meaning it works great for vet expenses, grooming and boarding as well. You can also take advantage of My Wells Fargo Deals, which are personalized cash back offers from rotating merchants.
| Rewards | Unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases |
| Top features | -0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (followed by variable APR of 19.74%, 24.74% or 29.74%) -Earn $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first three months |
Read our Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card review.
Best Credit Cards for Pets and Travel
Even if your pet isn’t a globetrotter, you can still earn travel rewards you can put toward your future journeys. There are plenty of travel credit cards for pet owners that let you earn miles or points you can cash in for flights, hotels or other travel perks. And if you choose to bring your pet along, these cards also help you earn more on travel purchases.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That’s 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.
Why We Chose It
Elevated cash back rates at drugstores make the Chase Freedom Unlimited® a good choice if your pet uses prescription medications. But you also earn elevated cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. You can even use your earned rewards for booking travel.
| Rewards | -5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel -5% cash back total on qualifying Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025) -3% cash back on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service) and drugstore purchases -1.5% cash back on all other purchases |
| Top features | 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening (19.74% – 28.49% variable APR after) |
Learn more or read our Chase Freedom Unlimited® review.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
Earn an online $200 cash rewards bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening.
Credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.
Why We Chose It
With the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card, you choose the category you earn the most cash back in—and travel is one of the options. And you can increase your cash back rate even more just for being a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member.
| Rewards | -3% cash back on a category of your choice -2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs -1% cash back on all other purchases -($2,500 quarterly spending cap on 3% and 2% category purchases, then 1% back) |
| Top features | -0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers made within 60 days of account opening (followed by a variable APR of 18.74% – 28.74%) -Earn $200 after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days |
Read our Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card review.
Why We Chose It
While the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card does have an annual fee, it also nets you high cash back rates on travel booked through Capital One Travel. You’ll also get an up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years when you charge the membership fee to your card, which could come in handy if you’re bringing your pet along on your flight.
| Rewards | -5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel -2X miles on all other purchases |
| Top features | -Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months of account opening -Two complimentary visits to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges (to use through December 31, 2024) -Travel transfer partners |
Learn more or read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.
Why We Chose It
Traveling with a pet doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice luxury. The Platinum Card® from American Express comes loaded with premium perks, including airport lounge access. Centurion Lounges are American Express’s signature lounges, and they’re generally pet-friendly, welcoming pets that remain in their closed carriers and with owners at all times.
| Rewards | -5X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, then 1X) -5X points on eligible prepaid hotels booked on American Express Travel -1X points on all other eligible purchases |
| Top features | -Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases with the card within the first six months of card membership -Extensive airport lounge access -Statement credits and merchant offers |
Learn more or read our The Platinum Card® from American Express review.
Best Credit Cards for Pets and Building Credit
Your credit score should not determine your ability to care for a pet. Still, if your credit isn’t where you’d like it to be, you might not always be able to afford your pet’s specialized training or prescription food. The following credit-building cards for pets can help you build your credit with responsible use the more you use them. Over time, using these cards may even help you qualify for cards with better perks and rewards.
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, automatically. There is no limit to how much Discover will match.
Credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.
Why We Chose It
You don’t need a credit score to apply for the Discover it® Secured Credit Card. You’ll fund the card with a $200 security deposit, and Discover automatically reviews your account after seven months to see if you qualify for an unsecured card to get your deposit back. As a bonus, you’ll get cash back on all purchases, which is doubled at the end of your first year.
| Rewards | -2% cash back on up to $1,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants each quarter (then 1% back) -1% cash back on all other purchases |
| Top features | -Rewards are matched after the first year through Discover’s Cashback Match™ program -Automatic credit line reviews -FICO Score access |
Read our Discover it® Secured Credit Card review.
Why We Chose It
Another secured option, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card provides more flexible security deposit options for those that qualify and lets you deposit more than your minimum before your account opens to receive a higher initial credit line. Capital One reviews your account for a higher credit line in as little as six months without having to deposit more money. Plus, with responsible card use and on-time payments, you could earn back your deposit and upgrade to an unsecured Capital One Platinum Credit Card. It also reports to all three major credit bureaus.
| Rewards | N/A |
| Top features | -Security deposit can be $49, $99 or $200 to get a minimum credit limit of $200 (based on eligibility) or opt for a higher credit limit of up to $1,000 with a commensurate deposit amount -Automatic account reviews |
Learn more or read our Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card review.
Grow Credit Mastercard
Why We Chose It
The Grow Credit Mastercard is a little different from a traditional credit card because you can only use it to pay for certain subscription services. But your pet’s favorite subscription service, Barkbox, is on the list. The free plan lets you spend up to $17 every month and reports your credit activity to all three major credit bureaus.
| Rewards | N/A |
| Top features | -No hard credit check -Reports to all 3 major credit bureaus |
Best Credit Cards for Pets and Paying Off Debt
It’s not uncommon for an emergency vet visit to cost thousands of dollars. Many people don’t have an emergency fund large enough to cover such expenses. In these cases, you might use a credit card to pay the bill, and then work toward paying it off each month. The catch is that you need a card with an introductory 0% APR offer or low interest rate to help avoid expensive interest charges. The following cards have terms that can make these big pet expenses more affordable.
Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®
Why We Chose It
Unlike a traditional credit card, the Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® works like an installment loan. Each month, your transactions are added up and rolled into a loan with a fixed rate and term. This gives you more time to pay and makes your interest charges more transparent and upfront.
| Rewards | 1.5% cash back |
| Top features | -Earn a $200 bonus after opening and funding a Rewards Checking Plus account and making 3 debit card transactions within 60 days -Earn up to 10% cash back on select purchases made through Upgrade Shopping portal |
Citi Double Cash® Card
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of your Citi Double Cash® card account opening.
Credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.
Why We Chose It
If your credit card took a hit due to an unexpected pet expense, the Citi Double Cash® Card provides a long APR intro period on balance transfers. This gives you more time to make payments without building up a mountain of interest. Like the name of the card suggests, you’ll also earn double cash back on all purchases.
| Rewards | Earn 1% when a purchase is made and another 1% when it’s paid off |
| Top features | -0% intro APR for 18 months for balance transfers completed within four months of account opening (followed by variable APR of 18.74% to 28.74%) -Earn $200 cash back when you spend $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of account opening |
Read our Citi Double Cash® Card review.
All Pet Credit Card
Why we chose it: You can only use the All Pet Credit Card at specific vets, boarders, clinics and other pet-specific providers that have decided to accept it. The nice part is that if you have a charge of $250 or more, you’ll have six months to pay it off with no interest.
| Rewards | N/A |
| Top features | -No Interest on purchases of $250 or more if paid in full within 6 months -Prequalify available |
Best Credit Cards for Pets From Specific Retailers
If you do most of your shopping for your pet at a specific store, then you may benefit from a retailer-branded credit card. You can use cards like these anywhere, but when you use them at the specified retailer, you often get additional perks. For example, many credit cards for pets from specific retailers offer increased cash back and free shipping for online orders.
TSC® VISA® Card
Why we chose it: Tractor Supply Co. is a great place to shop for more unique pets like rabbits or birds, and the TSC® VISA® Card gives you extra rewards for every in-store purchase. You’ll also get rewards for purchases at grocery stores and on veterinary services. There are even special financing options if you have a large enough purchase.
| Rewards | -5% back on eligible Tractor Supply purchases -3% back on eligible gas and grocery purchases and veterinary services -1% back on all other eligible purchases |
| Top features | Special financing options available |
Target Circle™ Card
Target Circle™ Credit & Debit: Get a coupon for $50 off one future qualifying purchase over $50 when you are approved for a debit or credit Target Circle™ Card in-store or at Target.com.
Why We Chose It
The 5% discount the Target Circle™️ Card provides is a huge perk, but free two-day shipping is even better if you need pet supplies fast. You’ll also get an additional 30 days for returns and exchanges, which can come in handy if your pet suddenly decides they don’t like the pet food you stocked up on.
| Rewards | -5% off at Target and Target.com -2% on dining and gas purchases -1% everywhere else |
| Top features | -Free 2-day shipping on eligible Target.com purchases -Additional 30 days for returns and exchanges at Target |
Prime Visa
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
Credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.
Why We Chose It
The Prime Visa nets you impressive rewards on every Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market purchase. Considering Amazon has everything you could ever need for your pet, this card is a no-brainer if you shop here often. Plus, you can redeem your points directly at Amazon.com during checkout to score a hefty discount (or an entirely free order).
| Rewards | -10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership -5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership -2% back at gas stations, restaurants and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare) -1% back on other purchases |
| Top features | -Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon account approval (exclusively for Prime Members) |
Read our Prime Visa review.
How to Choose the Best Credit Card for Your Pet’s Expenses
If you’re still unsure which card is right for you, consider the following points before making a decision.
- Consider where you shop. If you get the majority of your pet’s necessities at a grocery store, look for a card with elevated grocery store cash back. But if you mainly shop at a dedicated retailer, you might benefit from a store-branded card instead.
- Think about annual fees. Many cards charge annual fees. Sometimes, it can be worth it to pay them for added perks. But if you’re only going to use the credit card for pet expenses, you likely won’t get enough value from a card with an annual fee.
- Look at the interest rate. Even if you plan to pay off your card every month, you need to be prepared in case of large emergency vet expenses. Make sure any card you choose has an APR that won’t bankrupt you should you need to carry a balance for a couple of months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Open a Credit Card for My Dog?
As much as you may love your dog, because they’re not a person with a Social Security number, they can’t hold a credit card. But you can open a credit card in your name that you use specifically for their expenses.
What Are Some Finance Options When You Can’t Afford Costly Emergency Pet Care?
Other than opening a credit card, you might be able to work directly with the vet to figure out a payment plan. Many use services like VetBilling and Scratch Pay to coordinate financing. Fundraising options like GoFundMe and Waggle can help you collect donations for your pet. You might also look into low-cost clinics in your area run by veterinary colleges or local shelters.
What Credit Card Helps Animals?
One credit card that gives back to animals is the Best Friends® Credit Card. Each year, Credit One Bank donates 1% of your eligible purchases to the Best Friends Animal Society. In return, you receive 5% cash back rewards on your first $5,000 of eligible purchases each year, then 1%.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Newsweek Vault has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of select credit card products. Newsweek Vault and CardRatings may receive a commission from certain card issuers.
Editorial Disclosure: We may receive a commission from affiliate partner links included on our site. However, this does not impact our staffs’ opinions or assessments.
