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The dog is no longer top of the pet world. He is now outnumbered in British homes by the cat. After years of steady growth, the dog population reached a peak of 7 million in 1993. Since then the popularity of dogs has declined and there has been a slow reduction in numbers. Meanwhile, the number of cats has crept up almost unnoticed. The reason is one of economics. A cat is a much more practical and less demanding pet for couples who are out at work all day.
The preposition “up” in “crept up” (line 6) is optional.