The price of pet food

**janelane** · 07-04-2008, 12:56 PM

We have four cats. They get a 5.5 oz can of wet food to share for lunch (two bowls of dry food available the rest of the time.) The two oldest are very picky and apparently brand loyal, they won't eat anything else but non-seafood Science Diet.

When we moved to this house two summers ago, I swear I remember the price per can being 69 cents, and it's just gone zooming, like everything else. Just a few weeks ago they were in the 80s. We go once a month, and it feels like it's gone up every trip. Today, I think it was 95 cents per can, or something near that. It was in the 90s, anyhow.

I've been noticing this for awhile, and finally looked around online last night. The best deal I found, even with shipping added in, they came to an average 85 cents per can, not a great savings, but still, a savings, and who knows how expensive it's going to get.

So I ended up buying six months worth. I didn't want to get *too* much, they do have an expiration date, but I think that's a good stockpile. We also went out and got two big bags of dry food, which will last them several months, and loaded up on snacks. I really wish I had thought to do this seven months ago.

Has your pet food gone up steeply as well?

**Starlight9803** · 07-04-2008, 02:50 PM

my pet food is becoming an increasingly large part of my budget as well. We don't buy anything super expensive, but not the cheapest generics either. We have 4 big outside dogs (DH's dogs), 1 medium indoor dog, and 3 indoor cats. Between dry dog and cat food, canned cat food, and cat litter the expense seems to grow by the week. I include this as part of my grocery budget, and it (along with rising food prices) has me wondering if I'll have to increase my budget just to get by.

**Edna_E** · 07-04-2008, 05:45 PM

Was getting 4-can packs of 9-Lives at Dollar General for $1.19 a year ago, then they raised it to $1.29 (8% increase) and now they have quit carrying the 4-packs and only carry individual cans. My cats only get them as a treat, but the frequency with which they are treated has been reduced due to no fault of the cats. Mine eat good quality dry food as their main food source.

**shoiji** · 07-04-2008, 06:14 PM

Instead of the smaller bags of cat food I purchase the biggest one I can find. Then pour into a cleaned out cat litter bucket. It lasts a long time and is cheaper this way. They rarely get treats since one has a weight problem. And wet food is only for the holidays. I have some pawpoints from freshstep that I think I use to get coupons for the catlitter. And yes, as you said prices seem to be going up. But for everything the kitties give back to me it is worth it.