Pet food costs./ideas

Hi Everyone

This seems like as good of forum as any to ask these questions. Though I'm not sure which forum it would be in.

Does anyone know of any organizations that offer cat food assistance? I know the Petco Foundation does but only for rescue groups, and I have found others but they only help rescue organizations, shelters, etc.

There are "pet food banks" but the closest one is in the Houston area (Houston SPCA) and without transportation at the moment, that would not work.

My problem is this: We generally buy good quality food for our babies, at least in the price range we can afford (Purina One) and being on a fixed income, I would love to give them Blue Buffalo etc. However, this month (June) we had more month than money- after all bills were paid etc. Hubby can't work, and me being disabled can't either, so we have been having to scrape by to get them cat food, and have only been able to buy "junk" food (whatever is cheapest at the store).

Tonight Nick is taking us to the dollar store and we are going to get the box of the Purina Deli-Cat, probably junk food- but is it OK to go that route for a couple of weeks until my next check comes in, if we can even do that- might end up feeding them tuna or something - which I don't really want to do, but at least it can be purchased on food stamps. Thank God we had two free cans of wet food from the last bag of dry we bought, or they wouldn't have had anything to eat today until we go to the store this evening. (They had their last bit of kibble last night

Gaah I hate this situation, it seems ridiculous the amount they expect you to live on. Rehoming my babies is not an option, we generally get by just fine- except this month proved difficult because we had several unexpected medical expenses, and even more of a rant is the way Chase charges exorbanant fees for overdraft (there has to be law on a cap amount?) I hate having to spill my business everywhere, but I figured in a cat site- who else would know to answer my questions. And most of all, I hate not being able to feed my cats. It's like a mother feels when she doesn't have enough money to buy baby food or formula, I think.

Okay, rant over and sorry it was so long! - we would appreciate any thoughts or ideas, or places we could maybe go to.

Thanks Guys

Mel, Ricky, Smokie & Bandit

How much meat can you buy on food stamps? Don't feed them tuna..... Feed them raw chicken if you go out of food...... You have 2 cats, right? If they go for raw meat, you can feed them for quite cheap, actually..... But that is if you are lucky and if they eat right away....
The calcium you can make yourself from eggshells, IMHO it is easier to start up that way......
Just a healthy Idea to consider - it beats tuna any day :nod:

There are healthier (and cheaper) things to buy on food stamps than tuna (anything canned is probably very high in salt). Cook up some chicken breast/thighs (don't feed cooked bones) if they won't eat it raw. Maybe some stew beef or pork chops. Make sure it's not seasoned. You could mix in a small amount of rice or oatmeal to bulk out the diet, if they'll eat it. This of course isn't balanced and the grains aren't healthy, but it'll fill their bellies and for the rest of the month it won't kill them. If the dollar store has Cat Chow or Friskies, those would be better than Deli Cat or Meow Mix or store brand.

Check with friends who have pets to see if they can lend you some cat food or a few dollars for cat food (make sure they know it's for the kitties--I may not lend money to people usually, but for the kitties I would :tongue2. Check with the local shelters/rescues to see if they have a food bank (sometimes they don't advertise it). Ask at the local food pantry (for humans)--sometimes people donate pet food.

When you buy the small things of cat food (even at the dollar store), you're actually paying twice as much (or more) per pound. Which I guess isn't any help if you simply don't have the money to buy a larger bag, but it's something to keep in mind for the future. It might be a good idea to (when you have the money again) buy a spare bag and have it stashed away for emergencies like this. I always have a couple month's worth of pet food in reserve--I guess I'm paranoid about running out! :lol3:

Willowy said:

There are healthier (and cheaper) things to buy on food stamps than tuna (anything canned is probably very high in salt). Cook up some chicken breast/thighs (don't feed cooked bones) if they won't eat it raw. Maybe some stew beef or pork chops. Make sure it's not seasoned. You could mix in a small amount of rice or oatmeal to bulk out the diet, if they'll eat it. This of course isn't balanced and the grains aren't healthy, but it'll fill their bellies and for the rest of the month it won't kill them. If the dollar store has Cat Chow or Friskies, those would be better than Deli Cat or Meow Mix or store brand.
Check with friends who have pets to see if they can lend you some cat food or a few dollars for cat food (make sure they know it's for the kitties--I may not lend money to people usually, but for the kitties I would

). Check with the local shelters/rescues to see if they have a food bank (sometimes they don't advertise it). Ask at the local food pantry (for humans)--sometimes people donate pet food.
When you buy the small things of cat food (even at the dollar store), you're actually paying twice as much (or more) per pound. Which I guess isn't any help if you simply don't have the money to buy a larger bag, but it's something to keep in mind for the future. It might be a good idea to (when you have the money again) buy a spare bag and have it stashed away for emergencies like this. I always have a couple month's worth of pet food in reserve--I guess I'm paranoid about running out!

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They won't eat raw meat, or even cooked human food. Besides, DH just informed me the FS Card is used up until the first (though we only get like $20 to begin with lol, hardly even worth sending in the paperwork.

We actually do have a few dollars we can spend on cat food - I will look at the store tonight when Nick takes us and get a bag of cat chow, it's like $3 a bag at our dollar store. And yes, when my check comes- the plan is to have a spare bag for emergencies like this. Thanks for the ideas

I've found that MOST kitties will eat cooked chicken breast, if you shred it for them. But of course there are always exceptions :lol3:. They will eat tuna, though? If there's nothing left on the card I guess it's moot anyway.

I've helped a bunch of friends through short months. Without guidance, a lot of them will feed their pets horrible junk like hot dogs or deli turkey or cereal! Ugh. If you have to feed your pets off food stamps there's a smart way to do it.

Glad to hear you got it under control. A $3 bag of Cat Chow ought to last the rest of the month. Good thing it's already the 22nd!

Abd actually the check will come in next friday.the first falls on a sunday, so it comes in the week day before. Tonight I bight an 11# bag of everpet for $6.50 it has the exact ingredients as cat chow, I checked the label.

I don't feel as bad, I can actually feed my pets.

When check comes, we are getting a large bag of blue buffalo, the filters etc are right.. I know people here say cats eat less if it is quality food. Wr still ee how far a bag of blue goes.

Thanks everyone.

Sometimes a shelter or rescue will give you a bag if it is a brand they can't use.  I have driven bags to people posting off craigslist.  And I know many others have to-also seen many thank you's for a person who helped and they have said they had so many offers.
 

Huh, I never thought of craigslist. Probably freecycle would work, too.