Petco or Petsmart....

larussa

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
4,899
Purraise
71
Location
Central New Jersey
If you have both of these stores in your area, which do you prefer if any.  I have a Petco nearby but they are more expensive than Petsmart so I buy Autumn's food from Shoprite where I grocery shop. 

A new Petsmart store is opening a couple of  miles away, it will open the end of April.  I was really glad to see that.  The first thing I am buying for Autumn is a new litter box and new wand toy. 

So where would you prefer to shop.
 

lyrajean

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 23, 2008
Messages
1,259
Purraise
120
Location
VT
Petsmart is a town or two closer to us and right next to where I work so we usually get most of the cat stuff, Fancy feast, litter, treats etc... there. The exceptions have been cat trees, better quality online and Petco ahs these really awesome litterboxes -again they can be had online.
 

Winchester

In the kitchen with my cookies
Veteran
Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
29,730
Purraise
28,024
Location
In the kitchen
We have a PetSmart down in one of our malls (our Giant is right there, too, with Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Dick's, Best Buy, etc., so we go there often). Our closest Petco is a bit east of us, so we don't get there as often, although if there was something we really wanted from Petco, we'd make the run. I like PetSmart though. 

When we were looking at cat trees, we bought ours at Petco over PetSmart.

Get Autumn a Da Bird, Carol, if they carry them. Ours doesn't. But she would love a Da Bird.
 

fhicat

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Messages
3,261
Purraise
635
Location
Orange party
Petsmart in my place tend to treat me better than Petco. Not that Petco is mean, but the staff at Petsmart are more like animal lovers happy to see other animal lovers, while the one at Petco are just trying to finish their shifts and go home.

Unfortunately Petsmart is aaaaaall the way west of town, and it takes me 20 minutes to go there, while I can walk a few blocks over to Petco.
 

AbbysMom

At Abby's beck and call
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
78,300
Purraise
19,406
Location
Massachusetts
I would always choose PetSmart over Petco, but the closest one is a bit of a drive.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

larussa

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
4,899
Purraise
71
Location
Central New Jersey
 
Get Autumn a Da Bird, Carol, if they carry them. Ours doesn't. But she would love a Da Bird.
The wand toy Autumn has is something like Da Bird, but yes I will look for it when I get to Petsmart. 
 

angels mommy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 5, 2011
Messages
6,899
Purraise
6,906
Location
Wilmington,NC
We have both here, both are pretty central & not too far from me (about 6 miles).  I rarely go to either one though, ever sense Angel has been on Rx food from the vets for just over a year now.

I have noticed that Petco has more quality food brands & choices.  The only things I have gotten at Pet Smart sense then is Angel's tooth paste & tooth brush kit. (the enzyme one that comes w/ the red brush, it's malt flavor, & he likes it!)  I also found a GNC Hairball remedy there that has better ingredients,( ie..No petroleum, yuk! )  
 

denice

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Messages
18,839
Purraise
13,144
Location
Columbus OH
We have both here.  I buy a lot of stuff including food from a small local chain instead of Petsmart or Petco.  When I do go to one it's usually Petsmart because the one that is close to me is a bigger one while the Petco is a small one.
 

catsallaround

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
3,104
Purraise
66
Petsmart.  Better everyday prices and very easy to get in and out.  Petco always ends up being issue-mismarked item or out of stock sale items.  I must say I have scored amazing deals at Petco but since they closed the local one I have to go over a toll bridge to get into PA so now it is really not worth it as very out of the way.  I used to hit Petco when I passed just to see what was on special.

Petsmart also is WAY more helpful.  I had on offer to call multiple stores to help me find a food I needed to buy when there was some shortage. I do use Petco for the vaccine clinics to get rabies done for the dogs/cats who go out.
 

angels mommy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 5, 2011
Messages
6,899
Purraise
6,906
Location
Wilmington,NC
 
We have both here.  I buy a lot of stuff including food from a small local chain instead of Petsmart or Petco.  When I do go to one it's usually Petsmart because the one that is close to me is a bigger one while the Petco is a small one.
That's great. Yea, when I was buying Angel non Rx food, I would go to a local owned natural pet food store. It's great, the staff are SO knowledgeable, far beyond the other stores. (They speak our language!).

There are even a couple of employees there that are knowledgeable about Chinese Medicine, as far as what meats were cooling or warm, etc.. (When Angel's skin was itchy, & everything else ruled out, I was trying to only feed him cooling meats, to help cool his inner heat/dampness that was contributing to the itchiness). 
 

muffy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 9, 2014
Messages
6,198
Purraise
12,664
Location
Fredericksburg, VA
There is a PetSmart and Petco almost right next store to each other in my area. I like PetSmart better because they are cheaper. I've only been to Petco twice and I just did not care for the store. We have a new grocery store that opened up last year called "Mom's" and I have been buying my cat food there. They sell better cat food there.
 

monogodo

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
39
Purraise
9
Location
Irving, TX
Petsmart has better quality crickets for the tarantulas.

Petco has a better selection of canned cat food. They carry both flavors of kitten food in the brand we like, while Petsmart only carries one flavor in that brand. 

The Petco in our area shares a parking lot with the beer store we like to frequent, so that's an added plus.
 

sugarsandz

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jun 11, 2013
Messages
615
Purraise
23
I prefer Petsmart here, the Petco I've visited locally has been messy and doesn't always keep stuff stocked, plus the employees aren't helpful.
 
Petsmart has better quality crickets for the tarantulas.

Petco has a better selection of canned cat food. They carry both flavors of kitten food in the brand we like, while Petsmart only carries one flavor in that brand. 

The Petco in our area shares a parking lot with the beer store we like to frequent, so that's an added plus.
I also have tarantulas and used to get my crickets from Petsmart but they are really bad about keeping up with demand so I get mine at a local pet store. It's nice to see another t keeper here. :)
 

monogodo

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
39
Purraise
9
Location
Irving, TX
 
I also have tarantulas and used to get my crickets from Petsmart but they are really bad about keeping up with demand so I get mine at a local pet store. It's nice to see another t keeper here. :)
They're actually my wife's tarantulas, but I think they're cool. 

We've found that come Petsmart locations will have fluctuating stock of crickets, depending on the day of the week. We are usually able to get the 40 large that we need on Friday or Saturday, but Sunday is a no-go. 
 
Top