Owning a cat can be expensive! Even the most frugal cat parents need to spend some money. Here are 5 easy ways to help you stretch your dollars, and save big bucks on the cat supplies you need – without sacrificing the best care for your feline friend.
FEED HIGH-QUALITY FOOD & MEASURE IT
Food is a major recurring cost for cat parents, but that’s absolutely no excuse to buy bargain cat food! Yes, cat food can be bought very inexpensively, but what you save on cheap food, you will very likely spend in vet bills down the road. Your cat’s diet is one place you should invest wisely!
Cheap cat foods are full of fillers, like grains, and get their proteins from by-products – unsuitable for human consumption – and sometimes even rendered “4D” (dead, dying, diseased, disabled) livestock animals. In other words, cheap foods use cheap ingredients and if we shouldn’t eat it, neither should our beloved pets!
High-quality cat food will add more cost to your cat budget, but it will significantly reduce the yearly veterinary expenses that are very often caused by poor nutrition.
In addition, you should never “free feed” your cat. That means don’t refill the bowl every time you notice it’s empty – no matter how much your cat begs! Free feeding can lead to obesity, it can attract bugs, and you may end up throwing away extra food your cat doesn’t eat. So use the suggested feeding guidelines printed on your food bag or can, measure that food with a scoop, and feed your cat twice a day. You’ll be surprised how much less food you use when you control the portions. You may also prevent costly vet visits associated with weight gain and its associated health problems.
USE CLUMPING CAT LITTER
Unless you’ve been lucky enough to toilet train your cat, litter can be one of the biggest expenses for a cat owner. Control this expense by purchasing clumping litter, and avoiding the cheap, non-clumping, highly scented stuff that your cat probably won’t want to use anyway!
Why clumping litter? While it may cost a few dollars more than the cheap stuff, it lasts much longer and controls odor more effectively than the cheap litter, and will actually save you a lot of money (and headaches) in the long run.
BUY IN BULK
Stocking up on large quantities of the food and supplies you use regularly when you see them at a great price is one easy way to save a ton of money. When you see your cat’s food or your brand of litter on sale, but more than usual and take advantage of the deal when you can! If there aren’t enough in stock, ask for a raincheck!
DO-IT-YOURSELF
If your cat will allow it, bathe and groom him or her at home. Most cats are very tolerant of having their nails cut, so there’s no need to pay someone else to do it. You can make your own fun cat toys using things found around the house, make your own cat bed, and even make your own cat treats!
COMPARISON SHOP
If you’ve got your heart set on something specific you want to buy, be sure to check more than one seller, and don’t forget to factor in the cost of shipping.
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