5 Ways To Save Money on Cat Food

It’s essential to keep every mouth in your home well-fed, including your cats. If you’re on a tight budget, you might want to look at ways to save money on food for your pet where possible – you’ll want to make sure you can afford to keep them happy and healthy, after all.

Thankfully, there are some excellent ways to save money on cat food without compromising the nutritional quality. Some of the most nutritious options can be the most cost-effective, even if they seem more expensive at first glance.

Follow these tips to keep your kitty from going hungry without breaking the bank.

5 Ways To Save Money on Cat Food

Feed Your Cat a Raw Frozen/Fresh Diet

Many cat owners are waking up to the benefits of a raw cat food diet. Cats are carnivores, after all, and in the wild would be eating raw food that they caught themselves. A raw food diet – with the right balance of ingredients – can provide your kitty with all the nutrition they need.

Raw food can seem more expensive upfront, but it’ll save you money in the long run, as your cat won’t need to eat as much to get the required nutrients. In addition, smaller portions are sufficient, which means your food lasts longer. And because you can freeze it in portions, it’ll keep for a long time.

All you need to do is defrost the meals you need each day, and then you can warm them up if your cat prefers it, usually by blending them with hot water.

Raw food can also save you money on veterinarian bills since it’s healthier for your cat and may lead to fewer problems in the future.

Make Homemade Cat Food

If you have the time to learn what makes a good meal for a cat, creating homemade cat food can significantly reduce costs and ensure your cat gets a balanced diet.

You might assume that buying cat food would automatically be cheaper than making it yourself since big companies will get discounted prices when buying ingredients in bulk. But they also care about profit, whereas you just want to buy what you need to make a nutritious meal for your cat.

So, while it’s not guaranteed, it’s worth exploring whether homemade cat food would be a money-saver for you.

Of course, if you don’t have time, you’ll want to use the other tips here instead.

Ask for Coupons

Everyone knows coupons are a simple and effective way to save money when buying anything, not just cat food.

However, many people don’t realize that you don’t have to wait to find coupons in a paper or magazine.

You can ask them.

Write your favorite cat food manufacturer, either through the mail or by email, and tell them how much your cat loves their food, and then ask if they have any coupons.

Don’t try to be cute and hint. Just straight-out ask, and you’ve got more chance of success. Companies love to reward loyalty or a new customer.

Be Smart When You Shop

There are many different ways you can look out for lower prices when shopping for cat food.

Track your local pet stores on social media to make sure you’re one of the first to know when they’re running a sale.

Sign up for any store reward cards offered, and use any reward points you earn to bring down the cost of your cat food purchases.

And if your local pet stores are big enough to have marketing emails, sign up for them and read them to ensure you don’t miss any special offers.

Buy In Bulk

Depending on the cat food you buy, you can order it in bulk, which will almost always be a lower cost.

Costco is an option for cat food like canned cat food, but make sure you’ve got space in your car to drive it home. If you’re ordering online, check shipping costs too.

Plus, don’t forget you need somewhere at home to store everything.

Other Tips To Save on Cat Food

Here are some other handy hints to help you save on cat food:

• Maintain a clean, fresh water bowl. Cats may only drink a little from a bowl because they often get the necessary water from their food. However, if their water bowl is dirty or hard to access, they may eat more to compensate. So a cleaner, a fresher bowl can reduce the amount they feel they need to eat.
• Never buy the cheapest food if the quality is not good. You might think you’re saving money since it’s cheaper, but your cat will not be as healthy, and in time you’ll spend a lot more on veterinarian bills to help them recover.
• Consider cat food subscriptions – some stores will let you sign up for a recurring order and may knock 10% off the cost of your cat food as long as you stay signed up.

Changing Your Cat’s Food

If you’ve decided that you need to make a change to your cat’s diet, you need to prepare for it not to go smoothly. For example, if your cat has a favorite food, changing it can be met with resistance.

You should only make changes if they benefit your cat’s health. For example, changing to a cheaper brand might not work and can upset your cat.

If you are switching to a healthier food option, and your cat isn’t eating, make sure you switch back, even if it’s temporary, until you try another healthy alternative.

And if you struggle to get your cat to eat, always check in with your veterinarian.

Summary

There are great ways to save money on cat food without compromising quality.

If you’re sticking with the same cat food, look for special offers and ways to buy in bulk to keep costs low.

If you’re switching to raw or homemade food, take your time and be both persistent and consistent in helping your cat transition. Then, hopefully, your cat will take to it quickly, and you can feed your cat a nutritious diet that keeps costs low.