Many of us living in the UK are already contending with rising costs following the pandemic as well as more recent events like the war in Ukraine. Unfortunately, the cost of pet care is not immune from the rise in cost of living and cat owners should expect a further rise in costs associated with cat supplies and services.
If you are a cat owner and in a situation where every penny counts, consider the following tips that may help you save some quid on pet care costs.
1. Buy cat food in bulk
You can make a decent saving if you buy cat food in bulk. Stores such as Pets at Home offer bulk deals for popular cat food brands such as Felix and Wainwright’s. Some stores may also offer you additional discounts if you ‘subscribe’ to a product. These subscriptions can usually be cancelled at any time so there is minimal risk for you if things don’t work out.
Whatever you decide with cat food, don’t cheap out by buying low-quality food brands. This could have the opposite effect of helping you save money by increasing the risks of your cat getting sick.
2. Make your own cat toys
You don’t need to buy the next shiny thing in the pet store to satisfy your cat’s instinct to hunt and play. There are plenty of materials you are likely to already have at home that can be used to make DIY toys that cats will enjoy playing with. Something as simple as a crumpled piece of paper or a milk jug ring can catch your cat’s attention. When was the last time you bought a cat toy that your fussy cat didn’t lose interest in after a few weeks?
3. Affordable Spay and Neuter
There are many organisations across the UK that offer financial assistance for cat owners who want to get their cats neutered or spayed. Charity organisations like Cats Protection, for example, offer a neutering scheme for those who are eligible for it. This comes in handy if you are currently facing financial hardship.
4. Check grocery store services
Competition is high among same-day grocery delivery companies like Getir and GoPuff. Check them out if there is a service like this near you as they usually have general cat supplies in stock and offer great discounts, especially for first-time customers.
5. Consider using clumping litter
Cat litter can get pretty pricey especially if you have more than one cat. In the long run, using clumping litter might be more economical than using non-clumping litter. Yes, clumping litter is more expensive than its non-clumping counterpart but they can last longer if used correctly.
