Preparing for winter IV

RevolvingDoor

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Think the pets are just about sorted now:

Cats:

• Litter delivered yesterday - 2 x 15L bags of the new (fantastic, long lasting & no tracking stuff;)) which should last around 2 months - will re-order once I start the 1st bag all winter so plenty in stock. Also have 30L (horrid clumping stuff) stuck away in a bin in the garage (but it would last around a month in an emergency)
• Dry food - 10kg new sack of RC which I'll need to start probably beginning of December. Has been lasting 5 months but they seem to have gone through this one a bit quicker so say 4 to be on the safe side = will last to end March min so OK on that one. Have around 3kg of their other dry but they do seem to be eating slightly less of this just now - 4kg usually lasts them 6 months so this should last OK for the winter
• Wet food - lots of this (but they won't eat a lot of it!) - trying new foods just now and, fingers crossed, have found an affordable one they will both eat:eek::)

Dog

• Dry food - new 15kg sack of food still to be opened (just about finished last sack). Will last around 50 days so will order another sack in around a months' time (don't want to do just now as I have changed her food and want to make absolutely sure this one does suit her before ordering more)
• Supplements - ordered Profibre yesterday. Old tub will last around another month & full one lasts 100 days so fine for that.
• Wet food - have new food to try. Will order more if it doesn't upset her tum! Tub should last 4 days & 12 in a box so would probably get a couple of boxes to see us through.

Maybe not quite as there as I thought :eek:

How many cats and dogs do you have out of interest?:)

Fruball

My daughter and I had Norovirus (extreme sick bug) earlier this year and it was beyond anything I can describe. Without going into details, all I could manage when I felt able to keep anything down was a bowl of rice and had to phone a neighbour to cook me some!

I am lucky enough to have neighbours like that but now I keep a microwaveable pouch of rice (or a few) in the cupboard just in case it happens again so, add a few pouches of these to your winter preps!

Hopefully you won't need it but at least if you do, it is there ready!

rising_from_the_ashes

RevolvingDoor wrote: »

How many cats and dogs do you have out of interest?:)

:rotfl:1 dog, 2 cats & a fish .... must get a spare tub of fish-food too!:o

I do live in a very rural part of Scotland where deliveries go up the spout every winter - trying to lug home cat litter or dog/cat food on the bus (+ mile walk home) isn't my idea of fun, so always have plenty to cover "normal use" + minimum of a month in winter (also bulk buying saves loads of money :money:- big bag of cat food cost £3.49 / kg, compared to £8.50 / kg if bought in small bags)

Fruball wrote: »

I keep a microwaveable pouch of rice (or a few) in the cupboard just in case it happens again so, add a few pouches of these to your winter preps!

Would 2nd that - have been a bit ill myself (not long out of hospital:() and some days I just can't cook so these are great - must get some more!:)

RevolvingDoor

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

:rotfl:1 dog, 2 cats & a fish .... must get a spare tub of fish-food too!:o

I do live in a very rural part of Scotland where deliveries go up the spout every winter - trying to lug home cat litter or dog/cat food on the bus (+ mile walk home) isn't my idea of fun, so always have plenty to cover "normal use" + minimum of a month in winter (also bulk buying saves loads of money :money:- big bag of cat food cost £3.49 / kg, compared to £8.50 / kg if bought in small bags)

I only asked as I was thinking of buying the 10kg bags online for my (6) cats and (2) dogs as I seem to be spending too much money in the supermarkets.

We go through 10L of cat litter a week.:eek: ETA - Actually what am I saying I meant 20L per week.

twiglet98

Rising, I know you have answered this before but I'm sorry I can't find it... which is the cat litter you like? I think when I last saw you mention it you were trialling it, and I'm delighted to hear it's a success. We're using wood pellet litter , usually bought in Mr T's with the weekly shopping, but one of DD's kittens is dreadfully messy - not especially wet or dirty, but inclined to scoop at least half the litter out of the tray when she's covering up her business - and she'd like to try one that doesn't tread so far. I hate the clumping litters, used the last dregs of some on the icy path a couple of winters ago and the mess that came in on our boots showed on the hall mats for months!

Right now it's just mud and more mud

twiglet98

RevolvingDoor wrote: »

I only asked as I was thinking of buying the 10kg bags online for my (6) cats and (2) dogs as I seem to be spending too much money in the supermarkets.

We go through 10L of cat litter a week.:eek: ETA - Actually what am I saying I meant 20L per week.

I'm sure the recommendation is to have one more litter tray than you have cats. We have three trays for four cats - one in each bathroom and one by the back door - the three girls are happy to use them but my old boy really hates it if he can't go outside. The cat flap he was used to is sealed shut now as DD won't let the youngsters out unattended, hence the tray by the door, but he still howls to have the door opened instead.

I hate that he can't get himself in and out, he's not always good at coming in when called if he's out hunting and I don't want to risk him being shut out at night when it's cold, though he can shelter in the garage and the barn. The microchip-activated flaps seem the only solution and it's not an affordable option just now.

rising_from_the_ashes

RevolvingDoor wrote: »

I only asked as I was thinking of buying the 10kg bags online for my (6) cats and (2) dogs as I seem to be spending too much money in the supermarkets.

Ohhh my - 6 & 2! Would def recommend bulk buying then - I've made pretty big savings with just having 2 cats so it'd def be worthwhile.

I have a separate "pets pots" which I stick money into each payday - means I don't have to worry that I'll run out of stuff & have no money when needed but also means it can build up over a couple of months so I can buy big bags of food / stock up when offers are on etc.

Been doing this for a while now and have cut their costs hugely - eg the dry food mentioned above - I used to buy 4kg bags which cost £28 (so £14 / month) but buying the big bag brings this down to £7 / month * ... that's pretty big savings:T:T

There's some really good online stores around - Zoo*plus, Pet*Planet, Animal*Direct, Medic*Animal, Sea*pets etc.

* & I get 5% cashback (£1.75 on that big bag!) too which would bring the costs down even more!

Most do cashback so have a hunt around & most do free delivery over a certain amount (Zoo+ is great as it's only £19) - although the amount you have to spend before getting this varies - and the offers do change daily so you do need to shop around / check them all before buying.

Oh - and most will leave stuff "in a safe place" without insisting on a signature if you're not in, which is fab!

twiglet98 wrote: »

Rising, I know you have answered this before but I'm sorry I can't find it... which is the cat litter you like? I think when I last saw you mention it you were trialling it, and I'm delighted to hear it's a success.

This one:
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_litter/biokats/fine_grain/137226

It really is fab - quite expensive to buy & and you do use a lot when filling the tray initially but it does last for ages as, if you keep it really deep & scoop out regularly, you just need to top up a little a couple of times a week (and rarely need to do a full litter change).

It's costing me around £2 / week - which is significantly cheaper than the wood pellets were before! but it's also so much quicker to clean out, smells lovely and the cats seem happy with it ("things" are errrrr now buried which weren't before ) HTH:)

Results of trail of a couple of litters here!
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4030425

twiglet98 wrote: »

I'm sure the recommendation is to have one more litter tray than you have cats.

Supposed "rule" is 1 tray / cat + 1 but if you've got a few cats, it gets ridiculous! I know 2 people with 5 cats - one has 3 trays and the other 2 (in both cases, obviously all cleaned out regularly) and they don't have any issues.

I had 2 - but have just switched to 1 huge (and I mean huge!) one.

nicki_2

The snow grips I ordered from Mr A seem to be good, coils on the front, nail type hook things on the heel and the "one size" they advertise is actually up to a size 6 mans and they fit my size 7s so I'm happy. Really hoping they're something I've bought but don't use for a long while

DD has been chilly in the night again, but even when she was warm she still came and got in my bed first thing:rotfl: Having said that I have forgotten to put the curtain up on the front door the past few nights (I really need to put the curtain rail up!) so that's probably not helping. She text me this morning that she was on the bus soaked and freezing cold despite her big north face water/wind proof coat. I told her to try putting her gloves on which were in her blazer not coat pocket. I'm going to have to sort her out some handwarmers for her use, most of mine have all gone cloudy and aren't as effective as they used to be.

RevolvingDoor

I bought some of those snow grippers, Trax I think they were called. It's not too cold here today though.:)

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Ohhh my - 6 & 2! Would def recommend bulk buying then - I've made pretty big savings with just having 2 cats so it'd def be worthwhile.
I have a separate "pets pots" which I stick money into each payday - means I don't have to worry that I'll run out of stuff & have no money when needed but also means it can build up over a couple of months so I can buy big bags of food / stock up when offers are on etc.
Been doing this for a while now and have cut their costs hugely - eg the dry food mentioned above - I used to buy 4kg bags which cost £28 (so £14 / month) but buying the big bag brings this down to £7 / month * ... that's pretty big savings:T:T
There's some really good online stores around - Zoo*plus, Pet*Planet, Animal*Direct, Medic*Animal, Sea*pets etc.
* & I get 5% cashback (£1.75 on that big bag!) too which would bring the costs down even more!
Most do cashback so have a hunt around & most do free delivery over a certain amount (Zoo+ is great as it's only £19) - although the amount you have to spend before getting this varies - and the offers do change daily so you do need to shop around / check them all before buying.
Oh - and most will leave stuff "in a safe place" without insisting on a signature if you're not in, which is fab!

I was thinking of getting big bags of Royal Canin for all my animals on Zooplus.:T RC is the only food all my animals seem to like!:D

rising_from_the_ashes

RevolvingDoor wrote: »

I was thinking of getting big bags of Royal Canin for all my animals on Zooplus.:T RC is the only food all my animals seem to like!:D

Snap! I'm sure they must put something really tasty in RC as once you start feeding it ... they won't eat anything else!;)

Zoo+ do some good but odd discount codes - last month if you added a sisal toy for 79p to your basket, there was a code to get £10 off your order(?) - and they do 5% cashback.

Sign up for their newsletters to find out about these - also often posted on Pet Forums by members (might be worth signing up on there too!). HTH