2 cats on a budget - any advice

gettingready

I would cat everywhere else but would not cut the insurance - things tend to happen especially when you do not have money so better be safe than sorry.

I but Classic tinns for my 4 boys, in asda/tesco they are 2.75 for 6 tinns so not a fortune.

Go-Cat dry is better than posibility of having to rehome too.

Litter - not sure if you can get cheaper that won't turn out more expensive in the end. I buy clumping, cost me less than £20 per month for 4 indoor boys.

missmontana

Sign up to Zooplus, you automatically get a 5% discount and other voucher codes can be found if you search, I had one for 13% at one time.
I usually buy my lot Smilla,
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/dry_cat_food/smilla/221667

I bought the 4kg bags, so at £2.17 per kg it works out so much cheaper than alot of others and is a decent cat food. I've noticed the stray that I feed's fur is greatly improved since he's been eating at my house! The biscuits are quite big so also good for their teeth.

Wet food, Tesco's had a really good deal on pouches, their own chefs braised selection was only £1.49 for a box of 12 in my local shop, 80g pouch, mine only have it as a treat so they get half a pouch or a whole pouch.

Zooplus do lots of offers, trials etc, it's just a case of keeping an eye out

jenhug

I feed my cat on Applaws biscuits (not budget) and raw chicken mince from pets at home. its a large bag, I split it down into small portion sizes (about a tablespoon per bag) and it costs me about £5 for 6 weeks worth of meat. Much better for them than tinned and a hell of a lot cheaper. I also find his poo doesn't smell as bad as when he first came to me on regular tins. (He was a rescue)

I buy a huge sack of wood pellet cat litter from the range, its £8 for a huge sack (15kg sack size but is sold in ltrs. ) the last one lasted me about 5 months for one cat.

mtbbuxton

My 2 Siamese housecats are fed on Umami cat food from Gilbertson and Page
http://www.gilpa.co.uk/product.php?shopprodid=3
I appreciate it lists wheat as the first ingredient, which isn't always viewed favourably, however, my cats have never had any problems with it an if it means you get to keep your girls, is worth considering. .They have eaten it for pretty much all of their 6 years and I get complemented by our Vet every time they go for their boosters A large 15kg sack lasts them around 4 months, so very economical. too.
Please don't cancel the insurance. I've been in the position of needing to make treatment decisions based on cost when our then 12 year old cat was hit by a car and it really is horrible Thankfully, we found the money we needed and she lived for another very healthy 4 years, but I really wish insurance had been so popular when we homed her in 1993.
Good luck and I hope you find a way to cut costs and keep your little family with you.

M x

mulberrytree

We have two cats.

We buy them ALDI cat food (99p a box) and two boxes will last them six days- it is a 12 pack box. We occasionally buy them cat biscuits and we give them as a treat every few days- don't have a price in my head but they are less than £1 as well. There cat litter is about £2/3- haven't brought it for a while as they are outdoor cats. Whiskers cat food is £1.99 in ALDI, again 12 pack box and 2 boxes last my two six days- we hardly ever buy it though, only for the odd treat. ALDI is fine- fills them both up. They just drink tap water. We just did a straight swap and they were both fine- if they are hungry, they will eat.

We don't have insurance for them. They are hardly ever ill- my oldest cat is 8 and has only been to the vet with something serious once so I guess its useful when needed but over the years we wouldn't of been able to justify the cost. We obviously have to pay for their annual boosters though.

KxMx

mulberrytree wrote: »

We have two cats.

We buy them ALDI cat food (99p a box) and two boxes will last them six days- it is a 12 pack box. We occasionally buy them cat biscuits and we give them as a treat every few days- don't have a price in my head but they are less than £1 as well. There cat litter is about £2/3- haven't brought it for a while as they are outdoor cats. Whiskers cat food is £1.99 in ALDI, again 12 pack box and 2 boxes last my two six days- we hardly ever buy it though, only for the odd treat. ALDI is fine- fills them both up. They just drink tap water. We just did a straight swap and they were both fine- if they are hungry, they will eat.

We don't have insurance for them. They are hardly ever ill- my oldest cat is 8 and has only been to the vet with something serious once so I guess its useful when needed but over the years we wouldn't of been able to justify the cost. We obviously have to pay for their annual boosters though.

My cat is nearly eight too, no claims needed, but am I happy to have paid out for insurance that so far hasn't been needed-yes! :j To me is the cost justified- yes :j

Peace of mind at £10 pm is a bargain, as mentioned previously I do not have means to otherwise pay large Vet bills, and certainly not up to 7k per condition per year

rita-rabbit

Litter - cheapest clumping Asda & Liddles - the heavy bags (not the light ones), fullers earth or the like.

Food wet - Butchers Classic Tins - any supermarket or online zooplus Animondy Carni or Smilla

Dried - Burns - online or the better vets. Do not feed Iams (they experiment on animals) or Go-Cat - just rubbish catfood.

Fleas - Seresto collars - vets on prescription

teeth care - Logic toothpaste - online - animed (free delivery)

I don't insure my cats - they live indoors & have a very good quality of life. If they need treatment I will pay for it & if it's more than I afford will go to the garden in the sky. They are 12 and 11 respectively & have all their teeth etc.

glittermonster

Thanks everyone for your replies - lots to look at and think about.

Yes I use this name pretty much everywhere online - i posted about this on the petforum site as well.

Thanks again -

oligeo

jenhug wrote: »

I feed my cat on Applaws biscuits (not budget) and raw chicken mince from pets at home. .

Hi we have just rehomed two kittens and I'm interested that you feed yours raw chicken mince. I have friends with dogs who feed them raw meat but had not heard of anyone doing this with cats. I've tried searching on the pets at home website but can't seem to find the chicken mince. Are cats ok to have raw chicken mince?

Sarah

Suri

Hi, I breed and have lots of cats. I use Costco cat biscuits, large bag, amazingly cheap, and they do very good clumping cat litter as well - not cheap but very efficient. Another tip - don't buy spot-on flea treatments for cats from vets. I use Frontline spray as and when needed - expensive to buy but much more economical.:j