What are your ways to save $$$$ on pet suplies?

[cat lover]

I buy oil dry and use for cat litter. As long as you use the regular clay type and don't mind the dust this works great and is the same thing as the ones marketed cat litter. I buy a 50 pound bag for right at $4.00! It is not scented like some regular cat litters are, but if you've tried the cheaper ones and seen the dust and don't mind it this is the same.

I just got $27.00 worth of FREE cat and dog food! I received some coupons from a friend and use these foods as "treats" rather than feeding it to them as regular meals. I don't want them to be changed on their regular diet. The coupons were for 4 different cat and dog foods. So when you see those fre coupons and figure that isn't what I feed them; go ahead and get it and use as a snack!

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I used to be able to make treats for my boys (chihuahuas) but now the oldest (will be 13 in a few days) is having some kidney failure. So, I have no choice but to buy him prescription dog. For the cats, we get the el cheapo stuff and DH buys that since he has the cats while I am in school.

[cat lover]

With having four dogs and five cats I really should make some of those treats! I have gathered several recipes, but just haven't done that yet; guess I need to create a "doggie & kitty cookbook".LOL:)

[sweetnell3]

We have one dog and three cats we buy store brand food. We mainley feed them dry food but give can food every once in awhile as a treat.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

You can buy a bone shaped cookie cutter anywhere. That's what I have used to make my boys' treats in the past.

[cat lover]

In addition to having the recipes I already "have" the bone cookie cutters too! Just need to find all those recipes and get busy! LOL

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Cat lover, I wish I still had the recipe that I used to use, but I cannot locate it.

If anyone has any good recipes for renal diet (kidney) I would LOVE the recipe!

[boggsZ]

We have 2 cats one inside one out and 3 dogs 2 inside 1 out also have chickens of all kids and cows oh ya and fish

catlover what is oil dry?
and do you find that your dogs smell if you feed them a certain kind of dog food and do you find your cats shed more with certain kids of food?

[cat lover]

catlover what is oil dry?
and do you find that your dogs smell if you feed them a certain kind of dog food and do you find your cats shed more with certain kids of food?

Oil dry is what you buy in an auto store to dry up spilled motor oil and such. It is nothing more than clay litter! So I save lots on cat litter by using it since I have three indoor cats. And even my outdoor cats use a litter box in the pen. The two outside cats and the beagle all share one 10 x 10 pen at night. So they have to have a potty!:o They also have to be locked up at night so they don't become coyote food! All three of them were adopted strays.

All my dogs are outdoor dogs except the little beagle noses her way in the house once in a while for a visit only. I really haven't noticed any difference with food and smell, but that might bebecause they are outside dogs. All the dogs eat Purina Dog Chow except the lab eats Blue Barn Dog food. She turns her nose up at the other. And all the cats eat Cat chow, plus the indoor cats get some healthy weight mangement mixed in with theirs. Plus now that one of my outdoor cats is PG by the other one that shares the pen with her she gets kitten food mixed in with hers till she has them and stops nursing them. Same thing; haven't noticed any difference in shedding with any of them. Just do LOTS of brushing! LOL

[cat lover]

First of all we have kittens; four of them and they are adorable!


I cook up a pan of white or brown rice and add cooked chicken chunks to it. Then I put it into snack size baggies and freeze it. The last time one of the cats was not feeling well and having trouble keeping food down this is what the vet told me to prepare instead of buying expensive medical cat food. Seems when this one cat catches a wild creature (mice, or etc), it upsets his system. So we have to take him off dry cat food and only feed him the rice and chicken for about 3 days and everything returns to normal. Much more frugal than the vet "special food".

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Congratulations on the kittens.

[cat lover]

;) Thanks, but I have to laugh!:D That now makes thirteen pets!:eek: I know these kittens are going to "HAVE" to go to the pet store, but everybody is already saying "Yeah, after you have them there for eight weeks you are giving them away! LOL

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I can't keep my 1 1/2 year old cat calm. I cannot imagine 13 more.

[cat lover]

Let's see.... the count is getting hard to keep track of! LOL Actually only nine are cats; four are dogs. Three inside cats, and now mama cat and kittens are in a cage in the garage because one of her roommates BB the beagle wanted to help and be mama too. They are like kids; they all have their own personality so you can't even figure to do it all the same ! LOL


All the dogs are outside dogs except once in awhile in the winter BB got a "visit" with us inside for a couple of hours. So we look like a kennel up here! One 30 x 30 pen, four 10 x 10 pens! Only BB and Red(cat) get to roam some during the day and with 30 acres they don't bother anyone else. It is really funny because they want back in their pen after a few hours running. Spoiled as the dickens all of them, even Red the cat answers to his name; it is sooo funny. But we love them all!

[cat lover]

Here is one of the doggie treat recipes!

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup multigrain oatmeal, uncooked
1/4 cup honey crunch wheat germ
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp baking powder

In large bowl, with mixer on low, mix 1 cup flour with remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup water till well blended. With spoon stir in remaining 1/2 cup flour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With floured hands on well dusted surface, knead dough till dough holds together. Roll dough 1/4" thick. With 5by 2 1/2" bone shaped cookie cutter , cut out as many bones as possible. Reroll scraps and cut. Repeat till dough is used. Bake on a large ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes; turnm oven off. Let cookie sheet remain in oven 1 hour. Remove bones from cookie sheet to wire rack. When cool, store in an airtigjht container or freeze. Makes about 20 dog bones.

[cat lover]

Holy Mackerel Cat Treats


1/2 cup canned mackerel,drained, crumbled
1 cup whole grain bread crumbs
1 Tbsp vegetable oil OR bacon grease
1 egg - beaten
1/2 tsp. brewer's yeast

Combine all ingredients; mix well.Drop dough by 1/4 teaspoonfuls 1" apart onto a greased cookie sheet.Bake in a 350 degree oven 8 minutes. Cool biscuits and store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Brewer's yeast is an excellent source of essential fatty acids and B-Complex vitamins for a glossy coat and stable nervous system.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Do your cats like this? Sometimes mine are finicky.

[cat lover]

So far they eat anyhting I give them! My oldest is 8 years old and he loves to eat and the other two eat anything he will eat. The outside cats so far haven't been a problem eating eithr, just licky I guess! LOL

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Thank you.