Search thousands of topics on CostHelper

BROWSE ALL TOPICS >> babies & children  cars  consumer electronics health & personal care home & garden personal finance  pets  schools small business sports weddings
CostHelper > Pets & Pet Care  > Cat Food

Cat Food Cost


How Much Does Cat Food Cost?

 
low costLow: $5-$8 per monthaverage costMedium: $8-$16 per monthhigh costHigh: $16-$38 per month
Typical costs:
  • Basic dry kibble, on average, costs between under $5 and $8 for a four-pound bag each month.
  • Premium or "holistic" dry kibble, on average, costs between $8 and $16 for a four-pound bag each month.
  • Canned food or frozen raw food, on average, costs between $16 and $38 for slightly more than two cases of 3-ounce cans of frozen raw food, each month.
  • The price per day for any given brand is most expensive with the purchase of small bags and least expensive with large bags.
  • The average cat owner spends $188 per year on food, according to a pet owner survey by The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.
Related articles: Owning a Cat, Buying a Cat, Pet Insurance

What should be included:
  • Cat foods include one or more sources of: protein, fat, soluble carbohydrates, fiber and vitamins and minerals. PetEducation.com[1] offers a guide to cat foods.
  • Some companies make a raw food diet for cats, which consists mostly of raw meat. The raw diet is controversial, so cat owners should do their own research. Amazon[2] offers books on raw diets and holistic health for cats.
Additional costs:
  • The average cat owner spends $41 per year on treats and $31 per year on vitamins, according to a pet owner survey by The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.
Discounts:
  • Some retailers and manufacturers, such as Nutro and Blue Seal[3] have frequent buyer programs that allow customers to receive a free bag of cat food after purchasing 10 to 12 bags.
Shopping for cat food:
  • The Menu Foods pet-food recall that began in early 2007 has continuing implications for cat owners. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration[4] offers current information on the recall. And ThePetFoodList[5] offers a list of cat foods that were and were not part of the recall, as a starting point for consumers who want to do their own research.
  • Look at the labels for high quality protein -- such as meat or fish -- at the top of the list. By federal law, manufacturers must list ingredients by weight. PetEducation.com[6] has a primer on selecting a cat food.
  • Consider the cat's life stage, weight, activity levels and any food allergies or sensitivities -- which, in cats, most commonly involve fish, beef or dairy products. PetEducation[7] has a primer on food sensitivities and allergies.
post Post   Comments (5)  
CostHelper News


7 Lesser-Known Discounts for the 50+ Crowd
As they age, members of the Baby Boomer generation don't like to admit that they're senior citizens, but they love getting discounts. It's kind of a quandary, because some of the best deals available are reduced prices for older folks. || Posted October 21 2013


7 Ways to Stretch Your Reduced Food Budget
End of the year budgets are tight for everyone, especially in this economy.It's especially hard for the millions of Americans who depend on government programs like food stamps to help make ends meet. || Posted November 11 2013

‣ All CostHelper Blog Posts


What People Are Paying - Recent Comments
Food prices are out of control—extreme
Amount: $110.00 per month
Posted by: Jack Juste in Thousand Oaks, CA.Posted: May 1st, 2023 03:05PM
Breed: 4 beastsBrand of Food: cheapest
We won't do Purina products, which aren't all that inexpensive these days either. A 3 lb bag will cost at least $36 now, and the cheapest not-garbage type food in a 11-14 lb bag is $65+. In any Vet brand 3 lb bags start 1t $65. It's highway robbery. All the excuses by corporations conveniently aren't backed by hard evidence.
Was this post helpful to you?   yes     no Report prohibited or spam
1 cat
Amount: $30.00 per month
Posted by: a user in Tide Head, Other.Posted: November 18th, 2019 04:11AM
Breed: Domestic catBrand of Food: Any wet canned food on sale
In NB Canada, the cheapest canned food I have been able to find is about $0.60/can. He gets 1 and 1/2 cans a day so roughly 45 cans/month.
My cat never drinks water so I only give him wet food and wet treats.
Was this post helpful to you?   yes     no Report prohibited or spam
Cat lover
Amount: $145.00 per month
Posted by: Suzette Darling in CHANDLER, AZ.Posted: September 20th, 2017 07:09PM
Breed: 2, Russian blue 2,mixed breedsBrand of Food: Friskies,fancy feast, all natural dry fo
My husband gets mad at me all the time due to cost of cat foid. Meanwhile my weiner dogs eat fresh cooked chicken. Go figure. Plus there is a family of 2 adults, 2 kittens that I feed as well. But shhh..don't tell my hubby lol
Was this post helpful to you?   yes     no Report prohibited or spam
Cat food
Amount: $50.00 per month
Posted by: a user in Minneapolis, MN.Posted: May 24th, 2017 12:05AM
Im not sure where youre getting your food prices and info on raw meat cat food so for people who dont know....cats are carnivores. Just like lions, pumas, tigers, etc. It is not natural for them to drink water. They in fact get most of their liquid needs met from the blood of the animals they kill. 2 birds a day, or 2 mice a day is their natural diet. A cats body simply CAN NOT break down ANY carbohydrates. Thats why dry food can be very unhealthy for them depending on the brand. I feed my babies raw ground up chicken, rabbit, elk, and so on from Woodys Pet Deli. Its actually CHEAPER than any cat food and my babies love it. Just an fyi. Thanks! Love those babies feline or canine.
Was this post helpful to you?   yes     no Report prohibited or spam
Too Many Rescued Felines!
Amount: $275.00 per month
Posted by: Elizabeth Yuster in Spencerville, MD.Posted: January 25th, 2016 08:01AM
Breed: Manx & Stray/Alley CatsBrand of Food: Avoderm & Purina (Dry)
I am on disability. unable to drive-or carry anything heavy, my 25-year credit Union 'ALLOWED' complete theft of my disability pension & All Savings--which They REFUSE to Credit. I've 6 rescues-two that have lost drastic amounts of weight-but were better once i rescued them from abandonment at a foreclosed house. I'm skipping needed Rx's to feed the 6, (all fixed), plus a stray (Alpha) in the garage. I don't have enough $ to get moist food & litter.....I've saved 100's of kittens from a feral colony, using my own limited income to by KMR, and find them 4Ever homes, once they were at Least 8 weeks. I need help with litter & moist food...I'm no good to help them If I'm bedridden. No One delivers, unless you pay. To what do my hungry kitties, do I say?
Was this post helpful to you?   yes     no Report prohibited or spam


 

Comment On Your Experience With Cat Food
 
Subject:  *
Amount Spent:  * per month
Breed: Brand of Food: 
Comments: 
Purchased:  Year: 
City:  * State:  *
 
Information about you:
Email:  * Email addresses are not displayed.
Name:  This is the name we'll display with your post.
me on this computer
*=required field.
 



External Resources:
  1.  www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+1770&aid=667
  2.  www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/103-0692060-0195803?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias...
  3.  blueseal.com/pet-food-frequent-buyer-program/
  4.  www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/RecallsWithdrawals/ucm129575.htm
  5.  www.thepetfoodlist.com/
  6.  www.peteducation.com:80/article.cfm?c=1+1399&aid=2660
  7.  www.peteducation.com:80/article.cfm?c=1+1402&aid=142
More Pets & Pet Care Topics
Check Out All Costs for Pets & Pet Care How Much Does Owning a Dog Cost? How Much Does a Chinchilla Cost? How Much Does a Horse Cost?

Search Thousands of Topics on CostHelper.com

 
Today's Featured Cost Articles

About CostHelper
CostHelper is based in Silicon Valley and provides consumers with unbiased price information about thousands of goods and services. Our writers are experienced journalists who adhere to our strict editorial ethics policy.

CostHelper Community
UTI urgent care visit
Paid: 147.00
Visit was $135. Antibiotics was $12. Waiting for four hours in the waiting room and the visit was quick... [more]
-nervouschomper
Urinary Tract Infection Treatment Cost
Spanish Medical Interpreter
Paid: 150.00
I worked with SynShyne Services out of Monroe, NC. They were so worth the price! Professional, friendly, accurate, great attitude and always on time. I recieved an itemized report after every contact and a user friendly invoice weekly... [more]
-Gregory Richardson
Interpreter Cost
Dat
Paid: 495.00
This is how much I am paying... [more]
-Calista Christian
Dental Admission Test Cost
Shingrix
Paid: 48.00
... [more]
-Not that BB
Shingles Vaccine Cost
Skin prick allergy test
Paid: 573.00
Took my 9 yr. old in after an allergic reaction to eggs. Several panels for nuts, fish & top 8 allergens. Sure enough, egg came up. Got a script for epinephrine and left... [more]
-D’s mom
Allergy Testing Cost
Estimate for Teeth Cleaning Cat
Paid: 0.00
13 year old cat …teeth extractions, X-rays, blood work, anesthetic, cleaning estimate 2 to 3 thousand... [more]
-Terrimarie
Cat Teeth Cleaning Cost