How to Save Money on Cat Food in 2025: 15 Clever Ways

Whether you are a first-time cat owner or a seasoned pro, you know cats can be expensive. One of the most significant costs associated with cats is their food. However, you don’t have to break the bank to feed your furry friend.

With a little knowledge and some innovative strategies, you can save big on cat food costs. Here are 15 clever ways to save on cat food costs that will help you keep your budget in check without sacrificing your cat’s health.

The 15 Ways to Save Money on Cat Food

1. Compare Prices and Sign Up for Discount Newsletters

Many retailers have competitive prices, and some online retailers have free shipping. Also, one of the best things you can do is stay alert to each store’s deals. You can do this by subscribing to their email newsletter.

If you don’t want your primary email spammed, you can register a new email exclusively for these types of deals. Here are a few online stores that you may want to register your email with:

2. Pay Attention to Brand Sales & Formal Holidays

Many companies offer deals on products that are going out of stock, are in abundant supply, or aren’t selling that well. This can vary by the week, month, or time of year. You also want to pay attention to holidays. Stores love to have deals on holidays, including Labor Day, the 4th of July, Black Friday, New Year’s Eve, and around Christmas time.

3. Buy Food in Bulk

Buying in bulk is another great way to save money on cat food. Many pet stores have discounts for buying larger quantities of food, so it is worth researching different stores to find the best deal. One of the best places to do this is on Amazon and Walmart. You can find bulk cat food on both sites and stock up for the next few months. Unopened cat food can stay good anywhere from 4 months to about 3 or 4 years, depending on the brand and type.

4. Make Your Own Cat Food

There are many easy-to-follow recipes online, so it’s worth researching different recipes to find one that is right for your cat. Making your own cat food can be a fun and rewarding experience for you and your family.

Cats are essentially carnivores, but they need a balanced diet to stay healthy, so make sure to include protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in your cat’s food. You can talk to your vet to ensure you’re feeding your cat the right amount of food and ingredients. Cats need at least 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. So, 26% to 40% of their diet should be protein.

5. Sign Up for Loyalty Programs

Signing up for loyalty programs at pet stores is a great way to save money on cat food. Many pet store chains and local pet stores offer rewards or loyalty programs. For example, PetSmart lets you earn points for every purchase, whether online or at their physical locations. You can then redeem the points for money off of a future purchase.

6. Don’t Go for the Top Name Brands

One of the best ways to save on canned food is to avoid expensive name brands. Some of the more costly brands include Blue Buffalo, Taste of the Wild, and Hill’s Pet. However, pay attention to the nutritional value and ingredients; not all formulas are created equal. And remember that higher pricing doesn’t necessarily always mean higher quality. While you can find cheaper brands that have decent ingredients, some aren’t worth the savings. A few less expensive quality brands include Purina Pro and Iams.

7. Check Out Online Retailers

Checking out online retailers is another great way to save money on cat food. Online retailers offer competitive prices, and some even offer free shipping. It’s worth researching different online retailers to see if they have any deals or discounts that you can take advantage of.

Many stores offer special discounts (usually between 5% and 20%) and coupons to members, so signing up for a loyalty program can save you money. For example, one common Petco deal is that they offer 15% off orders over $50 and a buy one, get one 50% on their online store.

8. Take Advantage of Auto-shipping

Auto-shipping often comes with significant discounts. Chewy offers a 35% discount (up to $20) on your first auto-ship. Then, you’ll get 5% off your next auto-ship. The shipments can be scheduled based on the amount of food you need, and you can change it at any time. Petco also offers 35% discounts on repeat orders.

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll also notice quite a few brands offering discounts on “monthly order subscriptions” and discounts for Prime members alone. Some brands that offer discounts for Prime members include Purina, Pedigree, and Blue Buffalo.

9. Follow Pet Food Companies on Social Media

You may not think of social media when it comes to pet food savings, but it can be beneficial. Pet companies often provide exclusive discount codes and offers on social media that you might not have known about otherwise. In fact, most brands are on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

10. Shop Wholesale

With wholesale purchasing, you can often get cat food discounts of 25%–40%, making it much easier to budget for your pet’s needs. Many online pet stores have bulk discounts and free shipping, so you can be sure to get the best price for your cat’s food. However, you can also check physical wholesale stores, such as Costco or Sam’s. Be sure to test whether your pet likes the food (if it’s not their regular brand/meal). You can purchase a smaller amount before buying bulk at a wholesale store.

11. Use Browser Extensions for Savings

You may be surprised to learn that you can also use browser extensions to get savings on your cat food. These extensions will tell you when you can get cash back or save money when you shop online. Extensions such as BeFrugal, Honey, Capital One Shopping, and Rakuten will tell you when you can earn cash back on purchases like accessories or cat food. Some will also tell you when you can get a better deal at another site. You can also save money by using random promo codes that may pop up on sites like RetailMeNot.

12. Find Cashback Deals With Phone Apps

You can also use phone apps to get cash-back deals. It’s possible to earn a few dollars every time you buy something for your cat. You can earn cash back by using apps such as Top Cash Back, Ibotta, Upside, Fetch, and Drop, which you can redeem for gift cards once you have reached a certain amount (usually $25–$50).

13. Properly Store Dry Food

Cat food can become stale if it’s not properly stored, and throwing it away before it is used wastes money. You can store pet food by simply placing it in the pantry and ensuring that the packaging is free of punctures or holes. When transferring food into a large container, keep it in the original bag and write the expiration date on the container.

14. Track & Measure Your Cat’s Food Portions

Overfeeding your cat can lead to expensive food costs every month, not to mention possibly making your cat overweight. Ask your veterinarian how much food you should feed your cat. Remember that a healthy cat should eat between 23 and 36 calories a day per pound of body weight. Most cats weigh anywhere from 8 to 11 pounds as adults. So, an 8-pound cat should eat about 192 to 280 calories every day.

15. Get Samples from Your Vet

Do you take your cat to the vet every 6 to 12 months? Well, you may want to ask them about cat food samples. Some pet food companies provide vets with new pet food lines and products. This is a great way to continuously get free cat food throughout the year without making any extra trips. Note that it won’t be enough to provide your cat with this food exclusively, but you can save the samples for times when you’re in a pinch, or you can use them to find out which formulas your cat likes or doesn’t like so that you don’t waste money on large bags of food.

Conclusion

Caring for a cat can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Staying on top of which stores have discounts is one of the best ways that you can save money every month. So be sure to sign up for newsletters and buy in bulk whenever possible to stretch your penny as far as you can. The tips we discussed should help you save money on cat food in no time.

• See Also: Is It Cheaper to Make Your Own Cat Food? (Vet Answer)

Featured Image Credit: Svetlana Rey, Shutterstock