BellaOnline Forums Money Frugal Living Frugal pet supplies ideas

here is a thread for us to discuss cheap and inexpensive ways to raise pets. What tips do you have?

I'll start with one - I get a generic brand of cat food that is around ten dollars from my local ALCO. I am signed up online for ALCO specials and around once a week or every other week I get emailed a high-value printable coupon. These coupons are usually 20%, 25% or 30% off a single item.

When I get a 30% off one, I always run down and grab a new bag of cat food. I toss the food into a plastic garbage bucket with a tight fitting lid and use a scoop to get the cat food out.

Today one of those 30% off Qs came along. I printed one for me and one for DH, and we each ran to ALCO and bought a huge bag of cat food that only came to $7 each.

I'd rather get my pets expensive catfood, but with my frugal budget I have to be content with making sure they simply have plenty to eat.

What frugal pet owner tips do you have?

My dog prefers a plastic waterbottle to play with instead of an expensive squeaky toy or a stick. You do have to watch and take it away before she chews peices off it though.

Sad1, that is a good frugal toy! Then you can recycle the plastic before it gets too chewed up. Perfect!

My cats like crumpled up paper and napkins.

DH just recently made a cat house for my cats from some scraps of lumber. he cut a hole for the door and we put old blankets inside. Then we put our toaster oven in there. At night is it set to "warm" which is just enough to make a tiny amount of radiant heat.

I am thinking of insulating it with padded mailing envelopes that I just staple-gun in. I have been saving up the padded envelopes for years and have so many of them.

I just have to ask because if I don't my brain won't rest. How are you preventing fires? Surely, I'm not correctly understanding the information.

the thing barely gets warm. you could sit on it on the warm setting.

Yes, but paper on top of a constant open electrical heat source for a fur bearing pet? Am I reading the suggestion correctly?

I guess I understand the minimum heat source you are talking about. It would be like a candle/mug warmer. However, I would still not put paper on that and have an animal sit on it as friction, pressure, and weight condense the heat molecule structure. To my mind's eye that equals an active (eternal/open) heat source to build up force against a flammable paper (wood) source to an occupant who is covered in fur.

What about using battery powered heating gloves, mits, scarf? The heat is generated from a closed, insulated heat source. Or, those break and shake heat packs under a blanket? Or, shredded newspaper covered by a piece of plank of wood and a blanket for nesting? Or, an insulated old coat from a Salvation Army? What about a small dog house with a used pet bed?

There is no paper on it. The paper is no where near it. This cat house is HUGE and two stories. It's for five cats, after all.

How are you safeguarding against moisture and electrocution? Mud, water, and snow are conductors of electricity.

I'm bringing these concerns to you out of care and kindness - there is no offense intended in my suggestions.

At one time I was feeding a feral cat. When winter came with below zero temps threatened I made him a litle house out of a cardboard box and insulated the inside with styrofoam sheets. When it got REALLY cold I attached a bit of blanket for a hinged door. He loved it and used it every day. One bitter cold day I put my hand in to see if he was OK and was amazed at how toasty warm it was in there. So if you put in plenty of insulation the cats will do all the heating they need and save the electricity.