He was inspired by the way coal miners used clay to absorb oil and grease from their boots. He also said there has been an increase in cat adoptions since the pandemic began in 2020. Some litters are better than others at absorbing odor, clumping, and preventing tracking. You may still be able to find dry food in your local supermarket or pet store. Demand for cat food remains very high thanks to continued cat adoptions. Find great deals on the best dry cat food, Is homemade cat food better than store bought? Reuters reported that about 12.6 million U.S. households got a new pet between March and December 2020, according to the APPA (American Pet Products Association). The supply-chain issues that are affecting everything else we like to buy are affecting pet-food ingredients as well. Aldi has a small selection of pet products that consists mostly of cat and dog food, but it also includes cat litter. The shelves are almost bare. The APPA shared data showing that, in 2020, the pet industry market grew to $100 billion for the first time. Robin L. Flanigan is a contributing writer who covers mental health, education and human-interest stories for several national publications. ", "We encourage shoppers to only purchase the amount of food they would regularly need and recommend contacting the individual company for assistance regarding a specific pet food product. The answer is yes - there is a shortage of cat litter in the UK. The shortage has also led to a decrease in the quality of cat litter. They are working hard to figure out the best way to get their food to your stores. All Rights Reserved. But it makes sense that more people are purchasing less-expensive brands of cat food than they were before when all of their other household expenses have risen so dramatically, or that people who usually buy aluminum-canned food now have no choice but to buy their less-preferred brand that happens to come in steel. Jamie Middleton is a freelance editor and writer who has been editing and creating content for magazines and websites for over 20 years. He notes online pet retailers like Chewy have done away with aluminum packaging to fight the cat food shortage. There are two main factors that are affecting the current availability of cat food, especially canned food: aluminum shortages and ingredient shortages. Cats, however, continue to be adopted at the same rate as their pandemic highs. Published: Mar. Even when the food is sourced in the US, there is still a shortfall. [1] Thixton, Susan. 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In his spare time he writes fiction books and poetry - or at least he does when he is permitted to by his cat Pirate, who enjoys the warmth of laptops too much to allow being creative to get in the way. One reason is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted supply chains and caused manufacturing delays. The best way to find a litter that works for you and your cat is to experiment with different types and brands until you find one that you both like. Breeze litter systems, Breeze pads and Breeze litter pellet refills are available at a variety of retailers, including online and pet specialty stores. Consider using a cat water fountain like this model by, Try adding flavors to a cats drinking water to pique her interest: chicken broth or the water from a can of tuna, for example. "I've seen it on the internet, but we've got cat food out the wazoo here, says one clerk at Nashville Pet Products in Nashville, Tennessee. A shortage of meat 3. 2022, https://local12.com/news/nation-world/here-are-the-main-reasons-there-is-a-cat-food-shortage-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic-supply-chain-demand-pet-adoption-increase-wet-dry-aluminum-des-moines-iowa-cincinnati-ohio. Look for more cat foods to be offered in pouch-type packaging, which eliminates the dependence on aluminum. Both are better for the environment than clumping litters, as both are made from renewable resources and are compostable. Phares also said aluminum, which most wet cat food is packaged in, is also in short supply. Offer multiple drinking stations, especially in multi-cat households, so a cat can feel comfortable quenching her thirst without getting ambushed. This is the only situation that can get tricky during a time like this one. "There are a few companies that make food from scratch such as just food for dogs," Dr. Grewal explained. Canine psychologist explains why you should say less, Canine trainer reveals secret to keeping yourself safe when meeting a nervous dog for the first time and its so simple, Certified trainers share six ways to tell if a dog is uncomfortable from their body language, Want your dog to come when called? The supply chain issues that are impacting the food supply chain in the U.S. were expected to get better in 2022. Aluminum is also less expensive to manufacture than many other types of packaging. Why is there a shortage of Fancy Feast cat food? Clumping cat litter has many benefits. But its not a long-term solution. Aluminum shortages are not the only thing affecting the availability of cat food. Specifically, supply chain professor Jonathan Phares points to the shortage of meat used in cat food. Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. First, read this post, Wet food or dry food: which is better for your cat?, to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each type of cat-food formulation, before you pass judgment. Pet owners have been forced to fork out on premium cat litter due to an ongoing nationwide shortage. Most of those cans are made from aluminum, although some cat-food manufacturers use steel or tin-coated steel.[1]. First, the good news: American households took to adopting a lot more cats in 2020 as the pandemic began. Copyright 2023 Market Realist. First, the pandemic has led to an increase in the number of people working from home. The situation is reminiscent of last year's toilet paper sales surge, and the recent shortage of Grape-Nuts that had some fans paying as much as $110 a box through an online black market. Rather than having natural or chemical properties to cause the clump to bind together, non-clumping cat litter just lets the urine soak down but not bind to the particles. Maybe your cat is a picky eater and you worry that he wont eat anything but his fave. Deficiencies in raw materials, packaging stuff, and issues with delivery across the US imply that pet food organizations are battling to stay aware of the expanded demand from 2020. Most pet adoptions saw a spike and dropoff. A shortage of aluminum can 2. Cat Food Shortage Leaves Pet Owners in a Bind - AARP Other companies are running into problems with labor, machinery and packaging. The causes include pandemic-related disruptions like the closure of plants that make the food and packaging materials, as well as increased demand due to the boom in pet ownership amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Be careful not to rely too heavily on canned tuna, however, because it is high in mercury. And, remember not to overfill the cat box since rice expands. Check with your vetbefore switching to one of these products. But with a little creativity and a little flexibility you can do it. My local Aldi sells this litter for around $4 for a 14-pound plastic jug, or about 28 cents a pound. ALDI San-i-Pet Cat Litter Crystals has been discontinued. Global logistics issues have also added to the problem. Why Is There A 2022 Cat Litter Shortage? Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try Also, your vet may have access to cat-food distributors or other sources that are unavailable to you directly. Most wet cat food is packaged in cans. Its possible that things are even worse at your local grocery or pet store. Aluminum shortage is the bigger problem affecting your ability to buy wet cat food right now, so lets address that issue first. However, clumping litter can be more expensive than non-clumping litter, and some cats do not like the feel of it on their paws. The nation's cat owners could be left with a lingering litter problem due to a shortage at major supermarkets caused by the collapse of a petcare company that manufactured a popular brand of the feline toilet essential.2020-01-15. Even if most of the ingredients in your cats food are sourced in the U.S., certain ingredients, like the vitamins and minerals that are added to pet food, are only made in other countries, especially China. You dont clean these pellets as much as you release the ammonia they have absorbed. Expert explains why there is a cat food shortage - WDBJ Dawn LaFontaine is a lifelong animal lover who always seems to have a little pet hair in her keyboard. It is easy to scoop, it forms tight clumps that are easy to remove, and it is very absorbent. Why Is There A Cat Litter Shortage?[Updated: May 2023] - Cats Caress My go tos are Phresh step crystal litter (which is now in stock) from Petco, Litter pearls micro crystals from Amazon, Frisco Micro crystals from Chewy but they are always going out of stock on a vendor by the time my auto ship is active. The box should be large enough for your cat to move around in and turned over at least once a week. Wet food or dry food: which is better for your cat?
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