Reader T says:
This is regarding something that has always bothered me. While grocery shopping today, I decided I’d better pick up some cat food. I always buy a case of the Fancy Feast 3-Flavor Variety Pack, sliced. That’s the only stuff my cat will eat. I promise, I’ve tried everything else. So, I’m looking over my two choices, which are a 12 pack (4 of each flavor) for $8.29, or $3.684 per pound, and a 24 pack (8 of each flavor) for $17.65, or $3.92 per pound…
As usual, I become irritated because the larger box actually costs MORE than buying two of the smaller boxes. I would love to buy just one size large of the stuff, but the Purina company has made it impossible for a half-way intelligent person to do so. So, as usual, I buy two of the smaller boxes.
Once at home, I decide I’d like to email the Fancy Feast people and inquire as to why this situation exists. So I sent them a little note that read:
Shopping today, I noticed the 12 can size of the 3-Flavor Variety pack (sliced) costs less per pound than the 24 can size of the exact same product. I can buy two of the 12 can size boxes for about $1 LESS than I can buy one 24 can size. I think consumers naturally think that buying in larger quantities will save them money. I’ve noticed it has been this way for many, many months, so these are not products that are being discontinued, or are on sale, etc. Why would anyone purchase a 24 can box of your product when they can buy two 12 can sizes for $1 less. Can you please explain this pricing structure to me? It makes no sense. Thank you.
So I guess we’ll see what they say.
Thanks for the work you do.
You know, T., this sort of pricing is much more common than you might expect. It seems that retailers have realized that people take for granted that the “larger size is cheaper by the pound” and are taking advantage of this assumption.
By paying attention to unit pricing, you’ve attained the next level of Consumer Ninja-ism. Congratulations!
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@marsneedsrabbits: The mouse IS their special treat
#1 it’s a cat, who cares
#2 ALWAYS look at unit pricing
#3 note to writer; you have been
trained by a cat
@friedfish: They really are quite clever creatures, aren’t they?
“The only stuff my cat eats” Really? If you gave the cat no alternative, would it really starve itself to death?
I’ve noticed this same thing at Target. I buy Target brand multivitamins and two of the 100 count bottles is less expensive than one of the 200 count bottles. It seems the larger count bottle should cost less because there is (a) less packaging (b) less manufacturing cost (c) less time/money spent shipping and placing on a shelf.
They recently closed the Albertson’s by my house and replaced it with the chain store in our area (HEB). Thank goodness, too. Albertson’s is such a rip.
@choinski: My cats used to only eat generic cat food until I bought some Purina One for indoor cats with hairballs. They didn’t eat for about three days before they finally gave in. Now they won’t eat anything other than Purina One.
@no name: That’s why you gradually intermix the food over about a week when you switch a pet’s food. Day 1: 20% new stuff, 80% old stuff. Day 2: 30% new stuff, 70% old stuff, etc.
(It’s good to know that my previous life as a pet food store worker still comes in handy)
This thread reminds me about how when I woke up this morning and trudged through the dark apartment in my slippers I slipped and almost fell in a large pile of cat puke carefully placed in front of the bathroom. Thanks “Purina Pro-plan Total Adult Formula”!
Stupid little furry vomit sacks… grumble grumble.
@friedfish: “I’ts a cat, who cares?” If you have a cat, I pity it. What’s the point in having a pet, then treating it like it’s just another possession?
Personally, I used to feed my cat only dry food. But then she started losing weight, and just kept losing it until she was too thin and she was having hair and skin problems.
So I switched over to the canned stuff, and she got right back up to a healthy weight and got back to being healthy. In a way, I really did have a choice between feeding her the canned stuff and letting her starve to death – given that I’d had her for 11 years at that point, letting her starve to death was never an actual option.
This is news?
@scoosdad: Just be careful with the splitting. A lot of times it doesn’t split cleanly and you’re left with a bunch of dust. And splitting 325mg into 81mg is not really easy as you’re trying to split the pill into quarters.
@scoosdad: and @Chris Vee: Friends of mine tell me the dollar stores are selling cheap 81 mg aspirins now. You might want to take a look.
Ever noticed how any post that even remotely mentions cats will inevitably bring out all the “I hate cats” comments? Ever noticed that it’s perfectly acceptable, but nobody ever says they hate dogs?
Just for the record, cat haters, we don’t care. Really. We know you exist, we know you hate cats, let it go. You’ll feel better, I promise.
choinski, a sick cat who gets into the “habit” of not eating will, indeed, starve to death without being coaxed to eat again.
That’s the only stuff my cat will eat. I promise, I’ve tried everything else. — Not hard enough, apparently. Let him get hungry enough, he’ll eat what you put in front of him.
When Cat slaves (owners) — This comment is very disturbing. Cat slaves? Are you fucking kidding me?
I noticed a similar thing at Target once. The regular size (two cup) Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups was less than half the cost of the King Size Reese’s. I bought two of the smaller ones, but said something to the manager that was near the checkouts. What did I notice the next time I was there? The King Size cups were the same price, but the regular size had increased in price. D’oh!
Vets now pretty much universally recommend that cats NOT be fed dry food–the high carb content leads to diabetes. Cheapo wet food is the way to go.
To protect your pets from contaminated food, I suggest buying several months of food and storing it.
It seems to take 1-2 months for a recall, so I keep enough food on hand so that it’s at least six months after purchasing before I have to open a bag (or can). Check the dates – it’s usually good for about two years so spoiling isn’t an issue. I also tape receipts to the bag and hold on to empty bags until all the food is eaten. If there’s a recall, I probably haven’t even opened the bag yet and if I have, I still have the bag with all the identifying information.
I blend kibble from several different manufacturers together for my cats, using a clean kitty litter bucket with a lid for storage. I like to very their protein sources from as wide a variety as possible.
Yes this increases the risk of feeding them bad food from any one single manufacturer, but it also minimizes their exposure: a lesser amount of ingested toxin(s) being enough for them get sick – and get medical attention – but not enough to kill them before they’re beyond treatment.
However you decide to feed your pet, waiting at least 3 months before opening a bag (or can) is a good way to protect them from bad food.
Cheapo food of any kind is to be avoided. Protein is expensive and that’s what cats need. There’s no way around that. ALWAYS read the ingredients. The first three ingredients should be protein, NOT corn and NOT by-products!
High quality food is high in protein and low on carbs. Most cats normally won’t overeat, but they will eat as much as it takes to satisfy their protein requirements – which means eating a lot of fattening high-calorie cheapo food tol get what they need.
Also, the cheapo food tends to have a high salt content. Cats, like us, love salty food, but because cat urine is already so concentrated, excessive salt can lead to the formation of crystals that eventually will stop urine flow. (For male cats, the only recourse is amputation!)
I give mine canned food on occasion as a treat; wheat grass for digestion; and catnip for getting high.