Another reason is that some manufacturers have had to reduce production due to the pandemic. Purina ONE SmartBlend Performance is a new line of pet foods that offers your pet a more nutritious option while also being healthier. Plomin recommends owners of pets with special dietary needs order their pets food much earlier than they otherwise would and to buy in bulk. This dilemma in the supply chain affected the dog food availability last year and now has spread to a shortage of cat food this year. There are multiple reasons cat food is not available in the market in the required quantity. Much like last year when toilet paper was nearly impossible to come by, consumers are finding it difficult to snag cans of cat food for their felines. 7 Remedies, Why Does My Cat Reach His Paw Out to Me? If you're having difficulty picking the best chow for your pooch, we feel you. These, and certain vitamins and minerals, must be supplemented in just the right amounts. A cat food shortage means some pet owners are having trouble finding their cats' favorite foods. The most affected regions include Northern Carolina, Los Angeles, and Texas. Aluminum is lightweight and cans can be designed for easy stacking, which makes aluminum cans cheap and efficient to transport. Also, your vet may have access to cat-food distributors or other sources that are unavailable to you directly. Check online sources, too. Zak, who noted her cats only eat canned food, said she only recently noticed the shortage. ADVERTISEMENT. I was charged almost $20 more for the same bag of food that cost me $53.00 last time I bought it. 168. This is why brands like Stella and Chewy have already changed to pouches to store their pet food. This has led to a shortage of dry cat food on store shelves. last updated April 07, 2022 Supply chain expert explains why there is a chronic cat food shortage in American states like Iowa and Florida (Image credit: Getty Images) The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes to our way of life, but kitty owners are facing a new challenge - a cat food shortage. As the PFI states "PFI and its members support efforts to fight climate change, but current policies create a government-driven market advantage to the energy sector and a disadvantage to companies purchasing ingredients for pet food.". The shortage has caused prices to increase and many stores to ration their supplies. Daniel, this is an incredibly frustrating time. Veterinarian and behaviorist Paola Cuevas of excitedcats.comrecommends this process: The idea, said Dr. Cuevas, is to give the cat, and his digestive system, an opportunity to gradually adapt to the new food.. People have now started looking for alternatives to the famous brands available. Buy enough to enable your cat to transition to another type of food, but not enough to wipe out the entire supply in your state. Which Pet Foods Have BPA Free Cans? Truth about Pet Food, 12 Dec. 2012, https://truthaboutpetfood.com/which-pet-foods-have-bpa-free-cans/. Currently, you can buy many quality brands in pouches, including Royal Canin, The Honest Kitchen, Wellness, Weruva, WholeHearted, Merrick, Natural Balance, and others. NY 10036. New York, *If you cannot access the online map, please contact the Community Services Department at (626) 919-6966 to report a coyote sighting. Keep water bowls far away from your cats food and, Consider using ceramic or steel bowls, which cats prefer, instead of plastic. Its possible that things are even worse at your local grocery or pet store. Manufacturers of pet food are reporting shortages of chicken by-product meal, the primary ingredient used in many pet foods. December 13, 2022 by Alexa. Morris the Cat Was Made Famous by What Brand of Cat Food? Its a good thing there are other brands like Purina but you still come across Purina cat food shortage. Plastic can change the taste of the water it contains, which some cats dont seem to like. As a result, the demand for cat food is also very high here. You may still be able to find dry food in your local supermarket or pet store. We just dont know when the shortage is coming or going. Mike McCutcheon of H3 Pet Supply, a pet supply store in Stratford, attributes the shortages to ongoing pandemic-related supply chain issues that are exacerbated by businesses being "short on help." "The manufacturers of pet food are hurting with products and supplies," McCutcheon said. The Purina cat food you bought is not enough for your cats so you look for alternatives. 2022, https://www.breakinglatest.news/news/4-dead-and-1-seriously-injured-in-the-explosion-of-guangdong-aluminum-factory-video-guangdong-qingyuan/. This means fewer suppliers would be in the market after the restrictions were lifted. It just may warrant you having a conversation with your veterinarian and then us pulling up multiple different suppliers to find which one is available where.. 5 Cheapest Places, How Can I Soothe My Cats Itchy Skin? Several factors are to blame, including the pandemic-related delays in manufacturing and poor weather, as well as an increase in pet ownership and attention. They should reach out to their vet if theyre having trouble finding their animals food. So why are shoppers being confronted with empty shelves when trying to buy their furry friend the nutrition they need? Issues with supply-chain delays have impacted a number of industries, even the distribution of canned cat food. The pandemic has caused meat prices to go up and other-ingredient availability to go down for these and other reasons: Everything used to produce meat is more expensive. Packaging is more expensive. People are blaming the pandemic for the same reason. Purina products can still be found in stores and online at Purina.com. A broken ankle. Other than this, there has also been a rise in demand for pet food. Cuddle Bunny offers boarding service for bunnies, and people can also pay to visit with the organizations live-in rabbits. Roger, You are so right about the water fountain. Pets face shortages due to a surge in adoptions and pandemic manufacturing shutdowns. As many of you have probably already noticed, the recent COVID pandemic has led to a pet food shortage that could last until 2022. Purina Announces Planned Acquisition of Red Collar Pet Foods' Treats Factory in Miami, Oklahoma. One reason is that there has been an increase in the number of cats being adopted from shelters. "Many countries import ingredients such as meat, minerals, and vitamins that are used to manufacture pet food," explained Dr. Maureen Murithi, a veterinarian who contributes to hepper.com. Switch the ratio to 75% new food and 25% old food. They currently have a wide range of veterinary diets in stock. [9] Admin. 5 Main Causes & Remedies. You will receive a verification email shortly. It's not just the ingredients though, increasingly pet food manufacturers have nothing to put the food into even if they can make it! There have also been hoarding behaviors. Is there a shortage of cat food in the USA? This will help you to stockpile enough food to last your cat until the shortage ends. Pet owners, on the other hand, will have to make do with what they have until that day comes. There has been a recent shortage of Friskies cat food. These are the areas where people have pets in huge numbers. The Associated Press reports that pet food manufacturers are having difficulty obtaining enough chicken by-product meal, a key ingredient. To add to the problem, transportation issues mean that even when supplies do arrive at ports, there is still a long delay in unloading it from ships and getting it to the pet food factories. In the United States of America, all dog owners have been facing a problem of shortage of dog food since last year. Morgan echoed other pet store employees who said they frequently have issues stocking particular items, but werent having problems keeping food on the shelves in general. Now there are many more domesticated pets in the USA after the pandemic. One of the reasons for this is that raw materials, such as meat, are scarce. Supermarkets across the Tampa Bay Area are having trouble keeping canned cat food on the. Right now it seems to be at a pretty bad situation.. This is especially important if you are feeding them dry food, as it will help to keep them hydrated. It looks suspiciously like a way to force people to pay 3 or four times the price for a given quantity of cat food, because they cant allow their pets to starve. This has been a problem for many cat owners, who have had to go to great lengths to find the food their pets need. So, when COVID-19 hits the world, it is not only the people who get affected but also our fur babies. Apart from empty shelves at supermarkets, the delivery times have been extended if you try buying the products online. Im just glad I can still get it, she said. Its happening more frequently, Morgan said, but I dont think its happening with such a frequency that the whole industry is disrupted., A lot of the time itll be one specific protein, because a lot of our food is protein-based, said Shiloh Lane, assistant manager at the Bark by the Park pet store in Lakeview East. It's possible that things are even worse at your local grocery or pet store. Copyright 2023 Market Realist. His rebound downs Marian Catholic. In July 2021 and April 2022, pet food factory incidents also played a role and further hindered aluminum production exports, and the Chinese government enforced rules to improve carbon emissions issues. Why America Doesn't Have Enough Aluminum Cans. Quartz, Quartz, https://qz.com/2058236/why-america-doesnt-have-enough-aluminum-cans/. Nestl Purina Petcares decision to discontinue the older Purina ONE SmartBlend line makes sense. So, what can cat owners do to make sure their pets are getting the food they need? Smooth and cool., Photos: Northwestern loses to Penn State 68-65 in overtime, Nick Niego is back as Brother Rice stuns St. Rita. But with a little creativity and a little flexibility you can do it. With over 50 brands to choose from, you will certainly find what your pet likes here. Take one chunk of the old food out, and replace it with one chunk of the new food. Kinsley said one of the issues is we havent really got any information from our wholesaler. Do this for three days. A report from the American Pet Products Association showed that from 2021 to 2022, pet. It was an American conglomerate headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri that owned significant holdings in animal feed, food, pet food, consumer products, and entertainment. A woman buys cat food as nearly empty shelves are seen at a Walmart store. Government of Canada. Natural Resources Canada, / Gouvernement Du Canada, 22 Feb. 2022, https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/our-natural-resources/minerals-mining/minerals-metals-facts/aluminum-facts/20510. Also, due to Russias invasion of Ukraine, there has been a global inflation problem. All these industries were not operating during the pandemic, due to which they had to incur huge losses. 2. Call 911 immediately for medical assistance. 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. As a result, the demand for cat food is also very high here. Many people have started cooking cat food at home with the right recipes. While the shortage is not expected to last long, it has caused many cat owners to stock up on other brands of cat food, just in case. Currently, there is an unequal distribution of raw ingredients between humans and animals, where most suppliers prioritize humans before animals. On December 1, 2021, Purina will close its doors. North Carolina is one of the major areas in the United States of America facing a cat food shortage problem. How to Keep Your Cat Well-fed During the Cat-food Shortage? LOUIS, Oct. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The pet experts at Purina are partnering with. Look for more cat foods to be offered in pouch-type packaging, which eliminates the dependence on aluminum. Due to the short supply of dog foods, their prices are rising, leading to another problem. Shortages in raw ingredients, packaging materials, and problems with shipping across the US means that pet food companies are struggling to keep up with the increased demand from 2020. You, as a cat owner, just need to be more open and creative in addressing this cat food issue. Animal food producers and retailers in the United States have been experiencing supply chain issues in recent years due to ingredient shortages, packaging materials, and shipping issues. The pet food shortage has its origins in a variety of circumstances. A number of other recalls have been conducted by the company, including one for their kibble that was discovered to contain elevated levels of lead. 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. Housing close to jobs, schools and services helps our housing shortage, and is essential to meeting California's greenhouse gas reduction goals." "For too long, California has kicked the can down the road when it came to building more housing," said San Francisco Mayor London Breed. Los Angeles, where the number of pet owners is high, is facing a similar issue. Every single node in the supply chain has been disrupted over the last two years, said Dana Brooks, president and CEO of the Pet Food Institute, a pet food lobbying group. 'Not Completely Covid-19's Fault': Here's Why There's a Wet Cat Food Shortage. WPRI.com, WPRI.com, 16 Feb. 2022, https://www.wpri.com/business-news/not-completely-covid-19s-fault-heres-why-theres-a-wet-cat-food-shortage/. The shortage is due to a variety of factors, including a fire at a Friskies factory and a decrease in the amount of fish available for use in cat food. 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. Cat owners are starting to get worried because every time they go to the grocery store to buy their cats their favorite Fancy Feast, Royal Canin or Purina, there is either no stock or not enough. A slow transition to a new food brand, flavor, or formulation is the key to preventing a bellyache. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune). You only have to find a solution that will get you and your cat through until it does. which only adds to the strain on the supply chain. are they going out of business? America imports a lot of pet food from overseas, as well as the meat, minerals and vitamins used to make it. Start with a 90/10 mixture of the old food and new food. Nobody had even heard of hard seltzer until 2013[3], and today hard seltzer is a $5.5 billion business. Purina Cat Chow Naturals Dry Cat Food is a premium cat food from a company well known for making high-quality food across all of their lines. The scarcity meant the cost of meat increased too by 6.3% for meat supplies in 2021. Often the meat in pet food comes from human food off-cuts, and as meat supplies have dwindled due to shortages caused by the pandemic these by-products have become harder to find. (Read more about bowl types in this post, . However, by following these tips, you can make sure that your cat is still getting the nutrition they need. According to a PetSmart employee, most companies are unable to manufacture their canned foods due to a shortage of ingredients. Jun. There is a shortage of cat food in supermarkets because of the high demand for the product. Pet store owners said they needed to raise their prices to keep up with higher wholesale costs. Cats are still being adopted at the same rate as they were during the peak of pandemic.[13][14]. They are working hard to figure out the best way to get their food to your stores. Baby Formula Shortage 2023 - Will this continues or last in the next months? We regret to inform you that Purina Friskies brand cat food is no longer available in 13-ounce cans. First, the Chinese government tightened environmental restrictions in an effort to meet carbon-emissions goals, which slowed production of aluminum. They dont have enough supply to meet everybody, and thats going to continue on at least until the end of summer., Anthony said the same kind of philosophy happened when the toilet paper situation happened., There are a couple of brands that are available, he said. Before COVID, meat processors often hired immigrant workers from Mexico, but changes in immigration laws have reduced access to that source of labor.[12]. Cat owners felt even more frustrated about what was going on and asked, why is there a cat food shortage?. During the coronavirus, a lot of production units had to shut down. Most of those cans are made from aluminum, although some cat-food manufacturers use steel or tin-coated steel.[1]. Many pet owners have learned the hard way that their pets will tolerate only a specific brand or type of food. ET There have been intermittent reports of shortages of several food. 18 May, 2022 The 2022 cat-food shortage and what to do about it These photos are from my local grocery-store pet-food aisle. When a Stray Cat Chooses You Spiritual Meaning, Why Does My Cat Snore So Loud? The main advantage of dry food during this cat-food shortage, is that it comes in bags, not aluminum cans. A stress fracture in his shin. Nonetheless, Dunbar said its been a disturbing trend to watch. There are two main factors that are affecting the current availability of cat food, especially canned food: aluminum shortages and ingredient shortages. Purina One Dog Food Shortage 2022 Purina Dog Food Review: Does Quantity Equal Quality? How to Heal an Open Wound on a Cat? Most meat used in cat food is off-cuts from human food. Nestle, which owns Nestle Purina Petcare, the maker of cat food brand Fancy Feast, said in its 2021 annual report that pet food was a driver of its market share gains across the world. First, the good news: American households took to adopting a lot more cats in 2020 as the pandemic began. Higher pet adoption has boosted the demand while the supply hasn't kept pace. It appears that the canned cat food shortage is impacting a few brands and not the entire industry. With inflation at its highest since the early 1980s, pet food hasnt been spared from the higher prices consumers are seeing across the board. You and your cat can wait out this blip in history. Demand for aluminum has been growing for the last several years, for a number of reasons, including: Aluminum cans are great for marketing. Cat owners get alarmed by this and could not help but wonder, why is there a cat food shortage?. This has led to the markets uneven distribution of available stock. Wet cat food is a very delicate Food material as it has a shorter lifespan than dry cat food. Do you choose completely dry or damp ? Multiple brands typically make special diets for specific conditions, and one might be available in your geographical area if the other is not. Many pet stores carry a variety of different brands, so you should be able to find one that your cat will eat. Pet food is especially in the lamb beef flavors and is unavailable in the market. Its also possible that Purina is deliberately limiting availability in order to create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to buy more quickly. Purina ONE SmartBlend is a line of wet and dry dog food products sold under the Purina ONE brand. The email that we did get from our supplier did indicate that both Nestle Purina and JM Smucker have all their product on national allocation (sending based on percentage of sales under normal conditions), he said. China is the biggest producer of aluminum in the world[7], and the U.S. is one of the biggest importers of Chinese aluminum. 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