Pet Food

Pet food covers the meals and treats for the cats and dogs at home. Dry food, often called kibble or biscuits, is baked into small crunchy pieces and keeps for weeks once opened. Wet food comes in tins, trays and pouches, made from meat or fish in gravy, jelly or loaf, and most pets find it more tempting. Treats and chews are smaller, made for training, rewards or keeping teeth busy, and are not meant to replace a meal.

To choose, start with the animal and its age. Kitten and puppy food is richer to support growth, adult food is for everyday feeding, and senior food is gentler. Look for the words complete food on the label if it is the main meal, as complementary food and treats are only part of the diet. Many owners feed a mix of dry and wet, so a bag of dry food and a box of pouches together cover the week. If your pet has a sensitive stomach, change food slowly over a week by mixing the new with the old.

Roll up and clip an open bag of dry food, or tip it into a sealed tub, and keep it somewhere dry. Opened tins and pouches go in the fridge, covered, and should be used within a day or two. Always leave fresh water out, especially with dry food. Pet food sits in personal care and household, so you can add it with laundry and other home basics, or with a larger order from bulk groceries.