What can I feed my cats when I have no money?
Desperate owners often look to household pantry items like canned peas or corn as temporary substitutes when job loss leaves them with absolutely zero money. The inability to afford proper food and a lack of temporary safe havens ultimately forces some to call around for help or even put their pets up for adoption just to ensure they eat.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Asking neighbors, friends, or relatives for help2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 2Feeding them canned vegetables like peas or corn temporarilyDid this help you?
- 3Checking local pet food pantries or human food banksDid this help you?
- 4Reaching out to local pet rescues, shelters, or vets for samples or temporary supportDid this help you?
- 5Surrendering or putting pets up for adoptionDid this help you?
- 6Contacting local animal shelters, rescues, and vets for free pet food or samples.Did this help you?
- 7Visiting community food banks that also carry pet supplies.Did this help you?
- 8Feeding pets plain, unseasoned human foods like cooked chicken and eggs temporarily.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I don't have any cat food and my cats are hungry--are canned peas or corn ok until I get money? I don't care if I don't eat, but this is killing me.”source ↗
“I don't have a dollar to my name. If I had even 2, I would. It's expensive... I put them up for adoption on some website, so they can get better care, so I am trying.”source ↗
“What can I feed my cats? I lost my job and am dangerously close to running out of food.”source ↗
“I do not have a safe place they can go while I figure my life out but I desperately need to figure out food for them.”source ↗
“I don’t anymore. Things are hard right now 🥲 I am calling around. Thank you.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 14Can I afford a pet if I'm barely covering rent and food?
- 3How to feed cats with different diets without expensive microchip feeders?
- 12Why is my kitten always obsessed with food?
- 2Where to find cat food during shortages when they refuse other brands
- 3Is it okay to feed someone else's outdoor cat?
- 19How to help an outdoor stray cat without a vet or money