- Joined
- Apr 6, 2006
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I have somewhat of an odd situation.
I'm on SSI (government disability payments--about 30% below federal poverty limit). That means money is tight. Right now, my rent is very nearly equal to my monthly income. I'm going to school so I can try to get a job I can do, which is expensive. Cat food, vet care, and litter are major expenses for me too, though I'm pretty sure I save on the vet care by buying good cat food. I cannot "get rid" of the cats--it would be a major loss both for me and them. My shrink has certified them as emotional support animals, which just means they help me maintain emotional stability, and are allowed into any housing that I live in (as long as I pay for any damage, which so far has amounted to exactly zero). Tiny is smart and does a few service-animal things too, unofficially.
I also have food stamps. This means I don't go hungry, which is great, because before I got them I sometimes did. The thing with food stamps is that they are meant to sustain anybody--including, say, a 6'5" man who does an active job. I'm a 5'2" female. I don't eat nearly that much; and my mom taught me how to find bargains at the supermarket. Which means that right now, I have a lot of food stamp money and not a lot of other-stuff money.
So... here's my question: Is it possible to feed cats on human food--the kind of food you could buy with food stamps? If so, what would be healthy for them? I'm looking at all the alternatives right now--I have two big bags of cat food stored up, so they're not going to go hungry any time soon, but I just had to pay about $500 worth of tuition left over after all the scholarships, and that took a chunk out of my bank account. Eventually, I may be looking at a shortage in the cat budget, and I want to know all the possibilities long before I actually run short.
Ideas? Can you feed cats on people food--healthily, and long-term?
I'm on SSI (government disability payments--about 30% below federal poverty limit). That means money is tight. Right now, my rent is very nearly equal to my monthly income. I'm going to school so I can try to get a job I can do, which is expensive. Cat food, vet care, and litter are major expenses for me too, though I'm pretty sure I save on the vet care by buying good cat food. I cannot "get rid" of the cats--it would be a major loss both for me and them. My shrink has certified them as emotional support animals, which just means they help me maintain emotional stability, and are allowed into any housing that I live in (as long as I pay for any damage, which so far has amounted to exactly zero). Tiny is smart and does a few service-animal things too, unofficially.
I also have food stamps. This means I don't go hungry, which is great, because before I got them I sometimes did. The thing with food stamps is that they are meant to sustain anybody--including, say, a 6'5" man who does an active job. I'm a 5'2" female. I don't eat nearly that much; and my mom taught me how to find bargains at the supermarket. Which means that right now, I have a lot of food stamp money and not a lot of other-stuff money.
So... here's my question: Is it possible to feed cats on human food--the kind of food you could buy with food stamps? If so, what would be healthy for them? I'm looking at all the alternatives right now--I have two big bags of cat food stored up, so they're not going to go hungry any time soon, but I just had to pay about $500 worth of tuition left over after all the scholarships, and that took a chunk out of my bank account. Eventually, I may be looking at a shortage in the cat budget, and I want to know all the possibilities long before I actually run short.
Ideas? Can you feed cats on people food--healthily, and long-term?