If you are worried about tariffs affecting the price of Foods you buy for your catyou are not alone.
Pet owner survey in March 2025 It revealed that 28% of pet parents are worried that they can afford things for their pets, while 52% are concerned that tariffs will make pet ownership more expensive.
There is anecdotal evidence of the price of Cat food It’s already rising due to new tariffs. The owner of a Colorado pet store was recently interviewed by Denver’s Fox 31 News about rising food and pet supply costs (and shopping bag prices). “We can’t even eat 10% without going out of business,” he said.
Tariff rates seem to change every day, and without working crystal balls it is difficult to know exactly what the future holds. How is the purpose of this blog? the current Customs duties status may affect US pet food prices
Taxes are basically taxes that apply to goods imported into the country.
The government uses tariffs for a variety of reasons. Tariffs can be used to raise government revenues, protect domestic industries from foreign competition, and to equalize the arena in situations of unfair trade practices. Tariffs can be retaliatory. This is a way to punish other countries for some degree of action.
Who pays the customs duties?
While tariffs may seem like punishing foreign producers, the reality is that consumers (that is, you) remain on the bill. Additional charges for customs duties will be passed to you in the form of a higher price.
Customs duties can also affect prices in an indirect way. If imports are too expensive and domestic manufacturers are unable to meet demand, tariffs create a supply shortage. Then the price rises.
And finally, both domestic and foreign companies may be forced to pass on increased operating costs associated with establishing new supply chains or changing production locations. That’s on top of the tariffs themselves.
How do tariffs affect cat food costs?
Most cat food sold in the US relies on all global supply chains, including the ingredients and packaging of cat food, as well as the equipment used to make cat food.
Cat food packaging is subject to customs duties
There are lots of cans Cat food Come In is made from a product called Tinplate Steel, which is a thin layer of tin-coated steel.
Tinplate steel is not just used Cat food Cans – Tin steel is used in packaging for human food and other household products because it is highly resistant to corrosion.
Approximately 25.1 billion cans are produced each year, and most of them (83%) are human and pet food cans.
What is the problem with Tinplate Steel Market?
The problem is that the US does not produce enough tin steel or the right kind of tin steel to meet its demand. You must import it. For example, in 2022, 62% of tin steel was imported.
Why doesn’t the US build more factories?
You’ll think that US manufacturers are falling to themselves to build a tin steel factory here. However, US steelmakers have not invested capital in new factories for very good reasons.
Most US manufacturers believe that the tin steel market is shrinking relatively small. Domestic manufacturers are actually closing existing factories rather than putting in more money. “It’s not a big segment to invest in,” Robert Budway, president of the CAN Manufacturers Institute, told FastMarkets.
Cat food requires the highest quality cans
Canned cat foods require the highest quality tin steel to prevent leaks, rust and corrosion that affect food safety.
High quality tin steel is actually very complicated to produce. Foreign manufacturers can manufacture high quality tin steel in a variety of thicknesses and widths required by the market.
As a result, manufacturers are forced to purchase tin sheet steel overseas, as the quality of what is available in the US does not meet the standards.
Tin Steel Tax Issues
The problem with tariffs on imported tin steel is that US manufacturers simply cannot meet the demand or produce the kind of materials the manufacturers need. These tariffs are forcing food companies to find other packaging solutions, except that they cause immediate rises in food prices.
But they are not going to bring more tin steel production back to the US
Cat Food Ingredients are affected by customs duties
You might think you’re buying Cat food It is produced in one country, but in reality it could be produced in whole or in part, in another country, or in some countries. In an age of rising tariffs, it is important to know exactly where all the ingredients in cat food came from.
Some cat food ingredients are made in the US, while others are imported
According to the American Association of Feed Management (AAFCO), a nonprofit that guides government regulators on pet food and labeling standards, many pet food ingredients occur in the United States and Canada (duties on Canadian imports of pet food will be temporarily suspended at the time of this writing, but may be reversed at any time).
Exceptions include lamb/sheep meat and fish and fish meals that come from New Zealand. Fruits and tapioca are usually imported, as are vitamins, minerals and other food additives.
That last bit is important for cat caregivers. The amino acid taurine is essential for cat health and is mostly sourced from China. A very small proportion of taurine also comes from Japan.
If that was so simple…
It doesn’t mean “Made in the Usa.”
The Federal Trade Commission oversees the labeling of products, and the term “made in the United States” does not mean that all ingredients in pet food have been grown, grown and harvested in the United States.
“Made in the USA” means that cat food processing and final assembly took place in the United States. Ingredients that enter this food are supplied elsewhere and are therefore subject to customs duties.
Another related phrase, “Made in America,” means that pet food was made in either the United States, including Central America or South America. If cat food is made in Mexico, it will still be labeled “made in the US” and could be subject to customs duties.
And by “sourced in the US” it means that only a portion of the ingredients come from the US. Products that say “sourced in the US” have probably been processed and have been turned into cat food in other countries. Customs duties will be collected when the final product is imported to the US for you to purchase.
And finally, just because pet food companies are “made in America” or “made in America” with product packaging doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s true.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulatory authorities on pet food in the United States. The FDA conducts occasional inspections of several facilities to ensure compliance with the Food Safety Act, but does not implement all laws, including some labeling laws.
Some cat food makers use intermediaries to hide where they source ingredients
Not all pet food companies are honest about where the ingredients come from.
The website TruthAboutpetfood.com traces the paper trail of pet food ingredients import records. Many import records show that there are unlikely importers of pet food ingredients.
One record shared by TruthAboutPetfood.com shows the bank, JP Morgan, importing parts of the buffalo body from India. JP Morgan does not manufacture pet food.
So, what is this? Some pet food companies are probably employing intermediaries like JP Morgan to act as records importers. This allows pet food companies to hide the fact that they import some ingredients from China and other countries.
However, this does not stop the collection of customs duties. This will ultimately be factored into the cost of buying cat food for you.
At the time of this writing, the cat food market appears to be relatively stable.
This is probably due to early stockpiling by distributors who were expecting tariffs. One estimate is that US distributors placed orders covering supply for 3-6 months.
But the second half of the year could be a different story unless our government decides to withdraw some of these tariffs.
A Rover survey of parents of 1,000 pets showed that 25% of pet guardians are already beginning to switch to more affordable pet food brands.
34% of respondents admitted that PET spending is one of the last places to cut when budgets are tight, while 33% said they have already cut their spending in other categories, including groceries!
I don’t insist that cat guardians skimp their groceries, so their cats don’t have to go without. If you need it, we recommend changing your pet food brand to something cheaper.
If you need more help, Many people offer pet food and local shelters, so contact your local food pantrysome people have surplus food, so they can donate.
This page on PetFinder.com will help you find cat food resources.
Unfortunately, there is no magical solution to this horrifying problem.
The main goal is to continue feeding cats what cat food is available and avoid abandoning them to shelters if possible. The shelter is already harsh, and in the end only a small portion of the cat is adopted. Most are euthanized.
If you decide to try new cat food, make sure to move slowly to prevent the cat’s stomach upset. In this post, we will explain how to manage the switch from one food type to another. (It’s halfway through the post).
And finally, if you are very leaning, call a government representative and let them know how tariffs are affecting you and your family.
Do you love Pinterest? This is a Pinterest-friendly pin for your board!
Dawn Lafontaine
Dawn Lafontaine is a lifelong animal lover who appears to have little pet hair on his keyboard at all times. Her blog, Kitten’s thoughtshelp cat guardians to better understand and care for the special presence that shares their lives and homes. Her cat products business, Cat in the boxsells beautiful, well-made, award-winning products designed to meet cat biological needs.
