Fueling Fluffy and Spot is getting more expensive, too. Pet food prices for the past three months have risen between 8 percent and 9.5 percent over the same period a year ago, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor's Consumer Price Index. While that trails increases in milk or gasoline, it represents the largest pet food increase in years.

Manufacturers are paying more for ingredients such as grains and meats along with fuel for deliveries, and they're sharing the pain.

Del Monte Foods Co., maker of Meow Mix, Kibbles 'n Bits, Milk Bone and other familiar pet food brands, said it would raise prices an average 5.5 percent across its lines effective this month. The company already had raised prices in February, following increases made last spring.

Menu Foods, which makes private label products, pushed through an increase in January on wet pet food. Prices go up in July on Hill's Science Diet products, a company spokeswoman said.

The PetSmart chain has seen prices from many different pet food makers rise anywhere from 6 percent to 12 percent in recent months, driven by the same factors that are sending up the cost of food at the grocery store. "We're seeing price increases in all different brands and types of food," said Jessica Douglas, spokeswoman for the Phoenix chain, which has Pittsburgh-area locations.

Shoppers have noticed. Pete and Ann Yanief, of Pleasant Hills, were in the PetSmart in West Mifflin last week to buy food for their 8-year-old English bulldog. The couple was going back and forth between two displays, trying to strike the right balance between food their dog would eat and the best value.

A 40-pound bag of a "senior" version of the Eukanuba brand their dog liked was selling for $38.99, while a special display offered a 46-pound bag of the regular "adult" version for $31.99 with a store loyalty card. Mr. Yanief said prices were "definitely up."

Donna DiMarzio, of Jeannette, was standing in the cat food aisle trying to find a new flavor of Friskies wet cat food that she'd seen advertised. She has three dogs and one cat. "I just paid an extra $2 for 20 pounds of dog food."

She wasn't inclined to start trading down and looking for a cheaper brand because that's hard on the animals, sometimes giving them upset stomachs. Instead, she joked, "I'm eating Ramen noodles."

Burton Patrick, owner of several Pet Supplies "Plus" stores in the region, has heard complaints about rising prices, but he doesn't expect a lot of people to change their pets' diets. "I think consumers learned their lesson with the recall," he said, referring to problems last year with tainted ingredients that led to a massive pulling of pet food products from the market.

Nationally, higher pet food costs are just another factor in concerns over the slowing economy's impact on the animal population. Earlier this month, the Humane Society of the U.S. awarded the first round of grants from a new fund set up to help head off problems caused by the nation's foreclosure and financial crisis.

"We were watching the economy," said Nancy Peterson, an issues specialist with the organization. She said officials followed a number of news reports about pets being left in foreclosed homes because people either couldn't take them to their new residences or just couldn't afford them. The fund was seeded with $15,000 but has continued to receive donations that will enable more grants.

Grants are being awarded to shelters and other organizations that can put between $500 and $2,000 to use helping pets affected by economic issues. The Humane Society of Westmoreland County was among the first round of recipients, receiving $2,000 to help fund low-cost veterinary care services, among other things.

"We have a lot of people call us," said Kathy Burkley, executive director. "They can't keep their animals because they've lost their house." Pet food prices haven't been an issue for the shelter because it participates in a Hill's Science Diet program that donates food to shelters around the country.

Meanwhile, the Yaniefs headed toward the store checkout with one of the hefty, 46-pound bags of dog food in the shopping cart. The price was better than the other option. And, Mrs. Yanief said with a laugh, "It's 15 percent more in the bag."