Alissa Conaty will go hungry before her cats do.
It's not an exaggeration, she says. Some weeks, she eats ramen noodles so she can spring for more expensive organic food for her two cats, Widget and Katie. The Rogers Park resident has turned down apartments with amenities she wanted in order to find places that accommodate multiple cats that have not been declawed. Her cats are her "fur babies," and she's not about to cut back on spending to spoil them.
"It's not like I have a budget for them," said Conaty, 37. "If I did, I would look at the number and say, 'Holy crap.'"
Her trips to the pet store rarely end with just the basics. She'll head for the food aisle and see some toys on display. Before she knows it, she says, she'll have a new outfit, a different scratching post or a fresh catnip mouse to bring home. In all, Conaty says she spends at least an extra $20 to $30 a month in extras for her cats.
"With my cats, there is no control over my impulse purchases," she said.
Despite headlines about a crummy economy and tightening wallets, Conaty isn't ready for her pets to feel the pinch, and neither is the rest of the country. Americans spent more than ever on their pets last year-an estimated $52.8 billion, up from $50.9 billion the previous year-according to the American Pet Products Association. Even through the recession, the industry has seen spending increase every year since 1994, and Chicago pet boutique owners say they've seen the same trend. When it comes to the bottom line, many pet owners are willing to put Fido and Mittens near the top.
"Our business has been better than ever; this December has been the busiest ever, and we've been here nine years," said Bruce Haas, co-owner of Tails in the City, a dog boutique in the Gold Coast. "2012 was our best year ever as well."
What is it that has kept pet owners spending, even through the recession? For one, Haas said, pets are being considered family members more than property. Pet product makers also have placed an emphasis on fashion. Fall and spring fashion lines, concepts once reserved for those on two legs, now have gone to the dogs.
"We sell tons and tons of cashmere sweaters that retail for $120," he said. "We hear it all the time: 'I spent more on this coat for my dog than I spent on my own.'"
In some cases, the clothing can be a necessity, says Lane Boron, owner of Pocket Puppies boutique in Lincoln Park. The shop specializes in teacup-sized breeds, which Boron said need to bundle up for cold weather. It also sells North Face jackets and other items that mimic designer clothing.
"In Chicago it's not just lavishing your pet. A lot of dogs need jackets and sweaters in this weather," he said.
And it's not just dress-up. Haas said some of the best sellers in his store are parodies of luxury items.
"It's that trend of, 'I have an iPad, I want my dog to have one too.' It's tongue-in-cheek," he said of stuffed knock-offs of human luxury items, best-sellers in his shop. "I carry a Louis Vuitton, my dog has a chewy version. I drink Ketel One, my dog plays with Kennel One. It's an affordable luxury for people, it makes them feel good. You're not going to go to Neiman Marcus and spend $2,000 to $3,000 as much as you used to. But you come here and spend $200 to $300 and [customers] feel good when the economy isn't so great."
Stephanie Bogovich, 24, of Printers Row, echoed that sentiment as she and her husband shopped at Tails in the City on a recent Saturday afternoon. She said instead of spending hundreds on herself, it makes her just as happy to buy a new toy here or treat there for her 4-month-old puppy, Zoe, a Yorkie and Bichon mix.
"It's a little splurge without having to be ridiculous on yourself," she said. "In the last four months we've probably spent $100 a month [on extra accessories]. For a young couple, $25 isn't going to get you much. For the dog, it's some booties and treats."
Conaty said it's the constant and immediate feedback of buying a new toy, wholesome food or a cute outfit for her cats that keeps her wallet open, even when she's not treating herself.
"They are always here; most of the time they let me pick them up and hug them," she said. "If I'm looking at luxuries I am eliminating for myself, I'm looking at things that aren't as constant."