# So what shortages are you personally seeing? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [July 24, 2020, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268 "2020-07-24T23:28:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 62
**Author:** ![dummygladhands71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1221 "2022-02-19T03:36:09Z")
Even the dollar store had empty shelves today. And the deli counter at my grocery is closed more than it is open, lack of help the sign says. Yesterday there was one poor woman slicing deli, making fried chicken, party trays and stocking. The deli was a gawdawful mess. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1222 "2022-02-19T20:30:35Z")
> [@JaneDoe42](#): > > Most of the shortages seem to be semi-regional. I haven’t seen any empty cat food shelves, but kitty treats are limited in selection. I actually had to go into a grocery store yesterday (I usually do a pickup), and was surprised how absolutely full it was, give the discussions I’m seeing here. It was the local, “expensive” market that I usually don’t go to (it was on the way home from a supplier), so maybe it’s only the Walmarts and other low-end chains with the shortages? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1223 "2022-02-19T21:11:57Z")
These days, yogurt. Particularly non-Greek yogurt. In my case, the local stores have been OUT of Dannon’s Light & Lively for over a month now. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1224 "2022-02-20T07:15:14Z")
Carrots update: at Mariano’s, where I’ve been finding 5-lb bags, today there were none. There were still a good number of 2-lb bags, so I bought 2. Cough medicine: A couple of weeks ago I got my yearly bronchitis, and I went to Jewel at about 10:30 pm because I decided I needed some cough medicine. A whole section of (presumably) cough and cold remedies was empty. All 4-5 shelves, top to bottom. The adjoining section only had small boxes and bottles. I picked up a small bottle of Jewel’s store brand DM cough syrup. It was only 5 or 6 doses, but that was enough for the moment. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1225 "2022-02-21T23:38:18Z")
It’s not quite as dramatic, but I was at a Whole Foods this weekend, and their bottled water section looked a lot like the Walmart picture upthread. The sesame oil, along with some brands of olive oil, were wiped out; the dried bean section had some empty spots too (particularly for navy beans). I thought the produce department looked well stocked, but Mom (who goes there a lot more than I do) said it looked skimpy. Wegmans didn’t seem to be too bad, but I didn’t see too much of the store since I only needed a couple of things. Their produce section looked pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1226 "2022-02-22T00:26:40Z")
Every big supermarket in these parts has expanded their aisles so it wouldn’t be obvious that they’ve removed a row of shelves or three. Still a dearth of bagged kitty litter. On the up side, I bought the biggest, juiciest limes I think I’ve seen in decades fairly cheaply, since the cartels aren’t strong-arming the citrus growers the way they are avocado growers. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1227 "2022-02-22T00:32:09Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Still a dearth of bagged kitty litter. If there’s a Tractor Supply in your area, try there. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1228 "2022-02-22T00:44:27Z")
For those of you with picky cats whose usual cat food isn’t available, how long will they refuse an alternative? If what they prefer just isn’t available, surely they’ll accept something else? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1229 "2022-02-22T01:01:56Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > For those of you with picky cats whose usual cat food isn’t available, how long will they refuse an alternative? I bought some tilapia that was on sale. They were practically giving it away. I made a nice fish curry, but if we had a cat I think it would have been great cat food ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1230 "2022-02-22T01:04:56Z")
It depends on the cat. Cats are picky eaters because they evolved eating our garbage. The ones who just ate anything didn’t live long enough to breed. There is also the problem that if a cat doesn’t eat for a few days, it develops something called fatty liver disease which is often fatal, hence cat slaves being so worried about the availability of their feline overlords favored fud. > [@kayaker](#): > > if we had a cat I think it would have been great cat food Only if your cat knows that fish is food. If cats aren’t taught to eat canned food by their mama, they never eat it. Our Maine Coon was not exposed to human food until we brought him home at 12 weeks old. His mama was never exposed to human food either. He has NO idea that fish or bacon are food and is very confused watching our other cat happily dining on the few scraps we give her. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1231 "2022-02-22T01:53:05Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > For those of you with picky cats whose usual cat food isn’t available, how long will they refuse an alternative? If what they prefer just isn’t available, surely they’ll accept something else? Depends on the cat. Most young healthy cats will eventually accept something else, yes. Some old and/or ill cats won’t; and even some younger ones won’t, or not soon enough to prevent them risking serious illness. And, as @JaneDoe42 says, some cats don’t recognize even quite edible things as food. One of mine arrived here eating only one brand of dry food – when offered even treats of other items, she ignored them, even when another cat ate them with enthusiasm in her presence. I deliberately feed my cats multiple brands so that they won’t get fixated on one; and also feed them both canned and dry, and occasional bits of people food. I started with the one-food-only cat by mixing bits of a different brand of dry food in with the one she was used to; eventually she started eating it. It took months of her watching the other cats eating canned food, and having it offered to her, before she was willing to try some. In 2019 and in 2020, I had old cats slowly fading out. They’d have died several months earlier if I hadn’t been able to get them food that they liked; the appetite just wasn’t there to push them into eating enough of something they didn’t want to keep them going. ETA: was that tilapia whole fish, guts included? While an occasional meal of muscle-only won’t hurt a cat, a sustained diet needs to include the whole animal, or else the right balance of nutritional supplements mixed in. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1232 "2022-02-22T02:00:20Z")
This is really illuminating. I’m a dog person and I had always heard how much easier cats are. I have seen commercials about cat food for “finicky eaters” but had no idea how big of an issue it was. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1233 "2022-02-22T02:05:32Z")
Cats are also picky about their litter. Anyone stupid enough to choose to own cats is an idiot, insane or both. Wanna see some kitten pics, George is getting big and he’s soooooo cute!!! @thorny_locust is doing it right, btw. It’s best to feed young cats a variety of food so old cats don’t get fixed on one food and then need to change their diet for health reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1234 "2022-02-22T02:07:09Z")
We ALWAYS need more kitty pictures. How is this even a question? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1235 "2022-02-22T02:08:03Z")
This is the _Shortage_s thread after all… ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1236 "2022-02-22T03:32:53Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I’m a dog person and I had always heard how much easier cats are. They’re massively easier to housebreak! (Unless, of course, they’re sufficiently pissed off about something. Many cats take that phrase quite literally.) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1237 "2022-02-22T04:29:48Z")
> [@JaneDoe42](#): > > Our Maine Coon was not exposed to human food until we brought him home at 12 weeks old. His mama was never exposed to human food either. He has NO idea that fish or bacon are food and is very confused watching our other cat happily dining on the few scraps we give her. He might eventually figure it out. Neither Linden nor Poe appeared to have any idea that treats were food until a couple of weeks before they were neutered (I vividly recall them being mad the night before surgery because they weren’t getting their newly acquired bed time treats), and given that got pushed back a month because Poe got sick, they were damn near 7 months old before they understood you could eat treats in addition to bat them across the floor. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1238 "2022-02-22T04:37:52Z")
Your cats are smarter than my cat. I’ve had cats for most of my 64 years on this planet. Trust me when I say that. The Best Cat in the World did learn that bacon was food after about 6 months and then he never forgot! Back to topic, I’m having problems finding fancypants needlepoint floss, Kreinik specifically but others as well. > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > While an occasional meal of muscle-only won’t hurt a cat, a sustained diet needs to include the whole animal, or else the right balance of nutritional supplements mixed in. ETA to idly wonder if fish has taurine at all? Cats only learned to eat fish when they domesticated humans so maybe fish is best left as a treat food no matter what form. I need to look this up in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1239 "2022-02-22T12:45:40Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > was that tilapia whole fish, guts included? They were just filets at ALDIs and you are correct about the nutritional problems. It was just amazing how cheap the fish was. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268/1240 "2022-02-22T15:47:18Z")
I was in a Dollar General this morning and there were lots of empty shelves. No eggs, no juice, plenty of bread products. The shelves with canned goods were emptier than I’ve ever seen them. I did get a bag of Clover Valley (Dollar General’s generic brand) Salt&Vinegar potato chips. I like the crap-shoot that they are. Some bags are nearly inedible, there is so much salt&vinegar. Today’s bag tastes like plain chips packaged in the same building as salt&vinegar chips, just a subtle flavor in the background. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268.md?page=61) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-shortages-are-you-personally-seeing/916268.md?page=63)