Japanese consumers are getting more penny-pinching by the day, and they're probably not going to be splashing out more freely anytime soon after wage earners' take-home pay logged the biggest drop on record in the year to June and people's summer bonuses took a hefty cut.

But no matter how bleak things get, there will always be some companies that shoppers -- however closely they're guarding their wallets -- don't hesitate to throw precious money at. 

One such is Unicharm Petcare, a Japanese maker of pet food and animal care products. Its dog and cat food products are selling so well that its operating profit leaped 42 percent in the April-June period, and it raised its forecast for the year to next March.

"Pets are part of the family, so pet owners are unlikely to cut back spending on them just because of a recession," a company official told me. They certainly are family, and it could be a case of "two legs good, four legs better" because while some family members have to put up with cheap beer-like drinks and outdated clothes, their furry relatives get fed "gourmet" food and other products specially tailored for obese or aged pets.

Meanwhile, young men worried about their oily skin and sweaty armpits are driving up profits at Mandom Corp. The men's cosmetics maker known for "Gatsby" hair wax and gel raised its six-month profit forecast after it saw sales of both facial paper and antiperspirant jump 30 percent.

"A growing number of young men pay more attention to their appearance and skin care," said a Mandom official. He added that the market is expected to grow further as "only" a quarter of men in their teens and 20s are using facial paper now.

It's tempting to be cynical, but the bottom line seems to be that pet-love and vanity can help ride out any recession.

With foreclosures of homes on the rise, so are stories of pet abandonment, but pet food maker Del Monte says sales of dog and cat food and treats hasn’t been affected.

The New Haven Register in Connecticut reported on Nov. 23 of a dramatic rise in pet abandonment at shelters across the city, as adjustable mortgage rate resets make mortgages on many homes unaffordable, and rising food costs make paying for pet food and upkeep unrealistic.

And on Nov. 16, The Boston Globe said a record number of cats are being dropped off at local animal shelters. A Humane Society official attributed the record numbers to the faltering economy and people losing their homes. 

Higher animal abandonments have hit Canada as well, according to a Nov. 7 article in the Albuquerque Journal (subscription required).

Still, pet food company Del Monte, maker of Meow Mix cat food and dog treats like Meaty Bone and Pupperoni,  says they haven’t seen a meaningful drop in pet food sales in recent months.

“We have not seen any hard data that would indicate household pet ownership to be declining, and so anecdotally we’ve heard about pets being left in foreclosed homes and that sort of thing, but we have not seen any data or seen any evidence with our customers that that really is a problem,” Del Monte Chief Executive Richard Wolford said on a call with analysts.”

Whether they’re in a family home or living in an animal shelter, dogs and cats still have to eat.

(Photo/Reuters)