FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * NOVOTNY GLENN W   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO [CENT] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Pres./ Chief Executive Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) 1340 TREAT BLVD., SUITE 600 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 04/11/2005 (Street) WALNUT CREEK, CA 94597 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 04/11/2005   M   15,000 A (1) $ 7.54 97,148 (2) D   Common Stock 04/11/2005   S   15,000 (3) D (4) $ 42.91 (5) 82,148 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 7.54

04/11/2005

M

15,000

07/22/2004

07/22/2005

Common Stock

15,000

$ 0

45,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
NOVOTNY GLENN W 1340 TREAT BLVD., SUITE 600 WALNUT CREEK, CA 94597	X		Pres./ Chief Executive Officer

Signatures

/s/ By Nadine MacPhail, as Attorney-in-Fact for Glenn W. Novotny		04/12/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Options exercised through sales plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1(c)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(2)	This total number and all totals reflected in this Column 5 of Table I include shares of Central Garden & Pet Company's Common Stock held in the Reporting Person's 401(k) plan and acquired under Central Garden & Pet Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(3)	Reflects total shares sold by the Reporting Person on the date indicated. See Exhibit 99.1 for details of individual trade executions.
(4)	Sale (and all sales reported in this table) effected under sales plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1(c)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(5)	Reflects weighted average price of total shares sold by the Reporting Person on the date indicated. See Exhibit 99.1 for details of individual trade executions.
Remarks: Exhibit List 99.1 -- Details of Sale Transactions on April 11, 2005 by Glenn W. Novotny

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