Consolidating Condensed Balance Sheet (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 26, 2015	Sep. 26, 2015	Dec. 27, 2014	Sep. 27, 2014
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 9,006	$ 47,584	$ 79,588	$ 78,676
Restricted cash	11,939	13,157	19,690
Short term investments	0	0	9,992
Accounts receivable, net	195,357	207,402	142,877
Inventories	416,458	335,946	399,936
Prepaid expenses and other assets	59,873	49,731	64,280
Total current assets	692,633	653,820	716,363
Land, buildings, improvements and equipment, net	163,948	162,809	163,546
Goodwill	209,089	209,089	208,233
Other long term assets	145,539	105,879	96,165
Intercompany receivable	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total	1,211,209	1,131,597	1,184,307
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	129,091	88,889	128,485
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	89,047	87,724	93,208
Current portion of long term debt	292	291	50,289
Total current liabilities	218,430	176,904	271,982
Long-term debt	435,893	396,691	395,257
Intercompany payable	0	0	0
Losses in excess of investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other long-term obligations	58,005	51,622	42,212
Total Central Garden & Pet shareholders' equity	498,400	505,286	474,802
Noncontrolling interest	481	1,094	54
Total equity	498,881	506,380	474,856	486,453
Total	1,211,209	1,131,597	1,184,307
Parent [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	3,162	37,131	71,579	63,471
Restricted cash	11,939	13,157	19,690
Short term investments			9,992
Accounts receivable, net	74,855	51,376	38,580
Inventories	142,215	101,952	101,870
Prepaid expenses and other assets	35,478	23,807	33,095
Total current assets	267,649	227,423	274,806
Land, buildings, improvements and equipment, net	51,182	53,044	59,829
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other long term assets	68,077	30,831	17,153
Intercompany receivable	33,184	10,311	37,337
Investment in subsidiaries	1,062,324	1,052,755	989,226
Total	1,482,416	1,374,364	1,378,351
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	54,043	23,544	39,847
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	42,452	39,680	47,888
Current portion of long term debt	262	261	50,259
Total current liabilities	96,757	63,485	137,994
Long-term debt	435,835	396,626	395,170
Intercompany payable	447,265	407,197	368,765
Losses in excess of investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other long-term obligations	4,159	1,770	1,620
Total Central Garden & Pet shareholders' equity	498,400	505,286	474,802
Noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total equity	498,400	505,286	474,802
Total	1,482,416	1,374,364	1,378,351
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	5,034	10,022	5,505	12,806
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Short term investments			0
Accounts receivable, net	7,398	6,775	7,573
Inventories	17,252	11,690	22,481
Prepaid expenses and other assets	957	848	962
Total current assets	30,641	29,335	36,521
Land, buildings, improvements and equipment, net	3,787	3,663	3,607
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other long term assets	3,539	3,662	4,121
Intercompany receivable	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total	37,967	36,660	44,249
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	9,084	2,543	10,077
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,520	1,789	1,751
Current portion of long term debt	0	0	0
Total current liabilities	10,604	4,332	11,828
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Intercompany payable	45,128	43,441	47,419
Losses in excess of investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other long-term obligations	0	0	0
Total Central Garden & Pet shareholders' equity	(18,246)	(12,207)	(15,052)
Noncontrolling interest	481	1,094	54
Total equity	(17,765)	(11,113)	(14,998)
Total	37,967	36,660	44,249
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	810	431	2,504	2,399
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Short term investments			0
Accounts receivable, net	113,104	149,251	96,724
Inventories	256,991	222,304	275,585
Prepaid expenses and other assets	23,438	25,076	30,223
Total current assets	394,343	397,062	405,036
Land, buildings, improvements and equipment, net	108,979	106,102	100,110
Goodwill	209,089	209,089	208,233
Other long term assets	75,988	77,519	83,088
Intercompany receivable	459,209	440,327	378,847
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total	1,247,608	1,230,099	1,175,314
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	65,964	62,802	78,561
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	45,075	46,255	43,569
Current portion of long term debt	30	30	30
Total current liabilities	111,069	109,087	122,160
Long-term debt	58	65	87
Intercompany payable	0	0	0
Losses in excess of investment in subsidiaries	17,513	11,867	14,900
Other long-term obligations	55,911	55,985	48,789
Total Central Garden & Pet shareholders' equity	1,063,057	1,053,095	989,378
Noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total equity	1,063,057	1,053,095	989,378
Total	1,247,608	1,230,099	1,175,314
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	$ 0
Restricted cash	0	0	0
Short term investments			0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0	0
Inventories	0	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other assets	0	0	0
Total current assets	0	0	0
Land, buildings, improvements and equipment, net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other long term assets	(2,065)	(6,133)	(8,197)
Intercompany receivable	(492,393)	(450,638)	(416,184)
Investment in subsidiaries	(1,062,324)	(1,052,755)	(989,226)
Total	(1,556,782)	(1,509,526)	(1,413,607)
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable	0	0	0
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	0	0	0
Current portion of long term debt	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0	0
Intercompany payable	(492,393)	(450,638)	(416,184)
Losses in excess of investment in subsidiaries	(17,513)	(11,867)	(14,900)
Other long-term obligations	(2,065)	(6,133)	(8,197)
Total Central Garden & Pet shareholders' equity	(1,044,811)	(1,040,888)	(974,326)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total equity	(1,044,811)	(1,040,888)	(974,326)
Total	$ (1,556,782)	$ (1,509,526)	$ (1,413,607)