How much should you budget for a cat?

[amastewa93]

We are pondering adding a new furry friend to the family. We have a dog, Enzo. He just over a year old now and loves everyone and everything (including cats). We are looking to either adopt a cat that gets along with dogs or find a kitten.

I know a cat is a bit less expensive and less maintenance than a dog but how much should we budget for this addition?

For kittens, how much do their initial shots, etc. cost?

For an older cat, what do you spent (approximately) each month?

[disneysteve]

I know a cat is a bit less expensive and less maintenance than a dog

I do not have pets, dogs or cats, but I have many friends who do. All they ever seem to post on Facebook is pictures and videos of all of the things in the house that their cats have destroyed - the curtains, the furniture, things they pushed off of tables and countertops, clothing, etc. I don't think I've ever seen anyone post about their dog doing that. So make sure to budget that in if you get a cat.

[amastewa93]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone post about their dog doing that.

It is funny you say that. Our dog has separation anxiety (trust me I rolled my eyes at first too). However, one day after we put him in the crate and left to go to the store... we came back to the carpet pulled up from the door, padding shredded, and wooden blinds chewed and destroyed. Oh - and my HS diploma and college degree chewed as well. He'd escaped from his crate by pulling one of the corners open and squeezing through. We now medicate him if he is going to be alone more than an hour (or if he is going to be with a large group of people).

Anyway - it is definitely a good point! I've always considered cats to be less destructive but there may be evidence otherwise haha.

[scfr]

I think it depends on how you manage your budget.

Do you have a general emergency fund that would cover major veterinary bills?

Or do you have a "pet expenses" line in your budget where you build up a cushion to cover major veterinary bills? It has been decades since I had a cat, but when I did I used the latter approach once I wised up and realized I needed to be prepared for occasional extraordinary expenses.

Over the course of their lives, the routine expenses for my cats were fairly low (though cat litter was an on-going expense that caught me a bit by surprise). But the medical crises were expensive.

If I were to adopt a cat today, I would budget $75 per month and let the "pet expense" balance build up to at least $3K. Most months I would be spending a lot less than the $75 so the balance would grow over time. That would give me the peace of mind to know I could deal with a major health issue and make decisions for my cat's care based on what I thought would be best for them instead of being restricted by what I could afford.

[Smallsteps]

I think with every new furry friend there are a few expenses that come into play. I have had dogs do things like chew up a couch cushion ( it was pricey to get fixed). had a cat that scratched woodwork.
After that I am more prepared for a initial surprise expenses when animal is new but I have also heard of pets under stress or anxiety doing things years after living with people, I just have not experienced it.

Honestly the vet thing is quickly getting more expensive. Is it just me or do all pets now have special conditions we did not know about years ago?

I have a friend who regularly spends over 10-15k a year on an allergist/ cardiologist/ dermatologist/ dentist and physical therapist for 2 dogs. She has pictures of her dog on an underwater treadmill treatment on Facebook. Her dogs are both senior dogs well over 12 years old.

I narrowed down through trial and error a better food for my dogs digestive issues and buy a special food and buy teeth cleaning chews but sometimes feel like a bad pet parent. Maybe I will ask her if she has a vet psychologist to see if I am not living up to the new $$$$ standard of pet care.
DH was told by vet recently they could do a deep cleaning of our dogs teeth for a mere $4000 but they were not sure as my 10+ year old dog would do well ( might die) being sedated.

Anyway enjoy your new cat. A pet can cost you what you chose to put into it.

[amastewa93]

I would budget $75 per month and let the "pet expense" balance build up to at least $3K.

That is essentially what we've done with our dog. He has emergency care, etc. The cat, evidently, will be a bit cheaper to do that with on a monthly basis. However, outside of food and that, many of the costs seem about the same so far.

[marie132]

We are pondering adding a new furry friend to the family. We have a dog, Enzo. He just over a year old now and loves everyone and everything (including cats). We are looking to either adopt a cat that gets along with dogs or find a kitten.

I know a cat is a bit less expensive and less maintenance than a dog but how much should we budget for this addition?

For kittens, how much do their initial shots, etc. cost?

For an older cat, what do you spent (approximately) each month?

When we got our cat from petsmart a few years ago, i think we paid 150 to cover the cost of the shots, then it was 300 for the yearly plan at the vet's. On top of that you need a few accessories (basket, collar, toys, cat bed, litter box, etc) and food and litter, but I don't know exactly how much that is, because I put that in my total grocery budget and don't count it separately.

[msomnipotent]

If you adopt a kitten, you will probably have to pay to get it fixed at some point. I think we paid about $300 for our last cat, but we have recently switched vets. The other one would have $150 teeth cleaning specials and then say that we had to have $300 in lab work before they would clean the teeth. It was a rip off, so I don't have a real baseline for costs. Our cats are due for their vaccinations at the new place next week, so I can let you know after. I paid over $500 last year, but that was all 3 animals and they were new, so there was extra fees for being first time clients.

I usually spend approx $50 per cat per month for food, treats, and toys. That is after using coupons and shopping the sales. I used to budget $500 a year for vaccinations and teeth cleaning, but I'm increasing that in light of our dog's problems. One of our cats is starting to get old, and old means more vet visits. I think I'm going to just build up $5,000 in an account and take as needed. After talking to some people and hearing the cashiers at the animal hospital, it seems that every major problem costs about $5,000 to treat.

[amastewa93]

After talking to some people and hearing the cashiers at the animal hospital, it seems that every major problem costs about $5,000 to treat.

No kidding! We found that out when our pup swallowed a drinking straw haha. We do pay $62 a month for "pet insurance" for him. So, when something arises we can usually get it taken care of. We will likely do the same for the cat.

Thanks for the info on monthly/yearly costs!

[klarose]

As an avid cat lover... 5 cat owner... Crazy cat lady... Whatever.

Cats are cheaper and easier than dogs.

Kitten shots are around $25 a set here, 3 times plus rabies = around $100 total for the first year. After that I get the 3yr shots for $100 for the rest of their lifetime.

My local vet offers low cost spay/neuter clinics three times a year. Around $50 for the one time surgery.

Cat's eat far less than a dog. Around a cup a day. I have 3 different kitty diets to buy for right now, but my main 22lb bag of decent food is $30. (real meat as the first ingredient) As a contrast my 120lb dogs each eat about 10 cups a day. o.O

My vets also sells a specific flea medicine that is labeled for big dogs but can be divided up into small dosages for cats. It's only like $15 and lasts for at least 4 doses/months. PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND ONLY DO THIS AT VETS ADVICE. Most dog products can NOT be used on cats, so don't try this without your vet's go ahead. I believe the one I use is Advantage II.

If you have to buy individual doses it is about $15 a month which isn't horrible either.

De-wormer (I like Profender) is like $15 twice a year.

Cats don't need much in the way of collars, leashes, beds, etc. But I do like to purchase the occasional toy, treat, or brush. Litter is an ongoing expense and the cost is highly dependable on which brand you choose. I like tidy cat 24/7 which is mid grade.

I have been very fortunate and in over 15 years of spoiled cats I haven't had much in the way of big vet bills. A couple minor surgeries, and long term care of cancer. I live in a rural area and vet care is very reasonable. I am also not one of the those people would who spent $3k on an emergency vet trip though. Sometimes you have to draw the line, IMO.

That said, a cat is an easy addition to the family. Don't listen to Disney Steve. Cats CAN be destructive... or not. Don't let them be. They can be trained despite what people think. Mine can do tricks (sit, fetch, etc) and they all know not to get on the counter/table, scratch the furniture, beg when we are eating, etc. Just like a puppy there is a learning curve when they are young and they are much more hyper and can tear things up. But once matured cats are very low maintenance. I have three indoors and you might not see them for hours.

If you have any questions feel free to ask. I have a lot of animals, and worked at a vet clinic.

[klarose]

I can't believe some of the costs you guys report. Thank goodness I live in the Midwest.

[GrimJack]

I consider my cat worth $2.37 per day in entertainment value; I do not put that anywhere, I just think about it that way. She was a rescue cat and had serious problems that did not come up until she had clawed her way into my heart. She had really serious gum disease and all her back teeth have been removed (she kept her vanity teeth, the 'canines'?). Then we discovered she had an ear infection; then we realized it was also an inner-ear infection. The vet did not expect her to survive the surgeries (going into the inner ear cuts very close to the balance nerves) but here she is 3 years later - still adorable as ever (and pretty effing demanding - she is a social eater so she wants me to walk her to the food dish at 3:00am). I think that she cost me about $6k total, not counting regular visits, food, and drugs (catnip).

She is now climbing up on my shoulder for snuggles - just ignore her.

Would I have adopted her if I knew about the expenses? I think I would but then I am way better off financially now than I was when I got her. I went into a PetCo which has some sort of arrangement with PurrfectPets, a no-kill cat rescue here in Seattle when they had their kitties out. Freya crawled right up onto my lap then snuggled up on my neck. I left and came back 3 days later and she was still there and she crawled back onto my shoulder and purred into my neck. I could not resist and took her home. I call her GG b/c: Freya is Odin's wife and is sometimes called Odin's Gold and also Golden Goddess so there you have it. Also, she is a black and gold tortoiseshell but I think of her as black with gold highlights.

Anyway, having a pet (like having children) is a crap-shoot; if you are not willing to take on the challenge do not get a pet or children.

[amastewa93]

Anyway, having a pet (like having children) is a crap-shoot; if you are not willing to take on the challenge do not get a pet or children.

I totally agree! We treat our dog like a small child and will be treating the cat the same way haha. I just wanted to get a ballpark idea.

[msomnipotent]

I can't believe some of the costs you guys report. Thank goodness I live in the Midwest.

I live in the Midwest too. No one is immune to high vet bills.

[msomnipotent]

So I found out that the cats didn't need shots yet. They just wanted them in for a wellness visit. I won't know how expensive the vaccs are for a few months yet.