Cost of having a cat

[tinuviel_k]

My family is trying to decide whether or not we would like to get a cat in the near future. Once concern we have is the cost: if we get a kitty we want to do it right, including good food, good litter, vet care, and such. I was hoping that the cat lovers here might be willing to share an estimate of their costs for one cat, so I can get an idea of what to expect. I know the true cost of having an animal in the family is not what you pay initially, but what you put in every month for the general things.

As far as initial costs, to adopt a rescue cat (fixed, dewormed, vaxed) will cost from $60-$80. I figure a few hundred for supplies, grooming things, the initial food, littler, and whatever else we may need.

Beyond that, I'd love to know:

1. How much do you spend in an average month on general cat supplies: decent quality food (raw or kibble is fine), litter, treats, other?

2. How much do you spend in an average year on medical and check-up vet visits.

3. What is the most expensive vet visit you have needed to have for your cat?

4. Do you ever hire a pet sitter for when you are on a trip? How much does that cost you per day.

thanks so much!

[masja]

First off I want to say kudos to you for doing your research beforehand! So many people are too spontaneous and get pets withouth properly looking into it and weighing pros and cons.

We have 3 kitties, our last one passed away in Jan '08. They're now all over the age of about 7 or so. They are strictly indoor kitties. They've all been fixed and were all farm kitties. We spend about $60 on food a month, as we buy a big 8kg bag of food from the vets office as well as canned. Litter runs about $30-$40 or so. Other than that, that's about it. Our kitty that passed, she had gotten sick and so we spend about $400 on her including fees for when she passed. Our other eldest (male) we've spend about $400 a month or two ago as he swallowed something and had to go to emergency the little stinker. Other than that, we haven't had any accidents or 'special' costs. They play with anything they can find on the floor, so no special toys really. They sleep where they want, so don't have special beds. We do have a scratching post for them, but otherwise all they do is sleep during the day, lol.
I would think that as long as you have the basics such as good food, litter and perhaps a few toys, I'd say have an emergency fund in place just in case something happens (a few hundred dollars) you should be set.

1. How much do you spend in an average month on general cat supplies: decent quality food (raw or kibble is fine), litter, treats, other? Kibble & canned (which they should get daily) is about $60, litter about $40

2. How much do you spend in an average year on medical and check-up vet visits. Indoor kitties so they don't get vaccines or go in unless something is wrong. I used to work at a clinic so I keep an eye on their teeth and general health. But most check ups for just general physical is about $40-$50

3. What is the most expensive vet visit you have needed to have for your cat? About $300-$400. 1 was for kitty who developed pancreatitis and eventually passed, the other for our kitty who swallowed something (a string...wrapped around his tongue) and because it was after hours it was an emergency, surgery and overnight and it was $350 ish

4. Do you ever hire a pet sitter for when you are on a trip? How much does that cost you per day. No sitters here. If it's for a few days I just fill a big bowl full of food and water and they're fine, i'll get someone to stop in and check on them, but they're mostly independent anyhow, so I usually don't worry about them. Sitters, I'd think would run about $10 or more a day. There's always kennels too which is about $15 a day or so.

[KMK_Mama]

I have 2 cats and I buy litter 1-2 times a month which is about $14 a bag for the crystal type that I have found smells the least. I buy Royal Canine food and it's about $35 for a big bag that lasts 2 months or so. We don't vaccinate them because they are inside and they haven't been to the vet in years because they have never needed it. However, I have noticed that one of my cats molars are not looking good so I am looking into getting her teeth cleaned. They have given me an estimate of $300 and we will be getting it done after the holidays. I don't pay for pet sitters...if we go somewhere for 2-3 days I just make sure I leave enough food/water. If we are going to be gone longer than that I have my neighbor or my mom check in on them and refill food/water as needed....then I bring something back for them as a Thank You.

[willowsmom]

I have 2 cats. We spend $38 bucks a month for food, $11 a month on litter. They don't go to the vet unless something is wrong (they're indoor). But I'd allot anything between $35 - $400, unless you have pet health insurance.

As for pet sitters, it depends on how long we're going to be gone. If it's just a couple of days, we leave food and water, if longer, usually my mom or girlfriend will come over to refill and spend some time with them.

The nice thing about cats is that they're pretty self-sufficient.

I'm very impressed that you're doing your research, it's important.

[MaWhit]

I care for a fluctuating population of cats (I foster a LOT) and sometimes have upwards of 20 cats at a time, so it is now almost impossible for me to estimate the cost of one cat ove the course of a month.

The most expensive vet visits the cats have had have been between $250-$300. Mostly dentals (extractions for old neglected rescue cats) and removal of a ruptured eyes (all rescue kittens). One of my younger cats had to have several teeth removed at only 4 years old, and that ran about $220.

Pet-sitters around here are $10-$15 per visit, and healthy able-bodied cats can go a few days between check-ins as long as you leave out a TON of water.

[gingerstar]

Another round of applause from me, too! Bravo for doing your research.

I would start by asking pet owners near you for vet references, and reasons why. Once you have decided on a vet, call them, tell them you plan to get a cat, ask what their charges are, and how often you can plan on vet visits. This will give you an idea on costs, but it should also be a glimpse into that vet office. When we were going to get our dog, I spent quite a lot of time on the phone with our vet office first, and they were incredibly helpful - and they have been wonderful to work with.

You can also check around your area for feed stores or other sources you would get food from, just to see what is available in your area.

For an idea of an expensive vet visit, my mom's cat needed abdominal surgery, and that ran her over $800! But in 15 years of owning 3 cats, I never had anything like that.

[phatchristy]

Is this an indoor only cat? Indoor only cats are going to be less expensive. You can even 'waive' certain vaccinations for them based on low risk. Outdoor animals will need more vaccinations, flea prevention, heartworm prevention and run a high risk of injury necessitating veterinary care.

For an indoor cat I'd estimate maybe $150-200 for high end food per year, $20-30 for toys/treats. Figure that these days a typical preventative vet visit is going to run you around $100. There are low cost options though, locally they have low cost vaccination programs ($13-40 depending on what you have done). So, that may be an option if cost is a major concern.

My neighbor last year was quoted $3,000 for surgery on her cat. Her cat had gotten into some dental floss, and had serious damage to her small intestines. It cost $600 or so do diagnose what the problem was first. The vet wasn't very reassuring about the surgery as it was (iffy odds) and the cost was so extensive that she decided to euthanize and then adopted a new kitten after that. Though, I've had friends too who have been quoted very high $$$ for treatment (such as dental work) and they've found another vet that had reasonable rates. The rates for vets really differ a lot around here, the cheaper vets are in the older parts of town.

[Carson]

I have 1 cat that (I think) I take care of pretty well, so 'ere goes:

1. How much do you spend in an average month on general cat supplies: decent quality food (raw or kibble is fine), litter, treats, other? $10/month food (orijen dry) $2/month litter (use hardwood stove pellets) $5 month soft food for his snack (tablespoon a day). I get 1 Booda Dome litterbox/year for $35, other than that, no other ongoing costs.

2. How much do you spend in an average year on medical and check-up vet visits. I think his standard yearly visit is around $100 for visit, shots, fecal, etc... He wasn't on this food all of his life and has some lingering dental issues and really should have an annual cleaning which is $120, IIRC.

3. What is the most expensive vet visit you have needed to have for your cat? He is 6. So far we have had a bout of crystals in his urine and emergency dental visit, both of which were around $450 each.

4. Do you ever hire a pet sitter for when you are on a trip? How much does that cost you per day. No, but we live in Chicago and the going rate for a cat care visit is $15/day. We are lucky and have friends/family who can stop by to take care of the essentials.

I agree to indoor only cats being much less expensive. My parents have indoor/outdoor cats who seem to get into a lot more trouble and end up having a lot shorter lifespan.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I have a total of 7 cats right now plus the ferals that come through and eat.

1. How much do you spend in an average month on general cat supplies: decent quality food (raw or kibble is fine), litter, treats, other? $20

2. How much do you spend in an average year on medical and check-up vet visits. $0 I very rarely take a cat to the vet. I dont do any vax for them and they are very healthy.

3. What is the most expensive vet visit you have needed to have for your cat? The spays.

4. Do you ever hire a pet sitter for when you are on a trip? How much does that cost you per day. Never needed to do anything like that. We dont take vacations and when we had to leave the house due to power outage the cats came with us.

[Thalia the Muse]

1. Our cat gets special "old fat cat" prescription kibble. It's expensive, something like $30 or $40 a bag? But I think that lasts at least a month, maybe more. We do Advantage, the topical flea treatment, when she shows evidence of infestation -- usually two or three months a year. That's $30 for three months' supply. Otherwise, she doesn't cost anything! Well, we've had to take the comforter to the laundromat with industrial washing machines a couple of times because of cat barf, that costs about $7 to wash and dry. She has some toys, but mostly she likes to steal DD's toys and bat them down the hall, or hair accessories, or any bugs she can find ... and cat toys are quite cheap. I'm not sure how much the cat litter costs, but it's not a major expense.

We spend way more on the guinea pigs than we do on the cat!


2 & 3. Some years we spend nothing on vet visits -- we don't take her unless she's sick or injured, she currently isn't exposed to other cats and the vet visit is so traumatic for her that I can't see dragging her in for check-ups. Other years, it's been multiple hundreds of dollars -- she had a respiratory infection that settled bizarrely, in her third eyelid, so that was amputated; she's been treated for a bad abcess; recently her claws grew around and cut into her paws, so they had to sedate her and clip them, and they cleaned her teeth and pulled one while they were at it -- that visit about $300. There is a limit above which we would not pay to treat the cat, but fortunately we've never had to find out just where that limit is, because we do love the little monster a lot!

4. We do hire pet sitters. Here it's around $20 a day, which includes both the cat and the guinea pigs. That's only for a long trip; if we're going for a weekend, we just leave her plenty of food and water and she's fine.