There are some starting costs: spaying, vax, and some accessories. If your cat is healthy you can manage with some medium range food. Money starts ramping up when your pet has any type of health issues. One of mine has some food intolerances, and she’s being fed by dry hills prescription food which is pricy. If it’s not gonna help I’m gonna have to spend more money on vet. It really depends on a cat. You can spend money on fancy cat bed, and they’re gonna sleep on a pile of clothes. You can buy fancy toys, they’re gonna play with empty boxes. Also, the only reason I can afford my cats is because I’m single woman in my 30s with no kids and full time job. I have nothing else to spend my money on :) https://preview.redd.it/nxmbxntxq5bd1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9aa1fd6c842043eab579df02f8c97e9a7d17bbf

A local adoption shelter like the humane society will usually cover sterilization and initial shots. This makes for affordable adoptions.

yes! near me, local vets charge upwards of $500+ tax for initial shots/ spay but I got my boys from the humane society with all of their first shot covered and a microchip for $100 including tax! They also have an emergency vet (with subsided cost) which I luckily haven't had to use. mind you, this is Toronto Humane Society, your local humane society may very likely have different prices. Also don't forget to check local cat rescues.

You pay for that in the adoption fee though if you don’t undertake this on your own.

Maybe depends on the shelter because every cat I've adopted from a shelter/foster has only been $50-75 which is far less than shots/sterilization if you got a kitten off the streets

Humane society where I live in Canada the adoption fee is $300 with shots and spay/neuter included.

I got mine when pet smart was doing an adoption weekend.. they hold about 4 a year. He was neutered, shots,and chipped for $120

You’re not actually getting cats directly from stores like PetSmart and Petco, though. You likely got your cat from a local rescue organization who partnered with these stores to use their space. As a result the cost of a cat “from PetSmart” will vary, depending on the organization that fills those cubbies.

WOW! I mean I guess they do gotta recoup that cost but holy moly. Still probably slightly cheaper than getting a cat off the street and getting all that but wow!

Yup for sure. It would be about double that to do after the fact on a “free” cat.

This can also be location specific. I adopted my first cat from a coastal town in Florida at a shelter that was extremely overrun for $50. Adopted second cat shortly thereafter from a not coastal town in Florida and he was $100. But I now live in the northeast and have heard of people paying $200-500 for a shelter cat. But yeah, once you get the cat, costs are relatively low unless they need medical care.

Paying more up front for a well bred cat with a healthy gene panel, and both parents are already Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) negative verified by sonogram can save a lot of heartache and money compared to things going wrong with an adoption or rescue. If the situation is not flexible enough to allow for health issues, I choose a breeder with extensive testing over adoption. I have rescued cats for decades, and sometimes that agressive 2 year old feral male with a faint FeLV line ends up clearing the virus, living to 20 years old and the best cat ever. And sometimes the kitten has polycystic kidney disease and the kid who loves the kitten starts crying and thus begins a terrible cycle of expensive life long kidney support, special expensive diets, fluid support injections or IVs for years, big needles to drain fluid build up, and early euthanasia. A lot of the family life, sometimes for years, revolves around hooking the cat up to supportive fluids and making it stay still. I recently put an older adult outdoor "barn cat" that was dying of lymphoma through chemo, got the cat in remission, and got the cat litterbox trained, leash trained, and living indoors. You can get great outcomes with even mid - or later life adult cat adoptions, in this case, even from a terminally ill 16 year old cat. Kitty is cancer free and a great housepet for an older adult who loves being "retired" alongside kitty. But if I want to minimize medical risk, I work with selecting a breeder who tracks the survival of their retired breeding animals, runs gene panels on all adults and kittens, and HCM scans their breeding adults. A friend of mine has some nasty psychological trauma, and asked if I'd help them pick out a kitten. I was 100% side-stepping mixed bag health risks and went to a breeder because this was a person who would not be able to emotionally handle it if the tiny kitten developed early onset progressive retinal atrophy and was blind by four months old.

can confirm with the toys and beds. when we got my first kitten i convinced my mom not to buy a cat bed and spend that money on another little scratcher ramp thingy because once everything comes in she’s gonna just claim a box as her bed.\ 2 months later and we have anywhere between 2-5 boxes in the room cycling them out with fresh sturdy ones we got another kitty and did the introduction thing of keeping him in the bathroom and this time we got a bed bc we wanted somewhere soft and warm for him to sleep on while he was in there. nope! cardboard carrier with a blanket at the bottom sufficed.\ now that they’re pals with each other and can hang out peacefully, the bed largely sits unused unless they’re both in there at the same time. when it comes to toys, we have several. they love their tunnel (no matter what anyone says, i 100% suggest a tunnel) and the wands when we play with them, but the thing they love to play with most is… a $10 bill that fell out of my pocket last month. that’s their tenner now. they will spend hours stalking and tackling that thing and it’s surprisingly not in shreds.\ 10/10 ROI

That's hilarious. At least once they get bored of the 10 dollar bill you can still spend it. Free toy

That’s funny near where we feed the cats the is a tall skinny box that has the school papers for my nephew, my hubby put a bit of old towel on it and boom that’s where they sleep

Both of my cats didn’t use beds but the second kitty started lying in boxes so I bought a rope basket bed thingy and he loves it. Didn’t get it at first but when he started using it he ended up loving it. Then he got bullied out of the bed by the older cat. lol So I bought another one and a soft bed and now they cycle through those but for 5 years every bed I bought was useless.

This is how i want to live when i’m in my 30s haha! the dream

Me too! Single hooman slave https://preview.redd.it/eqokls4w26bd1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ca7390c3be9b5df56158ef762a7f88a5a7b0478 yo my cat family

What's the name of the tower/cat condo?! It's awesome!! You have a gorgous fur-mily!

Thank you. (: The company that makes these is Trixie. You can buy on Amazon, Petco, etc.

Thank you! I’m outside the USA so am very grateful for the name!

Your black kitty looks like mine! https://preview.redd.it/3pgpeqcu47bd1.jpeg?width=3456&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63e385676f651c9ee50f408538dc0052a950a9f4

I love that cat condo!

Me too. They’re my favorite cat tower company. They look super nice but super functional for my girls.

ME. 😭😭 In my 30s with three cats - two with gastrointestinal issues who are on prescription food. I'm not single, but I'm child free by choice with a well-paying job. I've never had to tell a vet something is out of the question because it's cost prohibitive, and I know that's a huge luxury. https://preview.redd.it/xgiiy9ze86bd1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98f03ecae293f7ba6c665211b711a9a62e06a058

Absolutely beautiful, well cared for cats. They are so lucky to have you.

Thank you! 🥲

Angels! ❤️ you're so fortunate to have each other

Thank you. I saw your comment elsewhere about your baby - I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost my soul cat to suspected nasal lymphoma last May. He had just turned 11. Greatest pain I've experienced emotionally to date. My thoughts are with you. ♥️

Thank you! There was so much love, and the gratitude is already so immense. Yesterday, I went for a long run in the heat and as I was lying down after; I felt a strong flow of love from my cat who'd passed on. It's the first time I've felt his love for me... maybe there's something to the afterlife. I'm sorry for your loss! It's not easy to understand why things go this way :)

I have bought so many comfy beds but my void loves his laundry bins, any bins really. Same with my new cat he just likes chairs 😔 https://preview.redd.it/28t6j6axs6bd1.png?width=2628&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c5e46b6ff42857821da6de55aad377644ba668c

A lot of shelters will spare neutered the kitty before you adopt it. That's how it was for me anyway. My boy came neutered.

also if you have furniture half the time there's no need for a fancy cat tree...my cat has one and prefers climbing on the piano and couches and that's perfectly fine. They'll adapt to your own lifestyle.

We bought our kitten tons of toys. Her favorite toys are bottle caps lol.

I am taking 100 dollars out of each paycheck and setting it back for our 4 cats (we also have chickens, dogs, and tortoises that need vet care/supplies). Having the cushion helps when unexpected expenses come up. Ex- I just spent $500 on two of my chickens to treat a respiratory infection and $110 on a newly found/adopted kitten. We have a spay and neuter coming up in a few weeks that will come out of that money. I don’t carry insurance on any of my 29 pets.

hm. that is quite the lil family you have there. mind if i see? 👀

https://preview.redd.it/h3msdl3j77bd1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd3c2a51745f82c0f9e826b52ff9de4722877386 So many little friends- it’s a full time job after the full time job lol

This is adorable!!

Omg you really are busy!!! ☺️

You can always foster now. Most Rescues provide the food and vet care. It’s a wonderful thing to do and you would be saving them while they get ready for their Furever homes💖

I second this! Fostering is so so rewarding! And it’s really a win-win, you get to have gorgeous kitties to snuggle without the financial and 15 year commitment, and you’re also literally saving the lives of cats who wouldn’t be able to be brought into care without foster carers.

When I adopted my kittens I asked the woman how she felt about fostering pets. She said she’d only had one failure. I thought that meant that the cat had died, but no, it means she loved the cat so much she couldn’t give it up. That was revealing about the different emotions involved in being a temporary caregiver and life-saver.

I fostered once. Failed immediately. https://preview.redd.it/agb5nzztgbbd1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ffbdcf065e124f19ff1eacd9b3fc9cc6ca31a9d

Is it hard to say goodbye, though? I'm strongly considering fostering but am worried about this aspect as I'm not really in the position to keep a cat rn

I’ve fostered many over the years. It’s hard but then they send you new ones to foster🥰

My husband and I fostered kittens twice. The first set lived in my husband's office and he got really close to them. I think he's still mad at me, three years later, that we didn't keep them. It was really hard giving them up, but we already had two cats and I didn't want four. We fostered a second time and both kind of struggled because we didn't want to get as attached to the second set of kittens. I've thought about doing it again, but am not sure we can handle it.

I'd say $1,000 a year is a good ballpark figure for a younger cat. But I just paid $1700 for a dental cleaning with 4 extractions for my ten-year-old. And that's on top of food, litter, and wellness checks. She's pretty sweet though, and still has many, many teeth. Many. https://preview.redd.it/9wmvmhtc86bd1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3405d431e77b9c820bea08c86b68272cc3e4b75

The dental cleaning alone was 1700? Wow I know I have to do that soon for mine and worried at that price.

I spent $1900 on 14 year old cat with two extractions but thankfully, insurance reimbursed 90% of it https://preview.redd.it/rd8ui6pnk7bd1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c132a5ce0ffa558be6d497cf0a8d3a8a481ba956

Which ins if you don't mind me asking?

Not the person you replied to, but Nationwide reimbursed me 60% for my cat’s dental cleaning and extraction. A good portion of my out-of-pocket expenses was meeting my annual deductible, anyway. Pet insurance will not cover pre-existing conditions, so getting coverage before anything happens is crucial (unless of course, you’d rather build your own emergency fund for your pet(s)).

At first glance she looks so much like my 2yo boy! https://preview.redd.it/vd0frh7w4lbd1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0edc34b0d173acfb00a10b70e35194f435830dd4

Hahahahah that last sentence kills me.

I spend about $250 a month - this includes pet insurance, cardboard scratchers, wet food on auto ship (can’t eat dry food), and litter/litter supplies on auto ship. I buy treats and toys every few weeks but not always. Teeth are not included in pet insurance so make sure you are brushing their teeth if they let you and if they have stomatitis just start saving for cleanings removal. Very expensive. Ask me how I know that. 🥲

You're right that basic accident and injury coverage doesn't always include dental, but some preventative care add-ons do. Mine covers $100 toward one dental cleaning per year per cat. Getting them used to tooth-brushing is definitely good practice though.

This. Always clean their teeth. We just spent a lot of money to get my two cat’s teeth cleaned and one had removals. That one came with the added bonus of an extra trip to the vet and prescription meds!

I think this is a really good estimate. My cat had thyroid disease and was eating like 2-3 cans of wet food a day. That alone added up. I had pet insurance for a few years, but it never worked out because the deductible was so high and it didn't cover regular visits or teeth cleanings. I started putting the same amount into a savings account instead, so that I had money for the vet visits and emergencies.

I have a standard issue void. He goes through about a bag of kibble (Science Diet Sensitive Skin and Stomach - $35) every six weeks or so and I supplement that with wet food, which is about $10/ week. I have pet insurance for him, because he's a doofus. (And, I've had a cat previously that had FeLV, and paying for that without insurance was.... difficult.) That's about $40 a month, and covers EVERYTHING. X-Rays, blood tests, teeth cleaning, basic check ups,... EVERYTHING. If you put aside $100/ month, or expect about $100/ month in costs, you'll be fine with a standard issue cat. Edit: Also, litter. Silica based litters are about $20 - $30/ bag, but last for a month, if it's just one cat. Litter liners are $20/ for a roll of a million and one box will last a year. Edit, Edit: Pet insurance is through [ASPCA Pet Insurance](https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com)

drop the sauce, what insurance?

Not OP, but I have Nationwide through my work.

Whats your insurance provider?

Obviously not OP, but I love embrace, never had a problem with them

Invest in pet insurance. It will save you from having to make tough decisions and $$$. Mine gives 90% back. Since I buy mostly wet food for my cats and have prescription diet for my older cat I’d say 200-300 a month of food plus $125 on pet insurance. However, the pet insurance is a must for us. We have saved thousands of dollars and gotten great care for our kitties bc of it.

What pet insurance do you have?

I have put aside $10,000 in vet bills for each of my 2 cats. That is what my previous cat cost towards the end of her life. My previous cat had no health issues in 15 years and then she developed cancer. Also geriatric cat care is more expensive due to having to do teeth cleans under general and things like pain relief for arthritis or better food for upset tummies or UTI etc …. Just like for people I guess. For me the cats are a big part of my life and help with my mental health. I work full time and am in my 50’s. I probably couldn’t afford them in my 20’s. I also spend a lot on food. About $70 to $100 a week. (Eg One cat eats 4 to 6 pouches a day at $1 - $2.20 each). He’s a very big traumatised foster). My cats are 2 and 4 atm.

You spend more on food for your cats than I do for my family of 3, lol. That was eye-opening to read!

I’m in Australia and I hate how expensive everything is. I’m not even buying high end cat food. (Eg Royal Canin here is approx $67 for 3kg and Open Farm is $99.99 for 3kg) ….. I mostly buy Whiskers and other supermarket brands etc. And try to buy on special.

Those food prices track. That’s exactly what I pay for my two 1 yr old boys who eat 90% wet food. And I can understand you saving that much for vet bills. That way you always have a “just in case” fund for them. It’s no different than having an emergency fund for human children. Sounds like you’re an excellent cat parent.

My cat became diabetic almost a year ago. She’s now an expensive kitty, was almost $1000 for diagnosis (all the testing and initial food and medical equipment). Now she’s about $400-$500 a month in supplies(prescription food, glucose test strips, lancets to prick her with to test blood, insulin and syringes). My second cat is about $50-$60/month in food and I spend about $60/month in cat litter. How do we afford it? Dual income household and a low mortgage. I am saving faaaar less now than I was before she was sick 🥲

Oh my goodness! I previously had a diabetic boy and we saved money buying the people test strips and devices because the pet ones were SO expensive.

I do purchase the human ones lol they’re about $90+tax for 100 strips and $10 for 100 lancets and I purchase them about every 6 weeks as I test her multiple times a day. I’ll admit as time has gone on, I can test less frequently but her dose is constantly being adjusted and monitored as her condition seems to change over time, it has gone up 5x over the course of treatment.

Ugh the plight of our little sugar babies 🥲 Good on you for being on top of it with testing and adjusting doses. That shit can be hard! Adjusting to our new routine was like a slap in the face when we started and our vet was so non chalant and was like “testing isn’t really necessary” ??? Like wut lol My sweet boy ended up having pancreatic cancer that presented as diabetes with the crazy sugars, wasn’t evident until the end. My heart is always with the kitty parents who dedicate so much time, care, and money to their little friends condition 💜

Science Diet is $50 every 6 months, Seresto flea collar $50 every 6 months, and annual vet $300 with shots and blood tests. So about $500 annual, or $42/month. Edit: I forgot litter. We use feline pine which is the best value. I'm told in some areas it can be purchased as "fuel pellets" and for less money.

Ooh no do not buy the fuel pellets. Buy pelleted horse stall bedding - same basic price for a 40lb bag but the quality is different - I’ve seen things like nails and metal scraps in fuel pellets. Also they’re not meant to expand when wet.

yup. $7 for a 40lb bag. I order them online via HD and shipping isn’t much so it ends up costing me ~$9/bag when I order four at a time.

European here, her insurance is about 150/160 euro a year, that covers up to 6,000 but I keep that for if there was ever an emergency, her dental cleaning comes to about 250 ish as she has plaque build up even with regular brushing, annual vaccinations / checkups / flea / tick treatment will be your main vet bill after spaying etc. but try to have a mini emergency fund if she were to need X-rays / blood work. My girls about 50 / 60 a month for wet food / litter (I buy in bulk on zooplus) Her dry food is a particular kind for her skin from the vet it’s about 80 for a big bag but it lasts quite a while as she’s mainly on wet food with dry as a snack during the day while I’m gone. One thing I will say about food - try to get a few different wet foods she will eat, save yourself the panic because if they only eat one and it gets discontinued it takes so much trial and error to find another (I now have 3 kinds that are acceptable for her highness thankfully but it was rough) She gets regular new toys / activity boards to use for treats, but I keep all of the ones she gets bored of and cycle them out to keep her interested, some of her favourite are little spring toys, and those hex bug like things that she can chase around, wand toys we can use to play together during the day. A good cat tree! Not sure where you’re based but zooplus has an excellent selection, she has a few of different heights and I’ve used those scratch boards to turn some shelves / surfaces around the room into like additions to the trees Cat beds with her are hit and miss, she sleeps in bed with me but when she’s chilling out she prefers the trees and window sill than her beds A harness was about 10 and she lives going for walks outside! To be completely honest I spend a lot on her but I’m single, 26 with no kids and living at home while saving up for my own place for myself and my cat, so she’s the only big expense I have other than a car while saving. She’s my whole world and I treat her like it, I’m not beating the crazy cat lady allegations any time soon :)

Also I just want to recommend steel or ceramic bowls that are tall (ceramic is cuter but if it chips it defeats the purpose of it being more sanitary than plastic) Another caution for the ceramic is you end up with 10+ different bowls and plates because they’re all so cute, at this point she has a better set of dishes than I do, I call them her fine china

We got nice cute ceramic bows with our first cat and none survived even the first year. Now we get steel dog bows with traction rubber underneath 😅 not very cute, but functional.

My little boy has seasonal water bowls - with little bunnies for easter, sunflowers for the summertime, little cat ghosts for fall/Halloween, snowflakes and Santa for Christmas and so on. Swear to god, my town‘s TJmaxx is being kept afloat by my cat 🥲

We are a childfree couple, that’s why

https://preview.redd.it/6xm0nhfi97bd1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f6d4743e53790e0f550091956c707749189ebbd I have spent so much money on beds and blankets.. even a cat tree… he likes a bag on the floor… and doesn’t touch the cat tree…🙄

I buy stuff, spray cat nip on it. If mine doesn't use it much in a week, I take it back and try again with the next thing. Saves lots of money on things he won't use, to spend on something he will.

By having a good paying job, lol. No kids or expensive hobbies helps, too. I spend about $50 per cat per month on food. About $10 on litter. $8 on insurance (for emergencies/big bills only, doesn't help with checkups/preventative) plus some more on toys and filters for their fountains, etc.

My cats are siblings and 17, mid pandemic they had little ulcers on their nose, photo and awkward hand offs and $300 later they are good. Probably going to live forever. I’m concerned when it’s time to let them forever rest I won’t know cause our previous cat Bubbles, was poisoned by a neighbour when Bubbles was ten.

4 cats here I buy 800g cans of cat food, we get through one can a day. That costs around £100 a month. The food they get is amazing quality, and actually costs less to feed than horrible stuff like Felix or Whiskas (not sure what the US version might be, anything by Purina and other supermarket rubbish). Pet insurance currently sits at £67pm but will rise on renewal in September. The litter we use costs about £25 and lasts 2 months ish, it’s brilliant stuff that never smells! Then there’s treats but the cost of those is peanuts really. A consultation at the vets is £40, I like to get them in once a year for general checkup and weight check etc, but if I have a concern they go straight in! This year was an expensive one with two cats needing some extreme dental work and another one has been diagnosed with asthma! Then of course there’s flea and worming, vaccines, spaying etc. but I’d like to think a rescue would have their animals fixed already! Edit: the cat litter i use is called Greenwood’s by Zooplus / Bitiba, it’s basically the same as Cats Best but much cheaper! Be warned though - it gets absolutely everywhere especially after our Maine Coon has been in it 😅

What litter do you use? I live in the Falklands and we have to Make Do with the choices we can get here, so it may be worth me planning ahead and ordering and shipping something particularly good quality, and cost effective

It’s a brand called Greenwood’s which is very similar to Cats Best, I order it from a website called Zooplus or Bitiba (which is also where I get their food from!).

What kind of litter?

I use Zooplus own brand Greenwood’s - it’s the same as Cats Best but much cheaper!

Yes please let us know the brand of litter! I use KatKin and it’s £36 for 1 month, 2 cats

I use Zooplus own brand Greenwood’s - it’s the same as Cats Best but much cheaper!

Thank you! How often do you have to replace their litter?

I buy food in bulk whenever i have a bit of extra money. primarily fancy feast classic pate so that i always have a backstock of it. we’re getting a second cat soon so plan on getting kirkland (costco) pate so ill do the same with that. same with tiki cat, weruva, & nulo i get variety packs for but also pick up cans here and there in stores. if i don’t have that extra cash flow, i still spend maybe $80 a month on wet food. this is based off of my cat as a kitten so she eats like double the amount that she will be eating in a month, so im assuming with 2 cats it will still be 80-100/mo on food. i have insurance on my one which is $26 a month so we’ll see how much it’ll be with 2. litter with 2 will be roughly $19 a month (dr. elsey’s clumping clay litter) assuming the new cat goes through litter around the same rate as my current cat. wellness vet visits are scheduled in advance so i know each january itll be about $70 per animal.

get trupanion! it is the insurance that both vets i’ve talked to recommended and the selling point for me was, well that ofc, but also they’re the only (afaik) insurance company that pays directly to the vet rather than you paying and they pay you back.

Well, I don't have a pet cat, but I do have a stray cat who is staying on my front porch. I took him to the vet to get checked up. Everything the doctor recommended would have costed me a total of $850. The more expensive stuff was the testing. Like, testing for FIV, felv, urinalysis and x-rays. Those were upwards of $75+. I think the FIV or Urinalysis test costed like $170 or something. The exam alone was $51. Ultimately, in the end I decided to just buy him his convenia injection (I think this is the antibacterial, right?), Bravecto and Profender. Bravecto is a topical anti-flea and tick medicine and Profender is a topical deworming medicine. In the end, everything still costed me somewhere around $230. So, how do I afford my cats? I don't, because i don't technically have one. But if this stray cat was mine, I'd be having to pay $70 every 9 months for Bravecto, I think $30 every 6 months for a deworming medicine, maybe $80+ for vaccines (not too sure about this one) and assuming you'd like to take your cat to a professional groomer too then that might cost even more. Food and stuff is not the big problem. These things are tiny. They don't require a lot of sustanence to maintain themselves. I think the big thing is the healthcare. It can be quite expensive. My neighbor has a cat who had an eye infection. She told me that everything costed her around $500. I'm assuming she did x rays, blood tests and urine samples or something like that. Because the medicine isn't too expensive. It's mostly the labs and testing. Eye medicine probably only costed them like $50 or something

The cheapest thing about owning my cat was the day I adopted her. She was $76 including spay, vaccinations, microchip, and lifetime registration. Monthly it’s about $100 on food, $50 on insurance, maybe another $10 on treats, $15 on litter. Nothing else for toys really, we’re bursting at the seams here. And then if I average out the general healthcare and annual checkup let’s say $15. Probably about $200 if I round up a bit.

So initial costs-bowls, carrier, litterbox, scratchers, adoption fee, is gonna be higher. I adopted two sisters and the adoption agency only made me pay the fee for one despite having to fill out 2 forms. My advice, don't invest in the cat trees until you know your cat will scratch on sisal. I had one cat that never used the cat tree. Didn't even sit on it to look out the window. She climbed across other furniture to sit on the windowsill. She liked cardboard scratchers which are messier but much cheaper. My current 2 do not touch the cardboard scratchers. I bought them a tree and it's almost time to take the sisal rope off and replace it because they got it to the point it's falling off You could probably find bowls at the dollar store and if there is a rescue around you that has a thrift store, the one near me sells used carriers. Litterbox is something that needs to be bought new. And maybe a few toys, don't go nuts, mine play with shoelaces, paper bags and ping pong balls. I don't have pet insurance, but I do have $1000 set aside for a vet fund. Mine were fixed before I brought them home so I didn't have that cost. What probably makes me a bad cat mom is that I don't take them to the vet every year, one of them gets bad car sickness and they are both terrified of the carrier so I try to avoid that stress. They're both indoor only cats so many of the health issues are avoided because of that. Cat litter is about $9/month- I buy arm and hammer clump and seal at a warehouse club store and it usually has a coupon once a month or so. Wet food is about $27/month -They each get half a can of friskies wet food once a day. I buy through chewy and take advantage of autoship to order enough for free shipping. Dry food is about $10/month - I feed them Iams indoor cat food. They are free fed this which I know you can't do with some cats, but all the cats I've ever had were fine with this. Other supplies average around $5/month- treats, the random toy I pick up that they don't play with but I felt like buying anyway, that sort of thing I know I don't feed my cats the highest quality food out there, but it's not bottom tier either. My vet had no objections to what I was feeding my last cat, which is what I feed these 2. But a pair is definitely nice if you're not home most of the day because then they have a buddy, I would just ask the rescue who gets along and who doesn't so you don't end up in the middle of a war zone.

I have a 16 year old sweet boy who has had super minimal health issues- so he’s pretty affordable. I use pretty litter which is $22 every 3 weeks, his food is $50 every 3 months or so, and then other random things like toys, brushes, etc. probably add up to $100 a year? I bring him to the groomer once a year and the vet once a year, and they’re both typically $100 each. Given this, my grand total is less than $1000 a year in a normal year! I don’t feel like it’s financially limiting most of the time :)

I've got six cats. Usually spend about $60+ on them a month give or take. And it's usually just the food and litter (they have enough treats, toys and cat trees at this point lol). I definitely recommend a care credit card for emergencies.

We decided that cats are our hobby and we’re willing to spend quite a bit on them.   Instead of concerts, or fine dining, or classic cars, or collections, or hobbies with expensive hardware, we choose cats.  

I spend approximately £25 a month per cat and that includes Sheba wet food, Perfect Fit Dry food, kitty litter and variety of treats. I flea my cat 3 times a year, that costs just under £30 for 3 doses. She goes to annual check ups every year and that costs up to £40 although once I had to get her a dental treatment following vet’s recommendation and that costed just over £300. Now I buy cat toothpaste for about £10 and it lasts for a year. She also gets new toys twice a year - birthday in June and xmass, I’d say that’s anywhere from £50 to £100 per year.

Back when it was just one extremely healthy cat, I guess would be the equivalent of 10-15 dollars per month, and vet + vaccines once a year (maybe 50?). Now that's three cats, all with kidney problems and two of them seniors, it's around 250-400 dollars per month. Attention: not American.

For two cats we spend $3/day on food (Hawaii prices) and probably $300 a year in vet bills. So, about $2/day per cat. We think of it as a small price to pay for the companionship, entertainment and serving cats 24/7. Day after day after day.

I have 2 older cats, one is diabetic. I spend between $260-300/month for basics: foods, litter, insulin, syringes. If I go out of town, medical boarding at an animal clinic runs $115/day for 1 cat. Toys, condos, beds, etc are all extras that I do not budget for. Bigger ticket items that i considered "investments" include 1 litter robot (+ jumbo regular box), a Petlibro auto feeder and stainless steel 2-liter water fountain.

Having indoor only cats saves a fortune on medical care. It has its challenges though. I feed my cats premium food and they really don't eat much. I probably spend more money on litter than anything. I am trying out using wood pellet bedding for litter which seems good so far. It's like $8 for a 40 lb bag.

This is for two cats. I buy the cheapest clay litter I can find: $25 for 40lbs. That lasts about a month-ish (the initial fill, and then topping off each one with about how much litter was taken out in pee each day). Big dry food (Nulo) is $50 for 12lbs. They eat 1/4 cup each daily so that lasts quite a while. Let’s say two months. Wet food (also Nulo) is like $36 for 12 big cans (like dog-food sized cans). They eat 1/4 of a can of that each a day, so that lasts me about 3.5 weeks. So monthly, let’s say about $80/mo total in the basics. Toys are mostly in the form of random cardboard, and boinks that I buy $7.99 for 60 and it lasts me for a looong time. I don’t have pet insurance. I can afford a rainy day in my situation, and these are healthy 1-year old cats… I’m taking the bet that they won’t need enough care to amount to the cost of insurance. Oh and I also give them revolution plus to be safe, so that’s about $25-ish a month each as well. Let’s say ~140-150 a month for both of them. I could buy cheaper food, I could find bulk cat litter, and I could probably do without the Revolution plus at all (they’re indoor), so under $50 each a month is completely doable without really scrimping on anything.

My chewy order for 3 months for two cats is $500. Let's round up and call that $170 a month. That's for wet food and treats. I just pick up their supplementary kibble at the grocery store and it's negligible - I leave a little down if I'm not going to be home all day but mostly I use it to load a Kong toy to keep them occupied. Litter is working out to around $30 a month. Total for basic needs after start up costs are covered is just over $100 a month per cat. Vet is $200 to $300 a year for both, depending on which vaccines are due, if everything is well, but lately, it hasn't been. I just dropped $1200 on a dental surgery. That's sitting on my credit card, which is the unfortunate side effect of having pets without being wealthy.

The hardest part for me is in the beginning when the kittens need their complete series of shots. Once they are about 6-8 months you really don’t have to worry about anything. I also keep my cats indoors, so less exposure to things that could possibly turn into a vet bill lol.

I have eight, seven inside and a barn cat. Vet visits us, with meds, 2-3 visits a year, $400-600 per. Cat food is $110 a month, litter $40 (two Popur X5 litter boxes). No restrictions on toys, catnip adds $50-100 a month. We are pre-retirement empty nesters, so cats replaced children.

If you get one or two from a rescue, they come fixed and with their shots. If you have a cat/s without health problems they don’t really need the vet besides vaccinations. You can get rabies shots for free through animal shelters or Petsmart depending on where you live.

I'm in the UK so prices will be different compared to the US, but this is a rough breakdown (I have 2 cats) Insurance: About £30/month. That gives me £9,000/year of coverage for each cat. Food: About £60/month for just the food I could have this be much cheaper but my girl's are spoiled, so they get the best. I also spend about £25/month on a probiotic because one of my girl's has a sensitive tummy. Toys: £0-15/month. Both of them are honestly most content with sticks that I find outside and bits of cardboard. If I see a toy I think they'll like then I do get it for them. The main thing that has saved my bank account is the insurance. One of my cat's has an x-ray tomorrow that is going to cost £600. Even if I put money aside once it's been used it's gone. I've had my cats a year so even if I'd put aside £100/month for vet costs, half of that would have been blown on just one x-ray for one cat.

I currently have 3 cats. I choose to go high end on litter, food, etc… for their sake. ~$70/mo between dry food, wet food, and litter Generally it is best after you adopt or anything to get a checkup at a vet. I’m not sure how costly it is in your area, depending on the vet, but we have a very good vet here that does check ups for I believe $75. The biggest cost generally comes with issues your cats may have. There are even some small issues like diarrhea that people may say it’s best to see a vet for. That’s up to you, as when you’re a cat owner it’s your decision to make. Between all 3 of my cats, however, I believe we’ve only had to spend >$300 overall in the last 2 years. We use care credit for anything vet so if there’s an emergency they will always be able to get seen. You’ll want to buy some toys and comfort items like beds, fluffy blankets, maybe a cat tower or window hammock. I wouldn’t say it’s too expensive at all. Even if it was, the reward out-weighs the risk, always. My cats are my little children and I will always treat them as such. edit: although me and my girlfriend only have 3 of our own, there are 13 cats all together and 2 dogs. we pay for those two, as we are lucky that we can. Roughly ~$250/mo for all of our pets here. Very rarely do any of them need to see a vet for anything unless it’s serious, and we (mainly me) has a good knowledge base on anatomy and physiology in general, but also for animals. we have a way with fixing our cats issues without the need for vet intervention or prescriptions. however, of course, we always refer to the vet of anything out of the ordinary. general rule is if your cat is acting out of the normal for more than 3 days, fecal sample first, then vet visit. Most issues tend to pass after a few days.

I had a cat who lived for 18 years, she never had health issues, just paid for shots and thyroid meds towards the end of her life. And then recently I had to put down my 1 year old after finding out he had cancer. Spent $5100 trying to get him healthy but he sadly couldn't fight anymore. It really is a range. Get pet insurance, PLEASE. And make sure you're ready for whatever comes.

My biggest expense is food, but that depends on what you want to feed them. Aside from that, litter and toys aren’t all that expensive. The cost jump from 2 cats to 3 wasn’t that significant for me. Most important is to get pet insurance asap. I have Metlife with preventative care add on and they’re really prompt with processing my claims and cover a lot of different things. I had Pet’s Best before but they took forever to process my claims and was more expensive for less coverage. Keep in mind that most pet insurances will have you pay out of pocket first before they reimburse you, so definitely have money set aside to be able to afford it until you get reimbursed.

I have three cats and spend around $200 a month just for dry and canned food and cat litter, but I also don’t buy the cheapest stuff. In the beginning though when you’re getting climbing trees and scratching posts, that can be expensive as well. As far as the other stuff goes, I have a CareCredit card so when I do have to take them to the vet, I can use that and then make payments with 0% interest for a certain amount of time, usually 6 months sometimes a year, depending on the treatment that was done.

I have 4 cats. All indoor cats. They were all from the humane society and all spayed/neutered by them. They are all on urinary tract food, which is about $100 a month. And I use some kind of grass seed cat litter, also about $100 a month. (I have the standard rule of # of litter boxes + 1).

I adopted my two last year from my local Humane Society 4 months apart. Both were 10 months old. With the adoption they were neutered, had all shots and I received a free vet visit and a $200 vet credit for each. One was diagnosed with feline Herpes at that visit, so I give him l-Lysine supplements daily from Amazon, probably $10/month, I take them for their yearly shots at a low cost clinic, $10 Rabies and $10 feline distemper. I feed them 1 can of Friskies wet food ($.79) daily between them and they have a bowl of dry Purina hairball healthy weight food ($30/month) at all times. I bought them a $35 cat tree on Amazon, lots of toys from there as well and each has a cat bed I bought there. I use Arm & Hammer clumping litter, about $25/month.

Well my cat is on allergy shots that are $350 for a three month supply and a medication that costs $130 for a two month supply. Her ear cleaner is $30 and lasts me a few months, her ear drops are $30 but last me ages. She also has pretty bad teeth and has needed three teeth cleanings and extractions and those have each been over a thousand (she is 8 years old now). Once I adopted a kitten who ended up costing me $11,000 in the five months I had her before she died. Once I adopted a kitten (well, was handed her from the trunk of someone's car) and she had a few emergency vet visits when she was younger and then went into heart failure when she was four--her last year and a half was incredibly expensive. Once I adopted a kitten and she was pretty healthy overall but then had a cancerous growth on her toe that needed surgery when she was six. (She died for unrelated reasons a few weeks later, but that wasn't expensive, I guess, other than cremation.) Basically...it is very hard to predict. I am a big believer in pet insurance, though not everyone is.

Initially expensive set up Get good quality food because that will save you with health problems Get good pet insurance. I pay $55/month for 2 cats with Spot.

We have 2 cats, both 15 years old and we’ve had them since they were kittens. We’ve been very lucky with their health. Spay/neuter was done through a local shelter’s program for around $150 each including vaccines while they were under. Our boy has never needed a sick visit to the vet, well visits and vaccinations are usually around $200. Our girl had a year of nonstop UTIs, between vet visits and meds we were probably in the $500-$800 range. She ended up having a bladder stone and needed surgery, the visits, X-rays, and surgeries were just under $2500. But she has been healthy since then except for a recent rush visit to the vet because I saw she was missing a tooth, where the vet informed me she’s missing a bunch of teeth in the back and is just old, lol! Routine costs: Wet food: ~$10/week - they split a can a day. - Dry food: a big bag of friskies is around $15 and lasts them a couple months - Litter: I use a lightweight litter and then a cheap litter in the very bottom of the box, $15/week - Treats and toys: ~$50/year - Beds, litter boxes, food and water dispensers, carriers all vary in cost but for the initial supplies, I’d plan around $150-$200 to get decent quality stuff. These things are only replaced every few years typically. I have a care credit card for emergencies and it has definitely come in handy with those UTIs and bladder stone.

Find local rescue groups and talk to them about maybe fostering first. Find one that supplies food and medical care, and you'll have the opportunity to get to help a rescue animal and learn how to care for them.

I have 3. I just did 3 exams, 3 , 3yr fvrcp vax. Plus 2, 3 yr rabies. One needed ear meds. Plus I have a traveling vet for a small fee of 45 bucks (totally worth it) balance was 680 for all 3. But they don't have to go back for 3 years. Thankfully their food is relatively cheap...they only eat fancy feast. Depends on how many cats and how much they eat... The expensive food is not any better then friskies...wet food is more important for moisture to avoid kidney issues...cats must take in fluids and moisture. Some crunchy food is good for teeth but its mostly carbs and cats need the protein to keep them lean

Breakdown of initial cost of my cat in the first 2 weeks plus my monthly guesstimation below: 1.) Adoption fee of $105 2.) Food $26 for one month-ish supply (my local pet food spot had given me an extra bag of food, 2 bags of treats, and a packet of tiki cat mousse for free because I told them I adopted at a nearby shelter so that'll last month 2 3.) $79 vet visit to hold the appointment pre-insurance (but my partner has pet insurance thru work so this will get some reimbursed, his monthly insurance bill is about $20 thru Nationwide) 4.) Scratching post $40 5.) 2 litter boxes $20ish 6.) 2 bags of litter $35 (that should last 6 weeks since I only have the 1 cat) That's my guess! Anyone chime in on how often to clean entirely out and start fresh. I was going to change out litter every 3 weeks. 7.) Litter scoop and holder $19 8.) Poop bags $4 for shit ton, should last half a year 9.) Misc. toys, catnip, windowsill bed, plush blanket, $45 10.) Auto-feeder $30 11.) Collar $8 Monthly: Recurring cost without vet visits I'm guesstimating will be $50/mo for litter and food unless I spoil her and buy more things to climb and lay on or ignore enrirely. Note: I pay a little more for food and litter and offset the litter cost with auto-renew thru Chewy but support my local pet store for other things as much as possible because they're super knowledgeable, nearby, and capitalism sucks and I want to support small businesses because I am one, too. I split costs with my boyfriend most of the time which helps. I have no kids or other pets so my dang cat lives VERY comfortably. She also has no known medical needs which is why my monthly costs are under $100.

20 wet food 20 dry food 15 litter 15 treats 85 grooming every 4 months (including $20 tip) 30 flea treatment at Vet 50 flea dip every 3 months at Vet

Personally I spend maybe like $50 for food every month/ month and a half for my 2 cats. They do their yearly vaccines or whenever is needed and then if I can't cut their nails, I get them professionally cut for like $10 per cat. Pretty low maintenance unless your cat has health problems. Oh, and I use pine litter which can be found pretty cheap at like horse feed places. Both of my cats are from the shelter and I got both of them as kittens right after being spayed / neutered. I had a dog who passed away last year and honestly from my experience dogs are much more expensive and harder to maintain.

It's been expensive this year, between my senior male cat having a stroke & chronic diarrhea & our kitten needing her vax & neutering, but aside from that, I usually buy senior dry hill's for my seniors which is about 35 a month & oral care for the kitten which is about 18 a month And sometimes food for digestion for my senior boy with chronic diarrhea

We probably spend $50-$60 on our cat per month between wet food, dry food, treats, and litter. His annual exam and shots are around $200/year. We also are prepared for unexpected vet bills, like the ~3k in dental care he has needed in the past 3 years.

The place I got my cats from charged me a $250 adoption fee for each of them, but they came with all necessary shots+microchip and their foster mom is such a sweetheart that she built me a kitty starter box, just in case. I think it’s more worth it to spend good money on a cat tree, a good water fountain and if you want to, a nicer litter box/litter box furniture. My girls prefer balled up socks to any of the toys I’ve bought for them. https://preview.redd.it/tpnc8nd127bd1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b83dcc45659b72063287361a64cbdab8e65b5997 ^(that’s) one of my shirts she’s sleeping on 🤣

Cats aren’t too expensive until they get old or sick or both lol. I recommend as many have said here starting a little savings for them if you can

Mileage varies based on cat needs - in the US. Lots of really good advice on this thread. Credit card. You may - or may not - need it. Call it $30 - 500. Over 25 years, mostly in the $30/month range. I am NOT including the medical bills in this average. Or insurance . Cat 2 taught me that I need insurance for Cat 3. Just haven’t figured out how that works, yet. I dive into the rabbit hole and come back up with a yearly out of pocket cost / sunk cost that scares me considering that cat 2 was 10ish before insurance would have been helpful. Had 2 cats that overlapped by several years. During this time, with mostly few/zero issues maybe $30/month on food/litter. Maybe a new toy or some fresh dry catnip. Not counting a TON of money wasted on beds, toys, wet food that they wouldn’t eat. Did not see a significant increase in cost when i brought in Cat 2 in 2007. Before 2015/constipation, I was buying fragrance free clumping litter and, about every 6 months, a huge bag of purina dry food from bjs. Kept that food in a well sealed cat/dog food bin. (I still see these in pet stores) ——— And then cat 2 became constipated in 2015. Switched to shweet litter, premium dry food and his favorite fancy feast for constipated kitty. This overhead cost did not significantly increase. Yes- there were spikes, but I didn’t have to make purchases every month. I stalked sales for food & litter. stocked up on litter when it hit less than 90 cents a pound. (Froze excess food to keep it fresher ). Big bags of litter are cheaper over the long term and last longer. A bag of Royal Canin is expensive, but down to one cat at that point and it lasted almost 3 months.. Scooping every day also helps litter last longer because clumps don’t have a chance to get broken back down to stinky granules. ———- When cats 1&2 were about 10&5, i found that they liked the small dog bed i brought home - first bed that they ever used. Still kept their veggie boxes & fleece blanket beds for other areas of the house. About the same time, they actually ate the wet food that id try to treat them with about every 4-6 weeks (rarely, bc it was always wasted) Favorite toys- cat dancer & long-fleece-string-on-a-stick Oh. Cat 2 loved Small furry mice. We’d play fetch. I’d toss a mouse. He’d chase it. Then come back over to me until i’d toss another. This would repeat until i was out of mice and was forced to go fetch them. Cat 1&3 ignore/d mice. Cat 3 loves furry chenille worm things with bells. Favorite places- On top of dressers & bookcases where they could look out a window. Cat 3. New-feral-kitty-found-on-my mom’s-porch. About $1500 since she arrived last August. Mom drove 7 hours to my place to fill the empty hole in my heart. 4 months-ish when i got her. As others are saying- a cat from a shelter is a bargain!!! Initial checkup vet bills/vaccinations and another 800 for spaying :-( as my vet seems to be super expensive; new toys. She’s inherited most of my old cat’s stuff and - other than utterly destroying one of the beds- seems to like it. Hated the shweet litter and used the cat bed as her box. Had to throw it out and buy new (regular) litter. Mostly had food already as I’d a bunch of kitten formula food bought to try tempting Cat 2 to eat/gain weight back right as he declined. Cat 1- 2000-2016. pregnant teenage mommy back in 2001. Basic yearly med checkup. She passed without much fanfare in 2016 Cat 2 — 30,000. 2005-2023. Around 2 when I brought him home from the shelter. Costs started in late 2015. Constipated kitty - oh boy. At least 30,000 in medical bills. Uninsured. About 800 a month for 24 months. Last 2 months was about 10,000 in emergency care bc he stopped eating April 2023. - feeding tube insertion, meds and special food. Most of the 20,000 before that was for diagnostics or to clear blockages at 200-600 a pop every 10-16 days until it was clear his quality of life was zero - he’d started to hide in the closet or run away from me to hide instead of running to me for pets Or sunbathing in the window. Heartbreaking. Decided not to take more invasive measures and he lived another 6 years (with various dosages of mirulax, enulose, the occasional cisapride ). Oh… his bout of mycoplasma— that was $2000. Worth every penny. He was a ‘project’ shelter cat from the streets of Lowell and went from just-tolerating-me-feral to a complete sweetie right before cat 1 passed away. (This turnaround took almost 5 years) Cat 0.5. 1999-2000. Inherited a sweet lady from a woman who moved to a nursing home. Unfortunately died in a house fire in 2000.

My cat is 1 years old I spend $50 a fortnight on my cats food (mix of wet and dry) wet cat food is like $2-3 a pouch here now unless you buy supermarket cat food which is $1.50 a pouch) $25 on litter a month Vet checkup once a year for $250 So like $125 a month bit more if I buy her toys Cats aren’t cheap tell ya that but def worth I don’t have pet insurance as it’s $60 per month and I’m on a disability pension I do however put away $20 a month for vet bills Pet insurance is weird here though it costs more the older a cat gets and covers less the older they get (even if you got them on the plan as a kitten), a ton of limits usually max $300-500 for quite a few things. So even if I could afford it I’d be hesitant because everyone I know who has had it ended up paying 7x+ more then they would have had to put of pocket over 8 years. So research what it’s like in your country

I currently have two young cats. One was free from a friend, but 600 spay cost, the other I got for 200 from petco whom was already spayed. Initial vet visits for both were around 200 dollars. The cat boxes are about 30 a piece, but vary in price depending on quality and size. I really want to get stainless steel ones which are 50 a piece. (# of boxes = # of cats + 1) Monthly costs are about 50 for litter and 50 for food. I get them new toys and treats once a month which are about 10 bucks. I got a cat tree for 250 when I had only the first cat (this is a solid wood structure by an artist in Seattle). As well as another larger cat tree for 300 when I got the second cat. I have cat beds / blankets around the house and on the cat trees, about 30 a piece. Cat scratchers (excluding the cat trees which have them built in) I bought a mushroom scratcher from Petco which they love (50 bucks), and two sloped cardboard scratchers which needs replacing every few months (15 bucks each). Overall, after the initial costs. I spend about 110 on my two cats each month. But the trees and accessories and beds I got over time when I was able to affordable them)

2 cats with no health issues. Here’s our current breakdown: $200 every month and a half on food, $84 every month on their health insurance, $95 every 2 months for flea and tick medication, $40 a month on litter, and $40 a month on supplements. We have the 80% reimbursement insurance plan on both cats so last summer when they both had health emergencies and the bills were close to $6k we only ended up paying $1,250. Their annual vet bill together for their standard visit ends up being like $250 altogether. It’s a huge financial commitment. My husband and I split all the cats needs so it’s not financially hurting either of us to have 2 cats. We also have reserved part of our emergency funds for our cats- because even with insurance a big vet bill can still be quite a bit. Just ask yourself, can I afford a $2,000 emergency tomorrow? You can be a perfect pet parent and your fur baby can still get into trouble. Its so important to assess these things before taking on that responsibility.

Vet care widely varies. I have one cat who has been twice in her 4 year lifetime(my cats do not go outside), but another that is FIV+ and FIP+ as well. We have spent thousands this year alone on him.

We have to have our cats on prescription food. That costs us $80 per month just on food.

I have 2 kitties. One (7F) gets one vet visit/year at about $100-150 and that includes anti anxiety meds for car rides, vet visits, fireworks. The other one (13.5F) is significantly more expensive. Arthritis meds are $200/3mo. Prescription cat food at $70/8 weeks. 1 well vet visit and usually about 3-7 sick visits/year. She has had some cardiac appointments at $750 to walk in the door. With this, I am in my 40s and work in engineering so my kitties are my big expense (and potential house repairs). I have told a couple of friends that I really would like this t-shirt if they want to gift me something. https://catladybox.com/shop/product/2174672935_b'i-work-hard-so-my-cat-shirt'

I have a chewy order for every 6 weeks that is $377- prescription food, treats, and litter. I paid $500 for spaying. About $250 yearly check up and blood work. I've had kitty 1 need 3k in dental work and kitty 2 need 3.5k with a urinary block.

Cats are generally an incredibly inexpensive pet, when everything goes according to plan. Adopt from a shelter and you’ll get its desexing and vaccinations taken care of for the adoption fee. Learn to trim nails and you’ll save any significant furniture damage. Get a shorthair and you’re not likely to need a groomer. Healthy pet vet visits annually, insurance, vaccinations every 3 years or so. Neither decent kibble nor litter are especially expensive. If you keep your cats inside (which is best for the cat and the environment) you’ll have a lot less surprise vet bills and the ones you have are less likely to be catastrophic (no pun intended.) You will always role the dice on health issues. A serious emergency without insurance can easily hit $10,000, but to be honest it’s a rarity and maybe I’d get downvoted for this but with SO MANY homeless cats, I’d rather see a cat get a loving home for years and then have to be pts because the owner didn’t have access to $10,000 for a specialized surgery than see people choose not to open their home to a cat at all.

I don’t spend that much. I need a new bag of food about every 6-8 weeks, and that’s like $25. Litter a big box 1/month that’s like $25. Cat toys are very inexpensive especially since my cats would rather play with trash than actual toys. Aside from that they’re most expensive when kitten for getting fixed, shots, etc. but my very visits are like $150/year. And that’s one visit. I don’t have pet insurance.

We adopted our newest babies so they came with spay/neuter and vax but we have a bjs membership for food and litter 😀

One of my cats got FIP and I have spent about $25,000 on her the past three years. Wish I had insurance.

I have 2, 10 month old kittens I spend about $100.00 CAD month for there kibble and soft food I would recommend a water fountain for them and lots of toys. There litter I do separate and that cost me about $30.00CAD my kittens both have pet insurance and that $70.00 a month. Gives me a lot of peace of mind. Right now because of the heat wave I letting them do what they need to do as I don’t know how they feel . We have an A/C and a fan in my room A/C in living room. I do check On them regularly to make sure they are ok but honestly those are the prices I pay for my Two babies the insurance is 70.00 for both 90% coverage after $200.00 deductible for each kitten it covers everything

Insurance. INSURANCE GET THE INSURANCE I cannot say it enough. It is worth it. You don't have to get the super expensive one either, shop around. Mine covers everything, injuries, prescription food, asthma treatments, even some of the cancer treatments of my late girl. Just get the insurance. It's like $25 a month to pretty much free you completely from the do I have enough saved up for an emergency/can I afford to save my baby conversation. Get the insurance

Personally I own one cat and she’s a year old, I found her at about 1 or 2 months old and she was literally small enough to need to be fed by bottle, burped, helped go to the bathroom and the works. Since last April when I took her home, she’s luckily been healthy and hasn’t run up any big vet bills yet. Her spray surgery cost $25 at the Humane Society in my town (definitely apply for that if you have a similar program near you), formula+kitten food cost me probably $100 to buy in bulk and lasted me about six months. And I would buy individual cans of wet food weekly to supplement her diet with at the time so it probably came out to about $30 or so for her food and another $20 or so for litter every month. But I don’t buy those in bulk so you definitely could likely get away with buying more of it to stock up on in advance (def recommend, litter goes FAST). She now lives with my boyfriend’s two cats, and they are a great little family. It’s also super helpful to split the price of cat supplies w someone haha. Other things like cat beds, cat tree, toys and replacement toys for when those break ect cost around 250 in her year and a half of life. We feed all the cats a combination of Tiki cat dry food and the Tiki Cat Toppers plus we get a biweekly Smalls delivery which is really great fresh cat food. It’s a little pricier than it used to be at around $75 a month for my share of the supplies (so 1/3 of the total which is about $225 including treats and vitamins plus salmon oil ect) but we do it since we have some extra room in our budget and wanted it to go to their quality of life. Pet insurance is about $120 a month for all three of them and I only pay 40 for my share. I live in Los angeles so things may definitely be more inexpensive elsewhere but hope that helps :) Hope you find a great companion!

You can get a good discount on Figo pet insurance if you have a Costco membership and vet visits are reimbursed typically. Whenever I’ve taken my cat in it’s not usually more than a few hundred to check her nose to tail ect.

I personally say go adopt a kitten from a rescue that the kitten is fixed and vaccinated. First kitten was a stray and I started from scratch - vaccines, neutered, a few emergency vet visits and regular vet visit . On those just alone I spend about ~$1,500 over the course of 3 years. He was fairly healthy cat but always have emergency money set aside for these things … I didn’t nor insurance and it was EXPENSIVE. With toys I would find items on clearance at the stores even dollar tree toys Beds - I got the fluffy anxiety bed donut whatever you want to call it that was $30 but it’s washable !!! Get washable beds Litter and food/ treats - depends what you want to spend I would say whatever you would do for your self then do for the cat. You want a nice diet then the cat too . Wet foods are a must !!!!

The best piece of advice I can give is to get pet insurance! It’s medical insurance for your cats or dogs. Shop around and see which options are best for you— if you get completely healthy kittens, insuring them costs way less monthly than starting AFTER a problem has arisen. Some pet insurance companies won’t insure if your animal has a pre-existing health condition, so be sure to read the fine print. In our experience, we pay the vet visit costs up front and get reimbursed a percentage of the care. I think ours is an 80% reimbursement rate! Other than that, we have 4 cats and a dog. I probably spend $200-$250 easily each month on the cats alone, not counting vet visits. That’s food, litter, treats, and the occasional new toy (they have so many lol) Absolutely worth it in my opinion! ☺️🙏🏻🩷 I love them dearly.

I will FOREVER recommend pet insurance. I pay $50/month total for my 2 cats. At this point, they’ve reimbursed me more money than I’ve ever paid them. I’ve been reimbursed over $1000 this year already. I have petsbest. Otherwise, I just budget well to make sure my girls have good quality food and everything they need and more which includes microchip feeders, a litter robot 4, and a water fountain. Food wise I spend probably about $60 on wet food monthly and $60 on dry food probably every 2 months. I feed them wellness complete health wet food and science diet light dry food. Both my girls were adopted from a rescue so they came spayed and vaccinated.

Single, no kids without fur. Pet supplies are part of the monthly budget, and each month money goes into a sinking fund for annual vet visits. I also maintain an emergency fund that I've had to dip into at times for pet emergencies and then rebuild. Money wise, it's all about not waiting until the last minute to have funds to pay for the pets. I have one on a prescription diet, so between the food and litter I budget for $150 a month (half of that alone is the prescription food) and $40 for vet sinking fund. I recently went from 4 to 3 to 2, so may be considering reducing the monthly vet amount. Annual vet visit with vaccines for me is around $100/cat. Sometimes more when the 3 year rabies vaccine is due. Also don't forget to have funds set aside for end of life. I just had to pay that this week for my 16 year old - I want the private cremation and ashes returned, so there's also that to consider. And if you ever go on vacation and need a pet sitter, you'll want to plan well in advance both to have the reservation made with a reputable sitter and to have the funds to pay them.

I’m actually shocked that I saw on here that someone had a long comment about how sick feral and strays can be, and not to get a cat from a rescue and how breeders are where you need to go. It Actually kind of disgusted me. I’ve rescued for 30 years, all of my cats are rescues. Some have lived to be 18 years old and some had cancer and passed away at 13. You don’t need a cat from a breeder. As long as you have a safe loving inside home, some toys and a cat tree, and you feed them a mix of wet and dry food and take them to the vet periodically for a checkup, Your cat can live a long time. With thousands of cats being euthanized every day, I highly suggest a rescue or shelter. The upfront cost covers vaccinations and spay and neuter, which is very important and it will be much cheaper. Also,like others said, they like to play with boxes, rolled up tinfoil, and many other things that aren’t expensive. I would say go with at least two they keep each other company when you’re working. A mix of expensive food and not so expensive food makes it easier to feed them long-term. Keep an eye out for sales.

I probably would have spent $15k in the first year without pet insurance. Before you commit to a cat definitely find an insurance plan. My company has done us well but I’ve heard mixed reviews from other pet parents. Pet insurance: $35/month There’s castration: $40-800 depending on the city, quality of care, etc. Food: ~$150/month but you can certainly spend less Litter: box, matt, scoop, +/- garage can Initally can cost $100 and then $20/month on litter Toys: Mostly an upfront cost Vaccines: Rabies, Feline distemper, +/- Feline Leukemia ~$150 with boosters FIV/FELV test: $50 Preventatives : $30/month Bowls: $10 Cat scratching furniture : $10-$250 Now this is roughly for 1 cat. You can certainly spend a lot more or a lot less

My cat came spayed from the shelter. She's old. But healthy and small. I buy a $17 bag of food every 3 months or so. She doesn't like most toys. Except the dogs toy balls. She has one cat tree and no bed because she only sleeps where the dog is sleeping on the floor or on a foot stool or a chair I have. Her main hobby other than playing with rhe dog is murdering bugs and mice. So she's pretty low maintenance. Most cats I've found are pretty affordable. When they get health issues it can be a crap shoot. I find my dogs are much more expensive.

Research everything I needed find something good quality and watch for sales and I got pet insurance for emergencies. I have a dog as well and both are on one plan. I declined the wellness plan as it was not worth it for us but for my pet insurance for my dog I have 90% coverage with a $100 deductible on all illnesses , emergencies, injuries and accidents for 37 a month and for my cat (the vet thinks and put him down as a Maine coone mix ) it's 17 but it's 80 percent coverage with the same deductible. I signed up earlier with my dog so he has a plan they no longer offer. When they get sick I put it on care credit then when I get reimbursed usually within 3 days of submitting the claim easily online I pay it off. Now that I'm situated with most of their needs they cost me maybe 150 a month sometimes more sometimes less. You will spend more at first finding things they like or food they like that agrees with them but you learn really quickly. I put 20 a month away to save for wellness visits. Research your vet and don't be afraid to change vets if needed.

Too much. In May my fur-companion cost me about $1500 in vet bills, medication, new food, etc. Was it worth it to save his life, yes, but it sure melted my credit card.

If you have more than one cat make sure the annual checkups are spaced apart. My city hosts weekend events for affordable vaccines, saving people lots of money. When they get sick or hurt, you’ll be shelling out some serious money. Try to visit vets way out in the country, they usually charge less.

I think I spent around $200 for food, litter box, a cat tree and a cat bed when I initially got my cat. Spay was free because I was a vet tech student at the time. Now I spend maybe $50 on food every 1 1/2 - 2 months and maybe $30 a month on cat litter.

Maybe 20 a month, she’s not very expensive. The most expensive part is preparing for a new kitty- all the new expenses of kitty toys, tunnels, a tree, kitty scratching posts, etc? That’s more expensive.

Honestly my cat came spayed and vaccinated and only cost me $25 lol. Only expenses are food, litter and toys really

I save $200 dollars a month and put it away for my cats. I have four. I have one that has chronic allergies and requires a depo shot each month. But it just takes planning ahead

I buy food and litter...rarely have vet visits...all, but one, are fixed....approximately $150 per month...I have 11.

Adopt a cat from a shelter, that will cover most of the major costs in the beginning, like vet visit, shots, getting fixed etc. A yearly exam is about $200-300 for me where I live. It's about double of what it was a few years back. Food, litter, toys etc is maybe $20-60 a month, depending on the kind of food, wet, dry, high end, grovery store brands etc. The cheapest is to just feed them dry food, feeding wet or a mixture of wet and dry is more expensive. Also, cats can be picky eaters. Mine will only eat cheaper cat food. The won't touch the fancy stuff. I'd start saving for future medical care, like $20 a month when they're young. It's very easy to get a $1000-1500+ vet bill if something goes wrong. Just put the money away so it's there if you need it if you can't afford an expense like that on your budget.

I'll include some disclaimers at the end here. Long post truthbomb for you below. How to Adopt a Kickass Cat or Two on the cheap and responsible: 1. Pet insurance, #1, ask your nearby vet CLINICS who they recommend. Vet clinics are the ones (in North America) who have to process claims and know which companies will fight vs. which are going to honour their policies. Vet clinics don't "own" insurance. They are on your team with this stuff. They want seamless claims for your pet's health because they don't want more work and to have you upset. YOU want seamless claims because you like keeping your money. Insurance companies might not want to pay because they like their money, and are experts at wording policies to avoid paying in some cases. Ask your vet clinic. Ask your friends. Get insurance now - don't wait until there is a problem. This will be "pre-existing", no insurance will cover it. And they WILL know about it. 2. Adopt from a shelter. Many people think they want kittens. Honestly, you probably don't. I raised my shelter kittens. I woke up one night because, while chasing a toy, my cat slapped her nail into my nasal septum and I was bleeding all over with her freaking out until she dislodged her nail. Sorry for the #newfearunlocked folks. I was fine. No medical care required. Young adult cats are a good balance. Bonus for bonded cats. You know their personality. You know their looks, voice. You can change their schedule. Bonus for saving a life. If you want calm companion, go 4+ year old. Bonus? Most shelter cats are spayed and neutered! 3. Don't buy the "boutique" foods. Do not ask Pimply Jim at the local pet store what to feed. He means well, he loves cats too, but he has been fed marketing terms from the store's favourite brand (usually their store brand). He has been sold pet food lies and doesnt have the education to detect them. Fluffy doesn't need kangaroo, quail, and tilapia banquet. It is actually not better, and might be worse! Honestly, ALL cat foods have "fillers". Fillers are great! That ingredient you can't pronounce is actually a valuable source of vitamins and minerals. Chicken byproduct meal? That's organ meat, bro! Get yourself a Royal Canin, Hills, Purina or some other brand that doesn't have the black matte "sexy" bag happily trumpeting what is NOT in their food. These companies have a board certified expert veterinarian or a few making their diets (12 years of school + and studies). Avoid low cost food that promotes bladder stones (friskies, whiskas, etc.) You can feed kibble and canned food to save money. Consider adding some water to canned food and heck, kibble too if they'll eat it! Great way to improve hydration, save money on health problems, and fitness too. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't gain weight if I had to eat a literal pound of wet lettuce to get to my French fries. Would be too full. Someone tell you that animals are allergic to chicken because they had a rush once? They aren't. The cat had a flea or mosquito bite. Your vet has a full degree for a reason. 4. Find a vet you trust, who will listen to you. Who makes you feel heard. Don't go for cheapest price tag only. Because you know what? When you go through 3 ten-minute appointments over three months, repeatedly getting antibiotics for a "bladder infection" which ends up being an ER visit on a Sundat night because your male cat can't pee, AND he needs surgery for bladder stones? And he never even had an infection in the first place? I would have rather done the urine test the FIRST time to avoid the surgery with a vet who wasn't so slammed with appointments they had time to discuss options with me. Consider having a "vaccine" vet, and a "health issues" vet if you want to keep costs down. Do the yearly checks with the vaccine vet, go to your "illness" vet if your cat seems sick, and let them share records so both are aware of any changes in Fluffy's health. Don't be awkward. Your vet knows about your "side piece" clinic. 5. Set up a regular, predictable schedule of enrichment. Did you know the majority of cat conflict between littermates and many emergency room visits for emergency urinary blockages could be prevented by this? Play with your cats. Every day. Preferably before meal time. Actively toss them toys, use a "flirt wand" and let them catch it. Train them to walk on harnesses, we'll fitted and escape proof, and take them out once or twice a day. Set up vertical space (cat shelf jungle gym on your walls or climbers, if you hate holes). A lot of our problems with cats are our fault! Inappropriate peeing outside of the box? Usually us. Not often a "UTI", so don't just go and get antibiotics at the vet. Test the pee! Check out the "Indoor Pet Initiative" for more info. 6. Dental care! DENTAL CARE. Cats experience personality changes secondary to long-term pain. They might be "jerks" who hiss, growl and attack. For the record, this can happen with undetected arthritis too! Young cats get both dental disease AND arthritis. They get a condition where their tooth spontaneously dissolves and exposes roots, like cavities. Bad breath? NOT normal. Check your cats mouth. Train your cat to like this by pairing it with a treat, like when you pop open their mouth, drop a small shred of boiled chicken breast. They will get used to it, and eventually you might be able to give pills to your cat no problem! I digress. Red line at base of tooth thar is a different colour from rest of gums? Gingivitis. Yellow or brown on tooth? Tartar or plaque. Ideally, Train both cats gradually to accept tooth brushing. Not everyone can do this, so if not, dental diet. Pet store version that is proven is "Science Diet Oral Care". Otherwise, check out the VOHC list for cats for ideas. Tooth disease can also cause liver inflammation, kidney inflammation, and heart inflammation that worsens with time. Deal with it. Get dental cleaning in advance, don't wait until teeth decay. It doubles or triples to procedure complexity and price. Any other questions? Disclaimers: Even feeding the best dirt ever, your cats will get sick and need treatment. No matter what you feed, or do. These bills in north America can be up to $8000 for an emergency surgery. Do you have the resources, the discipline to be able to afford a savings account that might be needed to save their lives? I don't, so I pay my insurance fees monthly and don't complain. 😉 I am credentialed! I do not work for pet food companies. I do not work for pet insurance companies. Other topics: *Raw food, my favorite "cure all" beside CBD. It's expensive, unnecessary, and doesn't prevent health issues. If you prefer to do a more "natural" diet, consult with your vet about a meat + multivitamin diet. Bacteria live in your dishwasher even after the cycle is run. This puts you at risk. Scott Weese is a great resource on why I no longer feed raw food to my pets. Other Redditors, I am not open to your personal stories. You feed what you want. *Hairballs: no, it's not "normal" for cats to hairball. I listened to this and now my cat has pancreas scarring and is at risk of diabetes. Brush your cat regularly. Hairballs? See your vet and ask about pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease. I am not open to comments on this, either.

Other than when we first got her, my cat has been pretty cheap. It started with a $400 vet bill for spaying, vaccinations, and flea treatment, but since then she has been healthy and I haven't taken her to the vet once. Spent some money right away on toys, water fountain, and cat trees too. I just spend a little money on a new bag of litter every month or so. She's been very cheap ever since the first few months.

As far as some of the introductory fees go, many rescues will cover spay/neuter, vaccines, and microchipping—so be sure to check that out!

Ok so this will be a long reply lol. I have 3 cats and spend quite a bit. My total costs for 3 cats at the end of this year will be: Annual $2,360 Emergency medical $3,000 THIS YEAR TOTAL: $5,360 Keep in mind, some of the emergency medical costs I did NOT have insurance. Dental cleanings also might not be a priority, which are $900 annually for the 3 cats. One of my cats is also on expensive prescription food. Just for the 3 cats without any unexpected emergencies, I’d only spend $2,360. One of my cats also has feline asthma and the medication can be costly. Per cat (approx): 1. Food ($20/month): I buy more expensive cat food (Hills Science), but I buy the largest bag to save money. One bag has ~3 months supply, and $60 bag comes out to $20/month. This is just for one cat though. 2. Litter ($20/month): I just switched over to walnut litter. Beforehand I used H‑E‑B clumping litter and spent $14/month per cat. 3. Pet insurance (~$60/month): I use Trupanion, which is a pet insurance that pays many vets directly. Most pet insurance work by you paying out of pocket, and getting reimbursed later. The reimbursement process can be a pain in the a** though, so I prefer Trupanion since I don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on a whim’s notice. I have a $0 deductible and 10% coinsurance (I only pay 10% of costs), which comes out to around $60/month per cat. Keep in mind, older cats, as well as some specific breeds will have higher rates. I have a Siamese-mix and his insurance rate is the highest. 4. Vet service subscription ($15/month): Thrive Pet Healthcare offers a Thrive+ subscription (must commit to 12 months) where you get free exams and 10% off other services. It comes out to $180/year, but it’s definitely worth it as long as I go 2x a year, as it pays for itself. This is helpful because if my cat is sick on a whim, I only have to pay a $9 clinic fee and not an additional $90ish for a last-minute exam. I have one cat with asthma and urinary tract disease, so this has been particularly helpful for him. Bandied also has their own version of this, but it’s a bit more expensive. Theirs includes annual vaccinations and other annual tests depending on which plan you choose. 5. Preventatives ($15-25/month): Revolution Plus is a preventative flea, tick, and heart worm medication. This is so important because heart worm has no treatment in cats, you can only treat the symptoms. Even if the cat is indoors-only, they can still be bitten by a mosquito and get heart worm. I get mine from a low-cost clinic for $15/dose (they get 1 dose each month). On chewy.com you can order them in 12-month supplies to save money, coming out to ~$25/dose or month. 6. Vaccines ($85/year): My cats each get a rabies 1-year ($17), FelV + booster ($34), and FVRCP ($34). This is at a low-cost vaccination clinic. My regular vet charges $40/vaccine. There, the annual vaccine costs per cat would come out to $200. Places like PetSmart and Petco usually have posters advertising low-cost vaccination clinics, so I’d recommend checking there. 7. Annual dental cleaning ($300/year): my cats get an annual dental cleaning at a low-cost clinic for $300 per cat. I wouldn’t sweat it if you can’t afford this, but maybe see about getting it done every few years, or investing in a cat toothbrush and toothpaste. 8. Annual checkup ($9/year): since I have the Thrive+ membership, the checkup is only the clinic service fee, or $9. 9. Toys ($80/year): cat scratchers (the cardboard disposable ones), catnip toys (they are quickly ripped to shreds) 10. Prescription cat food $300/year 11. Asthma medication: Albuterol inhaler $50/year, fluticasone inhaler $200/year, inhaler chamber $65 EMERGENCY COSTS 1. Orthopaedic surgery: $1400 2. X-rays/emergency visit: $600 3. Urinary blockage (after insurance): $600 4. Fever of unknown origin (after insurance): $400 One-time costs: 1. Cat tree $80 2. Litter box $25/box 3. Litter scoop (stainless steel) $15 4. Water fountain $20

We have three cats, two of whom have some health issues. I just checked my budget program and it looks like we spend $386/month on average. I can attest that the one younger and healthier cat costs significantly less than the two other cats. This monthly amount does include all food (prescription dry and low ingredient wet food), medications, pet insurance, toys, grooming (usually after a significant GI distress moment), and just the random other stuff that life will throw at you. I will admit that I could keep the costs lower if I didn’t have insurance or pay for the proper diet, but I want them to live as long and as healthy a life as I can possibly afford to provide. Which, with having a DINK household, is one that I can do. If you find yourself unable to finance the same exact quality of life due to numerous other circumstance, but are still willing to provide a safe home, lots of love and affection, and like one or two perches where they can watch what’s going on from high off the ground, those cats are going to live a much better life rather than trying to make it on the streets. Cut yourself some slack and enjoy the life you can provide! I promise your pets will only enhance your life too.

I have a trio! The first costs you'll incur when you initially get them will be the toughest - if you adopt kittens, you're likely looking at paying for their adoption fees, spay/nueter, shots, and first checkup depending on how old they are and where you get them. I started with a bonded pair, who I adopted for $100. They needed all of the things for their first checkup because they were young babies - it came out around maybe $300-$400, but they had health issues and needed a bunch of additional meds and tests. If yours have no parasites or fvr or anything, you'll be looking at probably closer to like $100 per cat maybe for their shots, exam, and wellness panel. I personally had gotten my pet insurance set up at this point (pets best) with a plan costing $35 per cat, and after the first $200 of vet expenses I was covered on all of my basic care. Then of course, you need all of the basics - Toys, litterbox, food, litter, etc. I spent probably about $100 on everything when I got them. Now I spend about $60 or more a month, which for me is pretty manageable for the three of them. Once they're old enough, you've got to get them fixed - this was around $400 for my boy because I did it at my personal vets office, but for my girl it was only $180+the cost of the wellness panel bc I used a friend's of animals certificate, which I would recommend. My 3rd I got as an adult, and thankfully he was nuetered by his rescue. Other than these initial expenses, my cats don't often need to go to the vet outside of annuals and shots, so it doesn't cost very much. If I do need to take them in, it's usually $100 or less, but I've never had any serious issues or need for overnight evaluation because I've got a gaggle of youngsters. With all of this said, I find these costs completely manageable. I don't have very much money at all, I live below the poverty line, but they really don't cost a ton once you get through all of the basics. My best advice is to plan your budget when you first get them - decide how much you can handle. Whether you get a double or a triple makes little difference also, the change in cost on a daily basis isn't really significant in my opinion. When I first got mine, I wrote out a list of everything I wanted to get for them - the toys, the food, the litter, the bowls, theletterbox, the collars - and I did research on the brands I wanted, and how much they cost. I decided what I could afford, and what could wait until the next paycheck. They don't need to have every toy they'll ever own on their first day, and for the first week I used a lined cardboard box for their litter because I was living in a new town and couldn't find one at the store. You make it work! For the bigger costs, like the vet bills, I would advise to apply for care credit, or at least have an emergency fund set aside - and when things like their spay/nueter is coming up, take a certain amount of money and set it aside over the coming weeks to save up. I really highly recommend making a list of all these expenses and when you'll need them that way you can be prepared and understand what you can handle, and what the cost of things are in your area. Doing your research makes a world of difference imo.

https://preview.redd.it/5upfs7x5rdbd1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0b8f29aa261f1e71c06a7acd81f714e5e3bfdb9 My trio 🥰

I know not everyone can do this, but: Our cats have usually been strays/feral that adopt us. (We scan for chips and do the paper collar and put up signs.) So no adoption fee, just the initial vet visit. Then we feed raw food (mostly). I used to make it myself to keep the cost down, but now we buy bulk from a reputable source. And I always add L-taurine and vitamin E. The food cost is much higher, but we're paid back in almost no vet bills. We have mostly wooden floors and indoor cats, so no need for regular flea and tick treatment or dewormer. We did pay for enrichment toys, though, to make up for the indoor thing. We get them one rabies shot, but then do the titration test every 5 years or so. We still spend a lot on our cats, though not as much as our friends do as the cats get older.

I have six cats, spend $600/mo, about $100 per cat.

Aside from the mentioned "startup costs"-- I spend roughly $1,000 per month for my two boys. That's food, litter, enrichment like treats and toys, cleaning supplies, flea and tick medicines, toothpaste, microchip subs, filters for their water fountains, and occasional lost wages if one of them gets sick because I will stay home to monitor him.

I just read somewhere it costs about 1-2k a year for a cat.

I adopted mine when she was 2.5 for $120 so she came spayed and with all shots. Yearly vet visit with bloodwork is about $200 but my vet is super reasonable…most vets in my area of Los Angeles will run $350 ish. She started getting dental cleanings last year so about $700-$1000 a year. She eats raw food which is about $100 a month. Throw in another $40 for freeze dried single protein treats. $40 a month for pet insurance through healthy paws which gives me peace of mind because I can afford everything I mentioned above but I don’t want to go into or drain my savings for the unexpected.

We joined our vet's preventative heathcare plan and pay monthly to spread the cost. And as our cat has arthritis he has Antinol joint supplements daily, which we buy online.

This is going to drown in this sea of comments, but... I have 4 cats. Don't believe anyone who says "[Brand] is the best food" because most of the higher end foods these days are all about equal. That 3oz can from XXX company that sells for 3.50 per can? It gets the majority of its ingredients from the same place that ZZZ company does which sells for $1.19 per can. Unless you get a cat with specific needs (for example, one cat needs grain free and another needs beet root), just go with a food you don't normally see at the grocery store. Something like Wellness, Acana, Nulo, Taste of the Wild, etc. Also keep in mind that most recalls are precautionary to PREVENT a POSSIBILITY and not because the food is actually contaminated. Second, email companies. Seriously, so many manufacturers will give coupons just because you ask. Some independent pet stores (not chains like Petco) will have demos where the brands come in and offer free samples. Those demo people often even leave the samples for the store. You can grab a few for extra treats and so you know which one the fur kids like the best. Honest Kitchen is a brand that also sells a cookbook. The recipes use their BaseMix and some can be eaten by cats, dogs, AND humans! A small 3lb box at last check was approx $30 and can make so many treats! So make your own! By 25 cheap toys like the little mice and what not, and rotate through them monthly or so. The cats will not always remember what they had and will think it's a new toy each time. The main non food items I keep regularly are: - Vetricyn or Banixx wound spray - Kwik-stop stypic powder (to stop bleeding if you cut the quick on the nails) - Pet safe nail clippers - Slicker brush or equigroomer - Vets Best or Tropiclean kitty toothpaste (and tooth brush) - Vetricyn eye wash - Zymox ear wash - Tropiclean pet wipes and shampoo - emergency first aide stuff like bandages and clean towels - Weruva pouched pumpkin and Firm Up pumpkin and cranberry powder (pumpkin for upset tummies and cranberry for UTIs, SuperSnouts is also a good brand) - 4 to 6 3oz cans of any kitten food (helps to stimulate appetite, give extra nutrition, and give extra calories in case the cat isn't eating well due to sickness or surgery and is easier to mush into a slurry and syringe feed) - flea topicals (usually Advantage) I have an emergency pet savings account. To give an example about how much an emergency can cost. Luna got VERY SICK. He had a total of 8 vet visits (two were after hours emergency visits), 6 rounds of blood tests, 4 emergency enemas, and several rounds of IV fluids. It cost me around $5000. I had no pet insurance and only had $1000 saved at the time. Also, I get a baseline blood workup done on them every other year. It helps the Vets pinpoint changes when things go wrong which leads to faster diagnosis which can lead to faster treatment which can lead to fewer visits. I didn't have that done on Luna yet before he got sick and he almost died- went from 15lb cat to 4lb a month. Luckily, I know the signs to watch for and was able to help the vet figure out the problem in tine. Remember it's always easier and CHEAPER to prevent a problem than to treat a problem. Hope this info helps.

It's generally most expensive initially, getting the first supplies, toys, cat tree etc. First things first, pet insurance is absolutely worth it. I have Embrace through USAA. It's $30 or $40 a month but they really helped out when she had a medical emergency last winter which cost me in the thousands (I had to take her to a 24/7 emergency vet, which are generally significantly more expensive), Embrace reimbursed me for almost all of it. Toys are costly, mostly bc they are hit or miss. I've gotten things I thought she would love that she has zero interest. I use Nextdoor to give them away, just gotta eat the loss. She's pretty simple with what entertains her, I hold on to loose ribbons bc those are her favs. I used OfferUp to get a good cat tree that she loves. Has three tiers and a little bed. I got it in like 2020 and it's still fine. They are expensive if you go to the store. I usually get litter that has a price special, my local grocery store almost always has good deals on Tidy Cats. Usually $17 for a big thing of it I can barely lift and that lasts me a while! About $20/month on dry kibble. She's great at self-regulating and does not overeat so it's available to her all day. She cares most about her wet food, she gets about 2.5oz each evening. Depends on the brand I get but I would average it about $30-40/month. Not everyone gives their cats both wet and dry food, some cats have different dietary needs. Once it evens out after the initial cost it's about as much as my electric bill haha.

In the country I'm in, there's no pet insurance. Food, litter, toys, cat trees etc are very expensive because they're imported and there's an import tax on them. Medicines are a bit cheaper, no income tax. Vet fees are cheaper than I've seen people post from the US but we are also way more limited here - no real ER vet, no animal hospitals, and so on. My cat is a rescue who ended up being very sick. It's cost a fortune. I'm also still buying him expensive food because he was malnourished and underweight for a long time and I'm hoping good food will help his wound heal (his operation site has not healed well). The finances are a huge stress. I do think it's very important before you get a cat to think the financial side of things through. Don't get a cat if you might be tight on finances. You should have a cushion in case of any medical problems.

It likely depends on the shelter and age of your cat! Currently I have my first kitten, he is 4 months old and I spent roughly $500 when I first initially got him. The adoption fee itself was $75, and they already had him neutered so I did not have to pay for that. His vaccines were probably $120 including the exam costs. You’ll also want to make sure you have food (especially wet) bowls, etc for them. It’s mostly pricey the first couple months, but after their initial purchases and vaccines it’s pretty steady. I still like to buy my guy toys, and I think for having multiple cats a tree is a good investment (I have a puppy and it also gives him some elevation from her). Although like another user said, they’re happy with things you probably have lying around. Monthly a bag of dry is around $20 and I probably spend $60 on wet. With a few toys and treats it doesn’t go over $100 as a total. but with multiple pets I’d also research pet insurance, that can go a long way. Good luck to you and your future kitties!🐈‍⬛

My kid has 1 cat. We have 1 family dog. Using Canadian numbers Cat was free from my parents farm Food- $20 bag lasts 1-2 months. He does get a small bit of wet food. It is $15/month. So let's say $25 a month to feed him. We use pine litter because it was cheaper. 40lb bag cost us $25 and has lasted us a long time. Let's say $10/month Vets are limited In our area and to sign on, you have to agree to get fully vaccinated and checked. So 2 vet visits and a neuter was a package deal and it cost us $600. He's an indoor cat, so odds are, we won't be doing yearly check ups. Cat uses the dogs bed. My daughter bought him a box of toys and a scratch post for Christmas. Maybe $20 every Christmas to replenish. He wears nail covers that are about a buck a month So $35/month plus fun stuff. We do keep about 5k in reserve for any household emergency. So as long as the roof doesn't blow off the same week the cat breaks a leg, we should be good. We also don't believe in "doing everything possible" so save an animal. I'm a farm kid. Our motto is always give them the best life that you can and the best death that you can. Animals don't understand that you put them through pain to get better. And I WILL NOT make an animal suffer just to protect my daughters feelings. So if something like cancer comes up, we will put him down.

$22/mo for quality cat food $26/2-4 months for bulk cat litter $250 annual/2-3 years vet bill $14-30 for toys every 6 months (once you learn the things they really enjoy it cuts spending) Not too bad but want to start getting pet insurance since he'll be getting older soon (just turned 3) and then setting aside money for him each month for preventative future bills

I wish people had this same mentality/thoughts when they consider having kids. Just saying 😇 I have 4 cats and the upfront costs can be a lot (>$1,000 in the first 12 months) but after that they honestly aren't that costly in my opinion. $30 a week in kitty litter. $30 a week in a big bag of food. Vet when needed which might be $200 max (for a regular consultation).

>How do I afford your cats Combined, my partner and I make around $95k and we don't have kids and take public transit. I stay frugal so we can afford our cats easily, especially since one is on a prescription diet I also have well over 6 months of living expenses put aside in case of emergency vet visits

Spent 4k this last month...on cancer treatment. Otherwise, just spit balling here, maybe $20/mo?? I buy in bulk (+20lb bags of food and cartons of wet etc) so it saves money. And as long as my cats are doing good, vet appointments are only annually. And those are maybe $100-$250 a visit depending if it's a quick in & out physical or if i want to do something like blood work on top of the exam. You can't really "budget" for emergencies other than making sure you have some savings or a credit account you can charge to, because by definition an "emergency" has no definite cost. I have one credit card with a high limit that i don't touch for just those occasions. But if you don't have a savings or credit card I'd strongly recommend getting pet insurance if you can afford it.

Mine costs $100/ month including pet insurance with the wellness add on.( he's 9, it would be cheaper if he were younger)

Not much, once we had three cats and the food, litter, vet and everything cost about $200/month. This was nothing compared to the fun we had with the three stooges. Cats are inexpensive, independent and a little off good feeling and fun to have around.

I have two cats. When I first adopted mine, I spent about $200 to have basic supplies for her (3mo kitten at the time, I'm talking food, dishes, cat toys, beds, trees, etc). It was a little less for my second cat but still around $100-150. Vet bills depends on if your cat is healthy. I had to get my first kitten spayed which was $500 (I went to a vet, not a low cost clinic though) and her last rounds of vaccines which added up to a few hundred. She has not been to the vet since being spayed, as she has been healthy and isn't due for her vaccines until the end of the month. My second cat was a medical nightmare. I had to spend around $2k on her, pet insurance covered nothing since everything conveniently came up at her first appointment, which counted as her baseline. Pet insurance I use is embrace. It's about $70 per month for both of my cats. They reimbursed nearly everything for my first cat, since I added wellness rewards on her plan. Each month I'm buying food and litter, not much extra for the cats besides a random toy here and there maybe. Food is probably about $100 per month (very rough guess, but it wouldn't be much higher) and litter maybe an extra $40. They usually go through 1.5-two containers a month. As far as how I afford it, I'm just good with saving and budgeting my money each paycheck. Their needs are included with mine. I typically don't spend much for fun

It totally depends! You can adopt a kitten/cat that's already spayed/neutered to save some money initially. They’ll need vaccinations, with costs ranging from $20 to $40 depending on the vet. Worming issues are common in shelter cats, so you might need to pay for medicine, but if they’re worm-free, you’re good. For food, unless they need a specific diet for medical reasons, you can choose based on your budget. Costco Kirkland food is 24 lbs for $30, while Royal Canin is 7 lbs for $50. Wet food varies too—Fancy Feast cans are under a dollar, but other brands can be up to $3 per can. The same goes for litter. (And that’s not mentioning litter boxes, cat trees, scratching posts, etc.) You can choose the cheapest or most expensive, and your cat may love or hate it. Everything depends on your cat, your choices, and some trial and error. Good luck! (P.S.: I wouldn’t start with 3 kittens, especially with no experience. Either get a pair or a single one and consider a second later.)

I have a dog and two cats now. Your start up costs are what'll get you money wise. Toys, supplies, litterboxes, flea/tick prevention, cat tree... The dog is about, idk, call it $250ish at the vet once a year for all his vaccines and a checkup. All in, he's roughly $800 a year. I adopted him from the pound, but I still had to pay out of pocket for his chip, neuter, and two extra vaccines. Adoption fee plus the above cost me about $400. Cat one is Damian. I've had him since last October. He cost me $700 in vet bills when i got him--shots, chip, tests, and neuter. I haven't had him long enough for his annual visit and booster, but I'm gonna hope he costs a touch less than the dog. I'm going to guess Dami will cost me about $650-700 a year. Second cat, Lilith, I got smart. Her shots, chip, testing, and spay will only cost me about $350. Decided to go to a clinic for those instead of the vet. Her kitten food is slightly more pricey than Dami's now-adult food, so on the one hand, she costs more. On the other hand, I already had everything for one cat, so Damian has cost me more in the long run. How do I afford the pets? I'm in my early 30s, single, with zero human children. I have everything I need, so what else am I going to spend my money on? (I also have a hamster, but he's so low cost...i spend MAYBE $100 on him a year, but the start up costs of his stuff cost me close to $400) If I could have a do over on the kitties, I would a thousand percent adopt from one of my local cat rescues or the shelter as it's cheaper in the long run. I also would have gotten adult cats (2+ years old) instead of two kittens (both two MONTHS old when I snatched them), but both kitties I found in my backyard. And when the universe hands you not one but TWO free cats, who am I to look a gift cat in the mouth?

My cat has been fortunately healthy enough to avoid excessive vet visits. $350 for spay, another $250 for ER checkup after it got infected. She had tapeworms when she was 1 but I treated it with an OTC medication off of Amazon. Food wise, I feed her Costco Gravy Wet Food which is quite well made (grain free, no by products, good moisture) relative to its price (insanely cheap, only like $26 for ~40 cans) in comparison to other brands. It can last around 3 months. She gets one wet food can a day but I free feed her dry food. I’ve also bought pumpkin treats and royal canin digestive care wet food for her bc she had some loose stool 2 weeks ago but otherwise she’s very healthy. I don’t think cats are usually that expensive except for you know freak accidents that end up in outrageous vet bills. I’m probably getting her on pet insurance next year when I have money of my own. I’d assume if you get a pair it’d be twice what I spend. I got mine at 6 months old, past her hyperactive kitten stage. I didn’t have a lot of trouble raising her as an only cat bc of that. If you’re planning on getting a kitten 3-4 months old then I’d suggest getting a pair just for your peace of mind, since young kittens are very active. How much I spend per month is never consistent. Usually I only need to spend money on her food which I can just buy in bulk and last 3-5 months. I sprinkle some money here and there to buy her treats and toys but they’re negligible in the grand scheme of things.

I spend only about $25 a month on my cat. I have his food literally next door that sells it. no pet insurance... I'll just pay out of pocket for it. I also replace his water/ feeder stuff, and they're both automatic. his cat tree and toys is around $150. he was also fixed when I adopted him. his last vet bill costed me $2400

Cats are expensive but manageable. Per cat it’s about £70 a month food/treats £35 every 3 months for nail clipping, it cost £550 to have my old lady put to sleep and cremated 2 days before Christmas. I adopted elderly cats so Minnie’s vet fees were about £120 per month for meds. No insurance as they were too old. Spaying/neutering, microchips and vaccinations all add up too. I have an account I put money in every month for them just in case. I’m a single (old) woman with my own property and a job so I spoil my handsome boy. Just today he got a silvervine ferret lol

200/ month- I don’t do other things

Afford the best no grain food and they will avoid many health issues

credit card

I have two large cats (not fat, just large, lol) I pay $100 a month in food, I buy orijen Guardian 8 cat food. Cat litter is $70 a month, and I use pretty litter. (I could make it last longer, but then allergies and smells are worse) I spend about $600 a year in regular vet bills - updating vaccines, flea prevention, and checkups. Toys, treats, and miscellaneous small items I pay about $300 a year for. Bigger costs are scratching posts - I bought large, high-quality ones around $300 (one of my cats is epileptic, so I needed ones with big platforms she wouldn't fall off of). Spay and neutering depends on where you are - my local vets charge around $500, but if you get a cat from the SPCA, it is usually included in the adoption fees. The last big expense is emergent vet bills. When my epileptic cat first started having seizures, I spent around $4,000-$5,000 on vet bills. Then they seemingly stopped, and the vet didn't have any answers. But then, 2 years later, her seizures started again, and I spent another $4,000-$5,000 in vet bills. All that came of it was "well, she is either epileptic or has a brain tumor. You could spend $10,000 on a scan to find out either way, but the only further treatment option is epilepsy medications, " so that sucked. But she's 12 and doing mostly fine. There aren't any good epilepsy medications for cats available where I am, so I worked on her triggers to minimize her fits and increase quality of life instead. Hence, expensive cat food. For bad days, we use CBD for cats. She gets groggy from it and takes a grand ol' nap after, but she seems to prefer it over seizures. (Most of her fits are petitmal seizures and just cause her eyes to twitch, so the CBD is used if she has a grandmal seizure, it seems to also help with the muscle stiffness after too). If you get pet insurance while they are young, it would cover vet bills like mine above for her seizures. But I didn't know it was a thing until after her seizures started, so it would cost me like $200 a month to get it now. But for young healthy cats, it usually starts at much more affordable rates, like $20-$50 a month.

If you adopt from a shelter, most should be fixed when you adopt them. Both of my cats were. One was $65 and the other was $100 from different shelters/rescues. My sisters both had free kittens (one found on the side of the road and the other a barn kitten) but then had to pay to have them fixed. My two cats go through 2 small cans of food a day, each. They’re back on fancy feast and it’s .90 a can. I order litter every few months and that’s like $40? It’s about 40 lbs. They have insurance through nationwide and it’s about $50 for the both of them. My cat was sick earlier this year and it was nice to get back 50% of her costs. I think it was over $1500 for her visits, ultrasound and meds.

For my one cat and not including starting costs of all the paraphernalia and one off vet things like microchipping and neutering - £15 pcm vet plan; £15 pcm pet insurance; maybe £40 pcm on food, litter, and treats; maybe £10 on flea spot on treatment.

I have 2 cats . 3yrmale 1yrfemale . For pet insurance -$67 each month-petsbest Food- Tikicat and vivaraw every 2 weeks $300 plus $20 for pure pumpkin or quail eggs or goat milk Vet- i go to holistic and traditional vet depends if sick i have carecredit up to 2,000 credit limit . Last year i wated about 1,900 for dental cleaning for both. Toys- about $20 a month I am 21yrs old and work as an MA living alone. I save up and Dont waste too much. I am grateful my mom pays me to babysit my little brother. She also cooks meals for me sometimes. Btw i live in NY