I have a pet Persian cat that is absolutely adorable. But recently I was going through my bills and I realised the is a considerable cost to have a cat as a pet which I had not considered till now.
So how much does it cost to have a cat per month? I tracked my expense and came to the conclusion that it costs between $1500- $2000 yearly to keep a cat. If you split this cost by 12 months per month it can cost you 250-300 per month.
| Recurring Costs for Cat Parents | ||
| Cat Food | $23 | |
| Veterinary Costs | $80 – $230 | |
| Toys and Accessories | $35 – $45 | |
| Cat Sitting or Boarding Costs | $90 – $150 | |
| Cat Litter | $18 – $25 | |
| Miscellaneous | $40 – $60 | |
| Pet Insurance | $300 – $500 | |
| One Time Costs for Cat Parents | ||
| Buying Cat | $400 – $1000 | |
| Cat Adoption | $50 – $100 | |
| Litter Box | $16 – $20 | |
| Litter Scoop | $10 – $15 | |
| 2 Feeding Bowls ( one for water, second for food) | $10 – $15 | |
| Scratching Post | $30 | |
| Initial Medical Exam | $130 | |
| Spaying / Neutering | $150 | |
| Pet Deposit | $200 – $300 |
Why I am sharing this? While I do love the cat, I do also want to get a handle on my spending, I decided to track my expenses and dug up the bills I had since I have owned the cat.
I was surprised to know that I did spend quite a bit on the cat which I could have reduced by anticipating the costs and preparing beforehand. As a new owner, most of the purchases were impulsive and the necessary purchase could have been procured cheaper if I had known in advance.
For example, I could have saved a lot of money if I had bought cat food and cat litter in bulk rather than in small packets on a need basis. Or another example where the cat boarding costs could have been brought down had I shopped around a little earlier rather than keep her at the first boarding place that would take her because I had to leave immediately.
If I was aware of the expenses and could anticipate them I could have managed it better and brought down the costs drastically by taking a few simple steps. So let’s break up the costs and discuss the various components of the costs one by one.
For simplicity’s sake I am splitting the costs into 2 broad categories.
Recurring Costs
All the purchases that you have to make monthly will go under this. Food, veterinary care, litters all these are recurring expenses that you have to make every month.
Onetime Cat Costs
This would include the costs of buying a cat or adopting one, neutering, apartment pet deposit etc. which would not be recurring.
Let’s talk about recurring costs first
Cat Food Expenses
Depending on the brand that you use the costs can be anywhere from $18 and upwards. You may also include in a treat for the cat at least once a month. This can come up to another $5. So let’s say around $23 for food.
In almost all cases I know owners tend to spend more on this than what is mentioned but this would be a ballpark average with some months exceeding and some months lower.
If you decide that you will give more wet food the costs go up even higher. Some owners decide to feed only organic food which too can end up being more expensive.
Whichever route you take this is one area that you need to focus as this recurring expense can drive the costs through the ceiling if you do not give adequate attention to your spending.
Veterinary Care Costs
The cat may not need to go to the vet monthly but let us say every three months you may take the cat for trimming nails, cutting hair, deworming and regular check-ups.
One visit can cost between $40 to $55.
You may also need to get vaccines or booster shots which come to around $18 – $25.
So, assuming that you visit at least 4 times in a year, the costs can range between $180 – $230 give or take a few.
Toys and Accessories Expense
Once in a while you may feel that your cat needs some exercise or entertainment. You can get a fake mouse or a cat tree or a scratching post.
You may also want to buy collars, ribbons or anything you may catch your fancy. Assuming that you get at least 3 such Items for the cat in a year, let’s peg it at around $35- $45 and that is if you are frugal. This can go way up if you are an impulsive buyer.
Cat Sitting or Boarding Costs
Not everyone is lucky to have willing relatives and friends to take care of their pets while they are gone. Most times when you have to go on vacation or have an important trip to make you may need to use pet boarding services or at times get a cat sitter.
Typical pet boarding services cost $30 to $50 a night depending on the location a cat sitter might be cheaper but not as easy to find. You may need to keep at least 2-3 nights a year? So these costs can come around $90-$150 for a year assuming that you may need to make such trips only 3 days a year.
Cat Litter Expense
Cat litter costs$18 – $25 per month. This is taking into account the bi-monthly change of litter and filling it up to approximately 2-inch depth each time.
Again the type of brand and how you use the litter does play a role but we can safely say that we may go through a lot.
Miscellaneous Costs
This can be other costs that you did not really plan on getting like soap for bathing the cat or special grooming products etc. It can even be vitamins or the cat door you decide to install.
Every day there are so many new products and accessories for cats and cat owners that sometimes it is difficult to restrain oneself from indulging in a few.
Again these will depend on the owner and a frugal estimate would be another $40-$60 per year.
Pet Insurance
Not all owners decide to take pet insurance. But pet insurance can be expensive ranging from $300 to $500 yearly. In cases where the owner finds that the vet expenses are high, they may decide to go in with pet insurance that may help them reduce these costs.
Now let’s look at the One-time costs
Costs of Buying / Adopting the Cat
The cost of buying a cat can come range between $400-$1000. If you decide to adopt that can range between $50-$100. Add to that the cost of spaying or neutering the cat which can come to $150.
You will need to spend some money on these too to initially set up the house for the cat.
Most owners would like to conduct an initial medical exam to ensure that the cat is good health and to understand if there is anything to be concerned about. They also try to use this to find a good vet and introduce the pet to him or her. The initial check-up can come to around $130.
Pet Deposit
If you are living in an apartment you are usually charged a onetime deposit by the apartment association Usually this can come between $200 – $300. If you live in your own independent house then this can be discounted.