I'm getting my first cat soon...advice?

Question

I'm planning on getting a kitten in a few months, when I move into my new apartment.

How much money should I set aside for getting it shots, food, cat litter, etc? I've NEVER had a cat or dog before, so I really have no idea how much it costs. The only pet I had as a child was fish :-( .

How often do you have to take the a cat to the vet? Do they need checkups?

I love cats...and I'm really excited to get one...I just have NO idea how to get started. I'm not even sure where I'm going to get one yet. Should I get one at the shelter? Pet store?

I need some help! Thanks!

Answer 1

shots for one year: $50
food for a month: $40
cat litter for a year: $200
owning a cat: priceless

Answer 2

Everyone has given you excellent advice, I just have one more thing to add. If you have never had a cat before, getting a kitten can be difficult. They get sick easier, they are more expensive as they need all of their booster shots, they often suffer from diarreah etc, they go through a teenage phase, where they may chew, claw and generally destroy a lot of your stuff! Don't get me wrong, kittens are gorgeous, but the cute fluffy stage only lasts for a short while. If you get a kitten that is about 8 months old, you will be doing yourself a favour. They need less physical attention, they are potty trained, they don't get stuck behind the fridge, and they will bond with you just as well as a baby. Being a novice pet owner, I reccommend an older cat for you. Once you've had this pet for a while, you can perhaps think of getting a cute little fuzzy one a little later! I've adopted both in the last year, my boy was a baby, and I spent a fortune on him at the vet because he kept getting sick, he was also very lonely, and miaowed constantly when I wasn't home. Once he was a little older, I got a 1 yr old female, who fitted in to the home SO quickly and I also get the feeling she really appreciates being rescued, she is always so loving and happy to have a nice home. Either way, please get a kitty from the shelter. I also feel worse for the older ones, because so many people think that older cats won't love you, so they are not adopted as readily as cute little kittens! Good luck, and you won't believe the amount of joy your new family member will bring!

Answer 3

Congrats on your first cat. They are wonderful animals. I'd get a kitten from a breeder. This way you'll know it's history. Never buy from a pet shop, they use kitten and puppy mills to get their animals. Also, with an animal shelter, you have no idea of the animal's history.

Food: If you buy a big 25 lbs bag and only have 1 cat, it should last 2-3 months or longer. Get a good brand such as Royal Cainan (big bags are about $30) Also, give canned food at least once a day, cats like some variety. Mine loves Iams and it isn't really expensive.

Cat litter. I use the cheap Wal-mart stuff. Use clay not clumping litter. It's about $2.50 for a 25 lbs bag. I go through about 1 bag a week, but I have 3 cats and 4 litter boxes that I change every other day. Also, if it is just one cat, the chrystals are good and 1 bag can be used for 30 days before having to be changed as long as you scoop poop every day.

Shots and spaying can vary from vet to vet. I say call around and find the best deal. My cats go in for checkups every 6 months, just to be on the safe side, but once a year is also ok, as long as they seem healthy.

This last part is a warning that I wish I didn't have to post, but many people never think this can happen. ALWAYS ALWAYS check inside your washewr and dryer before you start them and makle sure your beloved cat isn't inside. I lost one of my Bengals due to this very thing. Even when you think the cat is sleeping, they can get in in a matter of seconds and die.

Also, check to see what plants, such as lilies, are poisonous to animals. Food such as onions, chocolateand garlic are also deadly to animals.

Good luck with your kitten.
Chanda

Answer 4

A lot of people have already given you really good advice, so I won't repeat what they've already said. However, one thing I would strongly recommend is that you take out pet medical insurance. If you do this while the kitten is young, it should not cost you too much and will be worth having as you just never know when you might be faced with a large vet bill in the future. If pet medical insurance isn't available where you are, then open a savings account and put away a regular amount each month, no matter how small and save it just in case you ever need it in an emergency.

Enjoy your kitten.

Answer 5

This is the best bit of advice I can give to you: Take your time in adopting a cat! Don't just rush out and get the first kitten that catches your eye. You need to find a cat who has a personality you can live with. Pick a cat who suits your personality, and don't get a cat based on what they look like. Just because it's cute, doesn't mean it's the cat for you. Cats can be trained and have their personalities "shaped" by you, but they generally stay the same as they were before you got them.

When you're choosing a cat, spend some time watching it, and if you can, ask to hold and play and interact with it. If you're picking a kitten, check to see that it can use the litter properly (if it can't, it might have been separated from mom way too early, which means behavioral problems) and see how it interacts with other kittens and other people. Check to see if the cat is healthy or if there are any visible signs of illness (watery or cloudy eyes, sneezing, weakness, trouble walking, watery poop in the litter box). Be sure to ask lots of questions about the kitten or cat from the people you are adopting from (about the parents, about the history, how old is the cat, etc).

All pets are expensive. You can easily spend about $300 a year on a cat (food, vet bills, toys, supplies, etc). In the first year, you can probably spend twice that, since kittens need a lot of shots, boosters, de-worming, medications and there's always spaying/neutering. Which is why you might want to consider adopting a cat that's already been spayed or neutered at the local animal shelter. But if you adopt from an animal shelter, watch out for getting a cat with an respiratory infections (which are very common in shelters).

How often you take the cat to vet depends on the age of the cat. As soon as you adopt the cat (from the shelter or from a friend), get all their paperwork (to keep a record of shots, deworming, etc that may already have been done). You might want to take them to your vet right away to get the animal checked out and to schedule future booster shots and vaccines. The first few months of a kitten's life, they tend to get quite a few shots, but after that, it should be about once a year. Some cats might have illnesses that mean you'll be going to the vet once a month or more for medication, or procedures.

You might also want to start shopping for the cat now. Go to a pet store and buy kitty litter, a litter tray, scratching post, food dishes (though old bowls or ones from the dollar store are also fine for this). Spreading the expense over a few months is useful. If you're getting a kitten, don't bother buying toys for it. Most kittens will be happy with an old shoe-lace and a crumpled up ball of paper for toys. Our kitten loved drinking straws, especially when she was teething. She still thinks they're the best toys.

Also, when you bring the cat home for the first time, don't give them the run of the whole house right off the bat. Give them one "safe" room, with their food, water, toys, bed and their litter in there. That way, they can adjust to the room and to you at first, before they start exploring the entire space. You might want to start by ignoring the cat, but spending time in the safe room, reading quietly or something, while the cat gets used to you. Only let it out of the room once it's comfortable with you and the environment, and make sure that once it's out, it can run back to the safe room if it feels threatened. Once kitty is used to the whole house, you can move the litter and food to their final permanent place (be sure to show the cat where you moved the stuff to, so they won't suddenly need to go and be at a loss as to where the litter went).

Good luck!

Answer 6

If you go to a shelter or to a rescue organization, they'll fix the kitten for you. You can search on the web for a rescue organization. They're everywhere. In California (and probably other places) they have to weigh 2 lbs to get fixed due to the drugs. That's about 9 weeks old. At that point they've had at least one set of kitten shots as well. That's a good time to adopt them.

Some locations may have a mobile vet where you can take the cat to get shots. It's much cheaper that way. You can also ask the shelter/rescue organization, they may have a vet they're in contact with that'll give you a discount.

Most rescues/shelters charge a little for the cat, but it is worth it because you'll save money in the long run and it'll come healthy.

If you're getting a kitten, you might think about getting two. They're going to play together alot and it'll be easier on them when you leave if you work all day. Kittens are high energy.

DO NOT declaw them. That is an amputation. They cut off all of their toes at the first joint. Instead, touch their feet ALOT when they are little... every time you pick it up... and start clipping their toenails yourself when you first get them... maybe do just a toe or two every time you pick them up. This gets them used to having their feet touched. I have two grown cats I did this to and it's no problem. If you want them not to scratch something, squirt them with water or try picking them up and putting their paws on the scratching post and moving their paws in the scratching motion. This has worked for me.

Think about getting a black cat. They're harder to find homes for and they're known for being really loving. And their hair doesn't show up as much on your clothes like a cat with lighter hair. I speak from experience!!

Answer 7

We got a boy kitty about 4 years ago. We spent about $400 to get his shots (one set for 3 months). That also included getting him neutered & declawed.
If you want the kitty declawed, do it as a kitty when you neuter/spay them.
The cat food isn't bad --- $8 - $25 depending on the brand and size of the bag. Litter --- $3 - $5 for a 20 or 30 pound bag of Tidy Cats. I use the litter tray liners (with drawstring), so you can just grab and toss.
The shelters should be gettting kittens soon as they are usually born in the spring/early summer.
The boy cats are more cuddly. Girls are friendly, but just don't cuddle as much as the boys. Consider getting 2 kitties so they can keep each other company, they tear your stuff up less cause they have a buddie to play with. Small toy balls, small mice, laser pointers, they love them all.
I take my cats to the vet every other year or so as they do not go outside.

Good Luck!

Answer 8

When I had two cats, a 20 lb. bag of food lasted three months. So if you're only getting one cat, food won't cost a whole lot, even if you get a premium brand. I usually buy Natural Balance, because it doesn't have animal by-products in it (feet, beaks, etc.) and it has some fruits and vegetables in it. That costs around $30 for a 16.5 lb. bag.

How much cat litter costs depends on the brand, too. I buy scoopable cat litter from Wal-mart--the store brand--and it costs $6.58 for a 28-lb. box. I usually buy four of those boxes a month for our nine cats, so I'm guessing that one box a month would be enough for one cat.

My best suggestion as far as finding out costs is to go to your local pet stores, Wal-mart, etc. and see how much they charge for things like beds, litter boxes, cat litter, and food, and then add up the cost to get an estimate. Then, like someone else suggested, go ahead and buy stuff before you get the cat so everything will be ready when you bring your pet home.

As far as toys, cats do make toys out of just about anything, but be careful what you let your cat play with. Don't let your cat play with string unattended, or it might eat it and get sick. Toy mice and balls are some of the best toys, but if you want to make toys out of household items, old windshield wiper blades make good toys. I've heard that wadded up newspaper works well too--cats love the crinkling sound.

As far as vet care, I think shots usually cost around $18 each (cats need about three or four shots, I think), and shots usually last one year. Some rabies shots are good for three years. Neutering or spaying your cat is a really good thing, because it will cut down on problems later. Cost varies depending on the sex of the cat and what vet you go to, but plan on spending around $100. Don't declaw your cat, because that involves cutting off the first joint of each toe. It's really painful for the cat, and I've heard that it can cause arthritis later.

Good luck with your cat!

Answer 9

What ever you decide make sure you have it fixed. It will solve a lot of problems. I got a cat for my daughter in Sept 2006 and that cat is possessed. I swear it. She runs through the house like something is chasing her and she is always turning over drinks or knocking stuff off the table or something. I tried to use a water bottle as punishment but she likes it!! Ugh. I work at the library and brought home some books for my son, the cat turned over a glass of water all over a brand new book and now I have to pay for it. She will calm down whenever she gets pregnant or fixed.

Answer 10

get it at a shelter. make sure it doesn't bite 2 often take it to the vet only 1 time in a year cats take care of them selves. get a litter BAG and a empty box get dry food make sure it goes outside cats need lots of love

Answer 11

I would strongly reccomend going to a shelter to rescue a cat. Shelters usually have a guaranteed health policy, and are always overrun with cats and kittens. They usually come with all necessary shots, deworm, combo test, and spay/neuter.
Next you need to find a vet. Ask around, ask people who have animals who they like. Choosing a vet is very important. They are the ones who are going to be taking care of your cat/kitten.
The cat/kitten will need to see a vet once a year for booster shots such as rabies, and feline distemper. Vets are usually good about reminding you when your cat needs to be brought in for a check up.
For me to take my cat in once a year runs about $80.00 for shots and check up.
As for food, I feed my cat Science Diet Indoor Cat. Science Diet comes strongly recommended from my vet. And I pay about $30.00 for a 25 lb. bag that will last me several months.
Good luck to you and your furry friend!