Is it cheap having a cat as a pet?

Question

Also, hence the fact I am a poor college student living off student loans/work $$$ living in a small efficiency...

Answer 1

Cats are not especially expensive. If you keep them indoors, chances are good that they will never need to go to the vet except for a rabies shot and for a spay/neuter. I spend about $10 every other week for cat food, about that same amount for litter (I have an automated litter box, and it REALLY saves on litter costs, but of course is an up-front expense), and that's about it. They're good pets for apartments; they're not noisy, and are perfectly happy to sleep the vast majority of the day :-)

Answer 2

Not at first. Kittens need 3 sets of crucial vaccinations to make sure they do not get any disease. They also need spaying/neutering at 6 months of age. The first year is the most expensive. After that they need a yearly vet check which includes a rabies vaccination. The other expenses are cat food and kitty litter. Also, make sure you buy toys for it so it can be entertained while you are at school. Also, you live in an apartment right? Dorms do not allow animals and many apartments charge a pet fee- usually around $100 but it depends on the apartment complex.
You also have to plan for an unexpected illness- which will happen eventually.

Answer 3

If you adopt an older kitty from a rescue, they are usually already spayed/neutered and have shots. The adoption fee runs from $50-$175 depending the care the kitty has received (operations, special meds). Older cats desperately need homes-everyone always seems to want a kitten. If you have to pay for vet care, plan on $200 the first year. As for supplies, a litter box is about $20, litter is $10 a tub, cat food $20 a month, and a cat tree or scratching posts will run about $100. It's worth every penny! Good luck with your kitty!

Answer 4

An 8 pound bag of dry food per month ($8-$12), 10 pounds of litter a month ($3-$6). Yearly checkup $35, Rabies shot $12, Feline distemper shot $15. Bare minimum would be that.

Any spay/neuter adds to the cost, any emergency visits or treatment adds to the cost. Make your own toys, but get a litter box, brush, nail clippers. Even bare minimum, figure it's not going to be free, not exactly low cost, and you'll need to figure for the life of the animal which is 12 to 18 years.

Answer 5

The cost of the food, as long as you just stick to dry food, is not going to be too bad - a big bag that lasts a month might cost 8 -10 dollars. The litter box and then buying litter might be about $15 for a big box that will last you for a couple of months for just one cat.

If you are going to take her to the vet and get shots and spayed or neutered, that will cost maybe $75-100 but I know many many cats who live a long, full life without ever visiting a vet.

Answer 6

I recently adopted a cat in supposedly perfect health. After a month it turns out she has had ringworm for quite a while and severe behavioral problems. I have spent well over $500 on her in two months. If you cannot afford unexpected expenses in order to care for full health of your cat I would suggest holding off until you are able. I know the idea of a pet is exciting but there are sometimes harsh realities that go along. Best of luck.

Answer 7

No animal is really cheap.I mean when you have a pet if it needs to go to the vet for something serious you need to bring it and it could be really expensive.Even the regular vet visits can be pretty pricey.I would try to maybe wait a little bit longer.You sound very responsible if i might say so.I mean you didn't just jump into it and get a cat, you asked for information about the cost of them.GOOD LUCK IN SCHOOL.

Answer 8

Small animal care (dogs and cats) should require a yearly budget of about $600 a year. That doesn't include veterinary care outside of routine vaccinations. A cat can live anywhere between 9-20+ years, so that'll give you some idea.

Answer 9

No pets are cheap, food, toys and such get quite expensive, not to mention that if the poor kitty gets ill, the vet bill can be very pricey, even when i had to put my poor kitty down it was a bill I didn't expect.

Answer 10

not in my house it isn't but i think it depends on how you want to bring up your cat. . I'm currently at home a lot as i had a back op and I've had plenty of time to bond with my cat and there isn't anything i won't do for him. he's very healthy. cost me about $80 a month in cat food and kitty litter, his flea and worm stoff is about $40 every 3 months and the visit to the vet once a year for his check up is about $150 and i recently had to take him in for a sore mouth which lead to him having his teeth cleaned total vet bill of $250ish. it total with no extra visits to the vet my cat on average cost us $1230 a year. so like i say my cat cost a bit but he's worth every cent.