what is the monthly cost of a cat?

Question

how muchn does it cost u for cat litter cat food just the basics i dont want something u found on the internet i want it from your personal experince

Answer 1

$15 - $25 dollars every month for food, litter, and maybe a toy or some treats, depending on what brand of products you purchase and where. That's not counting occasional vet bills, though.

Answer 2

With 5 cats we were going through five 20 lb bags of clay litter a month, with 3 cats (we lost one to cancer and one to heart disease) we're currently doing 2 bags a month. We have one box they all share. I get the cheap clay litter from WalMart so that's $2.55 a bag.

IF the cat has no medical problems that they need regular medication for, figure one trip a year for a checkup and shots -- $35 for the exam, $15 for the rabies shot, $18 for the other vaccination. One of ours has a thyroid problem and her meds cost $35 a month, our other older cat has diabetes so he's on 2 shots a day of insulin. Be prepared for some medical bills--if you budget $300 for the year you'll be ok most of the time. Break that down for monthly costs and put it aside for them.

Food--a good quality dry food will be from a pet supplies place, not the junk style food sold at grocery stores.
Take your pick--each bag lasts one month for one cat---
Wysong Vitality $8 a bag
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul $9 a bag
Royal Canin Siamese 38 - $12 a bag
Felidae $11 a bag
Wellness $14 a bag
Raw Instinct $11 a bag
Evo $17 a bag (this is 50% protein)

Food should not have meat by-products listed in the first 5 ingredients, there should be no corn in the first 5 ingredients, and out of the first five, three should be actual meat. Protein level on dry food should be 33-38% or higher.

Canned food should be at least 10-12% protein, have no by-products in it and few vegetables.

Answer 3

It really depends on what you feed.

I have two cats, and I spend 13 dollars twice a month on a bag of Wellness dry food (26) and I buy two sets of 24 cans of wet a month at 15 each (30). I use crystals for litter, and I go through 2 a month at 18 each (36). So for me, it's about 100 a month. For one cat it would be 50.

Granted, that is for the top of the line food and a combo wet/dry diet. If you went with grocery store food (which isn't healthy at all), you could probably manage around 30.

Answer 4

I spend about $80 on food and $20 on litter for 4 cats. I feed my cats grain free canned food and Innova EVO dry, which are a little more expensive, but healthier. I have a diabetic kitty that is diet controlled, so feeding grain free keeps me from having to pay for insulin/syringes.

I use Fresh Step scoopable and buy it in the 40 lb bucket which is the best deal for me and my kitties. It has the best holding power and least waste of any litter I've used.

Purrs to you and your kitty.

Answer 5

I have two cats. I have learned by hard experience that the expensive foods that have sensible ingredients listed on their labels, and cost $1 for a 5 oz can are more economical than a trip to the vet; and I have one on a prescription diet. So I spend about $60 on cat food. You can spend less, but then later on you might end up spending more for medical bills. $12ish for litter (Feline Pine). I also put $20/paycheck in a savings account specifically for veterinary bills (that makes more sense to me than shelling out $35 per cat per month for pet insurance). So my total is roughly $56 per cat.

Answer 6

It depends on your cat. How much it eats, how much it craps, etc. What I do when I am thinking of getting a new pet, I go to a petstore and write down all the supplies on a pice of paper and total it when I get home. Remember, a cat will need vet check ups too and shots.

Answer 7

Depends on the brands you buy and what size bags I suppose.

Each month I buy:

Science Diet dry kitten formula $14
Science Diet canned kitten food $20
Fresh Step litter $10
Litter liners $2

and my kitten is currently getting his vaccinations, so that is $40/visit every two weeks. So $80/month for that.

Advatage Multi kitten formula $40 for 3 months worth.

and I think that covers all the basics! :)

Answer 8

I just made this chart for another asker, asking a similar question..Its not as cheap as some people think.

One Time Costs

Kitten shots. If you have a kitten, it will require at least a couple of sets of shots until its immune system is fully developed. Once it matures it need only go to the vet once a year for a booster (barring any unforeseen medical conditions, of course).

Collar, leash, and harness. It's a good idea to have both a collar and a harness; if you plan on letting your cat outside, put her on her harness and leash. Cats are very adept at escaping their collars.

Litter box and scoop.

Food and water bowls.

Scratching post. Give your cat an alternative to shredding your furniture and carpets!

Kennel. Good for car rides (many cats do not enjoy cars!), vacations, moving day, etc.

Brush/comb, and nail clippers.

Spay/neuter surgery. There are simply not enough homes for all of our homeless pets. Keep the pet population down by spaying or neutering your pet.

Permanent identification. Have your pet tattooed or microchipped just in case he or she gets lost. Tattooing can be done at the same time as the spay/neuter surgery, and microchipping is a quick and painless process done by injection.

Cat bed. This isn't a necessary expense at all; most cats are perfectly content to curl up on your bed! If you want to encourage kitty to sleep in her own bed, or if you just think she would like her own "private" spot, then there are many types of cat beds available.

Recurring Costs

Food. Try to find your cat primarily dry food; it's better for her teeth. You can also mix in a little canned food or provide canned food as an occasional treat.

Treats.

Kitty litter. Look for high-quality kitty litter; lower-quality litter tends to product a lot of dust, which kitty can breathe in when she's doing her business.

Annual vet visit. Adult cats need an annual booster shot. The vet can do a check-up at the same time.

Furball medication. Cats are fastidiously clean and groom themselves constantly. Inevitably they swallow some of their fur, which can result in a buildup in their stomachs ... leading to the dreaded furball. Medication can help to alleviate furballs in your feline.

Grooming. Cats will need their claws trimmed periodically; you can ask your vet to show you how to do this yourself, or you can take your cat to the groomers to get it done.

Toys. Keep your cat indoors and provide it with a toys to keep it entertained and happy.

Boarding. Most people prefer not to take their cats on vacations. Check with some local kennels to determine the cost of a night's stay.

Other Costs

Unforeseen medical costs, including dental care. Like people, your cat may sometimes get sick or require dental care. If you are worried about additional medical costs, you may want to look into purchasing pet insurance for peace of mind.

Re-upholstering! It's not always possible to stop your cat from shredding the furniture. If your mischievous little feline is the type to sneak in a few scratches, you might want to budget in the cost of re-upholstering some furniture.
you may want to invest in soft paws aswell, they are humaine and cheap, also very easy to apply. I would NOT get your cat declawed!

Answer 9

depends on what brand of food and litter you buy, and how often you change the litter and your cats eat. i dont know the price of the litter/ food that my stepmom buys, but i know its pretty much the cheapest. except for now, we have a diabetic cat.... so it can only eat tuna.... do the answer to your question is i dont know

Answer 10

I spend about $40-50 a month on my cat.

I used to have a sick cat though, and I spent more than $100/month for special food and medicine.