When considering adding a feline friend to your furry brood the sight of a “free Kitten” sign is alluring, but don’t be fooled Kittens are anything but free. With the current economic strain it is important to understand the costs of owning any cat, whether they come to you “free” or at a cost. The following will help you to understand where money will be spent owning a cat, and what you can expect to pay to provide for a new furry addition to your family.
What contributes to the costs associated with cat ownership?
Veterinary Costs
The first few months of owning a kitten requires a considerable amount of money to be spent on veterinary costs. Healthy kittens require approximately three different veterinary appointments (one at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age) that include physical examinations, vaccinations, fecal analysis (for intestinal parasites), deworming treatments, and flea treatment and prevention medications. These same treatments and procedures are maintained once annually thereafter. At around 6 months of age spaying or neutering is performed, with the spaying of female cats costing more than the neutering of male cats due to the nature of the surgery performed.
As a cat ages, and becomes a senior, semi-annual exams and blood screens become necessary for early detection of age related diseases. This life stage may also include the costs of any medications required to treat these age related diseases including arthritis, heart disease, and kidney disease. These costs are all as a result of normal aging. Any unforeseen medical conditions will require further veterinary visits and subsequent treatments. To help offset these veterinary bills some owners will choose to purchase pet insurance, which is a medical insurance, that helps cover the costs of selected medical illnesses and emergencies.
Food, Litter And Other Supplies
Necessities like food dishes, a litter box and scoop, and a travel carrier are items whose expenses are usually incurred within the first year of cat guardianship. Food and litter will be an ongoing expense throughout the life of your cat. Cat collars, name tags, municipal cat licenses and microchip implants are another area of expense related to cat guardianship. To provide a more comfortable and interesting living space, for your cat, many owners will also splurge on cat beds and toys.
Grooming
The breed of cat you have will determine the amount of grooming expense that you can expect. Longer haired cats are more likely to require more frequent grooming, to maintain a tangle free hair coat, where short haired cats have fewer grooming needs. Grooming supplies including nail trimmers, brushes, and shampoo may be required for guardians wishing to maintain grooming on their own at home. Owners who have a cat requiring more extensive grooming or whose cats are difficult to groom will have the added expense of employing a professional groomer.
How much does it cost to own a cat?
Darren Osborne, Director of Veterinary Economic Research from the OVMA (Ontario Veterinary Medical Association), estimates in his 2008 publication “FiFi, Fido & Finances” that the average first year cost of affording a kitten can be up to $1,756.29 for a female and $1,665.67 for a male cat. After the initial year, the current annual cost of owning an adult cat can reach $1,477.16 for an outdoor cat and $1,372.96 for an indoor cat. This can be a substantial amount of money doled out on what someone may have thought was a “free kitten” considering cats can live into their 20’s. Although you can’t compare the unconditional love a cat can bring into your life, deciding whether or not you can afford the expense of owning a cat should be one of your main considerations when thinking of adding a cat to your life.
