The most common pet in America is a dog, but more than 42 million households have at least one cat, making cats the second most common domestic pet. Since cats don’t need as much attention as dogs, they are often easier to take care of. A cat doesn’t need to be walked or put outside to relieve itself.
Cats are pretty small and don’t consume a lot, which lowers the expense of care for them overall. In this article, we’ll discuss how much you should budget for your pet cat. But first, we’ll discuss the expenses associated with bringing a new cat home and the several things to take into account while creating your budget. By the time you’re done, you’ll be fully equipped to expand your family by adopting a new feline and have a reliable estimate of how much money you can expect to spend.
Bringing Home a New Cat: One-Time Costs
Certain apparent expenditures are associated with getting a new cat, such as the price of buying your feline. There are also less apparent charges, like the initial supplies your cat may need or the early trips to the clinic. When you initially adopt a new cat, you’ll need to pay for these one-time expenses, but you shouldn’t have to pay for these specific products again.
Free
There are a lot of wild street cats, and many people own more cats than they can reasonably care for. Unexpected pregnancies in cats can result in a litter of needy kittens. You can frequently gain from these situations by receiving one of these pets for nothing. Look through the local classifieds to see if anyone offers free kittens for adoption. If you’re lucky, you can find one free to take home!
Adoption
$15–$200
Adopting a cat is an affordable alternative to buying one from a breeder if you can’t find one for free. For available cats, visit your neighborhood’s shelters and humane societies. You’ll frequently have an excellent selection to choose from. Adoption costs can range from as little as $15 to several hundred dollars. Still, frequently, other expenses, like shots, regular medical checkups, or even spaying or neutering, are included in that amount.
Breeder
$500–$1,000+
The most expensive way to get a cat into your home is to buy one from a reputable breeder, although doing so does have some advantages. You may receive documents showing the cat’s pedigree if it is purebred. You could even buy a show-quality Maine coon cat from a breeder, but this would be very expensive compared to the typical pet-quality cat. Because Maine coon price is too much as compare to other types of cats. This is because Maine coon cats are beautiful and human friendly and also easy to train.
Initial Setup and Supplies
$160–$450
The price of additional supplies is sometimes disregarded when thinking about getting a new cat, despite the fact that they can be a significant expense. You can avoid some of the major costs related to new cats, such as immunizations, microchipping, and spaying/neutering if you’re truly fortunate and you got a cat from the appropriate source. Otherwise, you’ll need to budget for these expenses and extras like carriers, food and water dishes, toys, and litter boxes.
List of Cat Care Supplies and Costs
- ID Tag and Collar: $15
- Spay/Neuter: $50-$100
- Vaccinations: $50–$100
- Microchip: $25-$65
- Bed: $15-$50
- Nail Clipper (optional): $7
- Brush (optional): $8
- Litter Box: $25
- Litter Scoop: $10
- Toys: $30
- Carrier: 40
- Food and Water Bowls: $10
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How Much Does a Cat Cost Per Month?
$50–$100 per month
The expenses we’ve discussed thus far are one-time expenses related to bringing a new cat home. You will still need to budget for monthly costs such as food, medical care, and other expenses. Cats prices are not more and also its yearly expenses are not too much. These can accumulate to a sizable sum over time. Before buying a cat, it’s essential to be aware of all these expenses so you will be aware of the situation. Additionally, keep in mind that the first year of cat ownership can result in much higher monthly expenses and that the age, breed, and gender of the cat can all have an impact.
Health Care
$50–$380 per month
There will be certain ongoing expenses that you’ll have to budget for each month. Along with vet visits and grooming, food will be a crucial factor. Of course, the price for each might differ significantly based on your budget and the level of cat care you want to give.
Food
$30–$90 per month
It would help if you thought about your cat’s size when deciding how much money to set aside for its feeding. Naturally, more giant cats will consume more food than smaller cats, increasing their food costs. Additionally, you’ll observe significant variations in food pricing among producers. You could need to spend $1 per day on your cat’s food, or you might feed more extensive cats premium options for $3 per day, which would cost between $30 and $90 each month.
Grooming
$0–$50 per month
The amount of grooming your cat needs will mostly rely on its coat, which is frequently breed-specific. Some cats simply need a hairbrush for maintenance, so you only need to budget for that. Fortunately, hair brushes can be changed sparingly. However, some cats have long coats that can quickly become matted and tangled despite routine grooming. Depending on what you desire, they may occasionally need professional grooming and haircuts, which can be expensive. You might also need expert assistance with trimming a cat’s nails because it might be challenging to do so.
Medications and Vet Visits
$0–$150 per month
If you’re lucky and everything goes according to plan, your cat won’t need any prescription meds or frequent trips to the vet, other than the occasional checkup to make sure everything is in order. Of course, only some things work out as we had hoped. This category can range in cost from nothing to quite a bit if your cat becomes ill or develops a health condition later in life and may need routine doctor visits and daily medication.
Pet Insurance
$10–$30 per month
Pet insurance is entirely voluntary, but if your cat does become hurt or unwell, it may be able to help with the associated medical costs. Fortunately, pet insurance is relatively inexpensive, especially for cats. There is many reasons why cats prices are not high. Spending just $10 a month is an option, or you can spend a little more to get comprehensive coverage that guarantees your cat’s medical requirements are met in an emergency.
Pet Rent and cats prices
$0–$50 per month
Once more, only some cat owners will pay pet rent. You won’t have to worry about pet rent if you own your home. However, pet rent will probably be added to your monthly rent if you rent a place. If you had two cats, your monthly pet rent would be $50 because pets typically cost $25 each.
Environment Maintenance
$0–$25 per month
To prevent bad scents, you must keep your cat’s habitat clean. Litter boxes will only need to be replaced occasionally if they’re maintained properly. Litter box liners can keep litter boxes sanitary and tidy and only cost a few dollars a month. While cats frequently groom themselves, they might still produce enough odors to necessitate deodorizing spray to mask the smells. You might also provide cardboard scratchers for your cats’ amusement and to keep their nails short.
Litter box liners
$5/month
Deodorizing spray or granules
$10/month
Cardboard scratcher
$10/month
Entertainment
$20–$50 per month
You must offer your cat plenty of amusement to keep it occupied and prevent boredom if you want to keep it healthy and happy. There are several methods for doing this, but the most excellent options are frequently different toys. However, cats are extremely rough on their toys, so you’ll need to replace them frequently. You can check cats prices before purchasing from online sites.
Each time, you can choose a different toy for your cat or save time by subscribing to a monthly cat box. You’ll pay a monthly charge, and your cat will receive a box of toys every month to keep them occupied. These are typically relatively reasonable, with an average price of around $25, giving your cat plenty of entertainment.
Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Cat
$60–$100+ per month For most people, the most significant monthly expense related to cat ownership will be food. The price of food cannot be avoided, but it can be decreased by the meals you select. Healthcare, entertainment, insurance, pet rent, and other monthly expenses will differ significantly between homes. You’ll need to choose which of these is most important and base your spending on your family’s and your cat’s requirements. Although it’s not necessary to be pricey, cat ownership can be.
