 being prepared for them will define the long-term health and stability of your relationship with your cat.
As promised, this article will go into further detail and give you a well-rounded checklist of all major costs to consider. We’ll be covering initial and regular expenses, as well as emergency costs. The estimates are in US dollars, but are roughly applicable to Canadian cat owners and serve as a good guide for both.
We’re going to keep this discussion simple by mostly focusing on itemized price ranges. There will be items we will clarify, but for the most part, this is intended as an essentials checklist.
The price ranges per month, year, or both, are gathered from various sources, referenced at the end of this article. And where applicable, we are using our products as a pricing guide, from lowest to highest. In those places, we will link to our product pages for easy reference.
We hope that this resource gives you a well-rounded, holistic idea of what to expect in terms of pricing on essential and additional cat ownership expenses.
This can be helpful when receiving quotes regarding insurance and dental care, as these areas can yield a lot of variances, depending on who you ask.
A second opinion is great when you’re being mindful of your budget but also weary of bargain-barrel pricing. This guide will help you make good decisions with a fair range of price estimates in mind.
After you’ve read this article you’ll have a realistic understanding of what to expect financially when adopting a cat.
Since the average cat’s lifespan ranges from around 13 to 20 years, your budget must span across this period. But keep in mind that cats can live far longer! The world’s oldest cat, Creme Puff, was 38 years old when she died in 2005.
For this reason, taking care of a cat should factor into long-term financial planning. As many parents put aside a college fund for their children at birth, cat parents should consider an emergency fund for their cats, too.
*Some adoption fees will include some of the above fees. Deworming, for instance, will certainly have been conducted well before the cat was available for adoption.
**Spay-neuter clinics might be free or might be very low cost, with a cat spay ranging anywhere from $50 to $150, and cat neuter ranging anywhere from $25 to $75. However, these costs might not cover necessary add-ons to make these serious surgeries comfortable for your cat. Since these are one-time, essential health expenses, look for the best and safest care rather than budget for the cheapest.
*There are some pretty strong and convincing arguments against required cat licensing laws, as outlined by Alley Cat Allies. According to research, the laws do nothing to ensure spaying and neutering.
Still, cat licenses are often mandated by law and overall, are highly recommended to ensure your cat's safety.
Medical supplements/vitamins for long-term preventative care: This will depend on your cat's needs and your lifestyle and budget, which we'll explore in later articles.
We have estimated the cost of an emergency to match the average for the entire category. Because kittens can get into any number of tangles and accidents, it can be a good idea to budget for multiple minor events, just in case.
There is a huge variance in quotes across discussion boards. It seems that getting a second opinion is always a good idea, although an average cost of around $300-750 seems to be quite common for a healthy cat.
Recommended cats over age 7 for preventative measures to understand any issues that arise associated with aging.
Many shelters take care of cats with special needs who are as deserving of a good home as any other cat. Caring for these cats will require additional medical expenses such as long-term medication and prosthetic maintenance, as examples.
Chances are your cat’s adoption story has a breeding story behind it, too. In our first blog post about adoption, we went into why breeding has generally fallen out of favor and why we don't care for it much, either.
In particular, breeding has resulted in diseases, special needs, and ailments specific to certain breeds. For instance, Balinese cats commonly suffer from asthma and Javanese cats are known to develop lymphoma.
When adopting these breeds, you should be aware of and research any associated illnesses. Luckily, with proper diet, care, and environment, no cat need ever fulfill a sad genetic legacy.
Summary: How Much Does It Cost to Adopt a Cat?
Let’s finish with brass tacks. A good budget for an adoption startup cost will be $2500. This is a good averaging of initial and some essential monthly costs.
From then on, $1000/year, without emergencies, ought to have your bases covered, with a little splurge on the side. If you’re being budget-conscious, instead of splurging, roll that over into your emergency fund.
This $3000 emergency fund for a medical or dental emergency that needs to be dealt with immediately will save you a lot of grief. If you’re able to, it can be a good idea to set this fund aside into a conservative investment account or a high-interest savings account. This way you’ll think of it as you would a child’s college fund.
So, overall, a good start-up cost to get your cat’s adoption started hassle-free is $6500. Any savings you incur, roll that over for the emergency fund. You’ll feel super-good knowing that your favorite feline is safe and protected no matter what.
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