How much does it cost to keep a cat?

wigginsmum · 26 April 2006 at 6:49AM

We always have ours vaccinated; my Mum runs an animal rescue charity, and I've seen firsthand what can happen to cats who aren't inoculated. I personally wouldn't take that risk

redmandarin · 27 April 2006 at 9:24PM

You're right GreenNotM, there's a midnight curfew on Australian cats for the same (predatory) reasons! My cat just turned up at the back door, meowing to be let in and refused to leave! I gave in eventually, thinking he would starve if I didn't feed him! Mistake! I do love him, he's not a bit aggressive (with humans - and other cats beat him up coz he wont fight back!) but I don't see what he does the rest of the time and after all, he's a CAT!! They're all self-seeking predatory monsters really! I don't think people would let them in the house if they weren't furry! Good luck rach1973 rm

dippy-dora_2 · 28 April 2006 at 3:07AM

zincoxide wrote:

Rach:

We have 2 cats, older ladies at the age of 9.

In total here is what we spend:

£20 a month on cat litter (we have indoor cats, obviously outdoor cats use much less)
£30 on cat food, we get Science Plan biscuits which are expensive and also buy pouches from Tesco (whatever is on special offer and use the discount codes from this board via tesco.com)
Cat insurance is generally between £6 - £14pm depending on the age and breed of cat.
Worming tablets/flea treatments are normally only £5-£10 every 3 months.

So on average for our two cats, we spend £70pm.

I reckon a budget of around £40 a month should be sufficient.

*gulp* what sort of litter are you using?

i've got 8 cats and I spend approximately, on litter (tesco own brand lightweight cat litter at 1.09 a bag) about 5 of them
Iams sacks (with no offers) about 30 pound - but Tesco usually have bogof on it, or at the minute a third off.

I'd advise you got your pet onto dry food such as iams as it's better for them in the long run with regards to their kidneys - although watch for cystitis, plus it doesnt go off.

You can get a voucher to get money off neutering if you are on any benefits. You can also get free PDSA treatement for upto 3 pets, and 1 pet on pet aid.

Collars are only a pound odd, flea control buy Stay kill and treat your house, not the cat, that lasts for a year at 10 pound a can.

1 cat should cost you only about 5 pound a week - the more cats you have the cheaper they cost per head.

Mind you I didnt factor in the tins of tuna, kippers, sardines, the packets of chicken roll, the cat milk, the toys, the baskets and beds and a scratching post... and whatever else I fel they must simply have!

dippy-dora_2 · 28 April 2006 at 3:16AM

shelly wrote:

Shes been absolutely fine for yrs. I am not in the slightest bit cruel. I make sure she gets her arthiritis meds, If I was cruel I wouldn't bother and let her suffer wouldn't I?

get some cod liver oil capsules and stick a pin in and let her drink that for her arthritis.

One of mine had it and the vet told me just to do that every other day and sure enough she did heaps better and didnt cost much. Same goes for humans if you can stomache the stuff.

I also have never had any of the 12 cats I've had vaccinated and don't consider myself cruel in the least. All my cats have led happy and long lives but it is personal choice, you shouldn't make people feel guilty for not having it done.

That said, if I had had a cat come down with a disease then I may have a different opinion, my cats are mostly house cats anyway and have enclosed outside play areas most of their lives so the risk isn't really a factor.

dippy-dora_2 · 28 April 2006 at 3:20AM

PS money saving cat litter!

if you go to a wood yard you can ask for free backs of sawdust, this makes great free cat litter. Mine were on that for years, but they do tend to drag it through everywhere and it's in fairly sizeable bits and soft.

dippy-dora_2 · 28 April 2006 at 3:31AM

sloughflint wrote:

Just spotted this old thread.
1. Can I recommend https://www.vetuk.co.uk for food or medicine. Very cheap and saving me a fortune.
2. Can any catlovers reading this give me advice? I have 5 cats. 3 oldies who are fine and 2 new kittens who are too good at catching birds. What can I do? They have 3 bells each and I can hear them coming a mile but it hasn't helped the birds. Have just bought liberator collars ( bleeps and flash when they jump) but I can't see how they can work but I'll try. Started to keep them indoors at dusk and dawn but have increased this to between 6pm and 7am. What else can I do? Got a mouthful from neighbour on Sunday holding a dead baby blackbird in his hand.

You can't stop your cats catching birds, it's their natures and is nature!
ignore the neighbour, and prasie the cat when he brings them you them...then tell him no more!!

One of my cats used to catch a bird a day, sometimes two, never killed or harnmed them. I was forever letting them go or taking them to the vets to be kept overnight.
Now the trend is mice - strange thing is I bet your neighbour wouldn't complain if your cat was catching mice and rats.

I've had a budgie and a pidgeon and brought home. My dads cat years ago brought a parrott home - As bad as that is, the owners really should have made sure no cat could get in.

Bottom line is a cat owner will always side with their cat - just like parents will side with their kids I suppose! We are mad, but what can you do? :-)

shelly · 28 April 2006 at 8:15AM

dippy-dora wrote:

get some cod liver oil capsules and stick a pin in and let her drink that for her arthritis.

One of mine had it and the vet told me just to do that every other day and sure enough she did heaps better and didnt cost much. Same goes for humans if you can stomache the stuff.

I wanted to thank you but the buttons gone....lol....anyway, I have got quite a few of her meds left as I buy 2 lots at a time but when she's low on the 2nd lot I'll try her on maybe 1 capsule a day of her meds (she currently has 2) and 1 cod liver oil capsule and see how she goes. I'm going to have to take her back to the vet anyway as she is limping more than she was a couple of weeks ago but I can't give her more than 2 capsules a day so I'll see what he advises too.

Thanks again.

Ninepurrs · 28 April 2006 at 6:59PM

I have 9 indoor cats & they cost me roughly £1 per week per cat:

I use Morrisons woodbased cat litter, 10 litres @ £2.99, we get through just over 1 bag a week. Would be cheaper if I bought larger bags, but I've got ME & would have trouble moving it (I already keep it on one of those suitcase wheely things)

They eat James Wellbeloved dry cat food, costing around £80 for 30kg, delivered free. This lasts about 9 weeks. I get this through Smylee Pets. I guess this would keep 1 cat fed for about 18+ months!

Collars come from Wilkinsons for 59p each.

They haven't been de-fleaed since we last had a new addition to the family, ditto wormed. They don't need it as they don't come into contact with anything that could pass these parasites on.

My cats are unvaccinated for the same reason. I don't see how dragging them off to the vets unneccessarily is good for their health. I would only spend this money if I was going to put them in a cattery (never going to happen - I can't afford a holiday for me, let alone the cats:rotfl: )

The most I've ever spent on cat equipment is the £20 I used to buy them a cat activity centre from Lidl in January. £20 well spent, they love it.

The majority of their stuff has come from boot sales & cost pennies. They have a HUGE wire carrier, about 30" x 20" x 18", great if I want to move 2 or 3 of them, cost me £1.50:D .

xmaslolly76 · 30 April 2006 at 9:19AM

Hiya
Maybe all you cat lovers can advise me of how to keep them out of my garden. i do like cats and have had them as pets when i was younger but i am sick and tired of the local cats using my garden a toilet when i have a small child who plays out there regular and as you are all aware cat excrement can carry some nasty things in it.I have tried the plastic cats and the smelly stuff from the shops but non of it seems to work. I've been told to get a cat of my own then they wont use our garden but i am not in a position to look after a pet at present. :-)

dippy-dora_2 · 30 April 2006 at 11:40PM

xmaslolly76 wrote:

Hiya
Maybe all you cat lovers can advise me of how to keep them out of my garden. i do like cats and have had them as pets when i was younger but i am sick and tired of the local cats using my garden a toilet when i have a small child who plays out there regular and as you are all aware cat excrement can carry some nasty things in it.I have tried the plastic cats and the smelly stuff from the shops but non of it seems to work. I've been told to get a cat of my own then they wont use our garden but i am not in a position to look after a pet at present. :-)

Hi, go to your local pet shop and look for a product called get off, it's a green slime stuff that has a smell that cats don't like. I've used it before to keep my cats off plants and it works.
You could also, if you can, put a chicken wire mesh guard round your fence/wall facing inwards and that should make sure they don't come in, it'll put them off to a large degree anyway but you have to watch to let any back out if they do get in.
Also keep a water pistol handy and squirt any that come in and they should just not bother coming back.

How much does it cost to keep a cat?

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