How much does it cost to keep a cat?

anniestar

We have 7 rescue cats. We have 9 litter trays (including a washing up bowl as an emergency one!) Some of the plastic double feeding bowls(about £1.25 each) others are fed on cereal bowls with saucers for treats(20p from a car boot for LOADS) they do have some toys but also love scrunched up paper and the bit in the middle of loo rolls. We DO have scratching posts essential IMHO but have just got an amazing 3 tier platform/scratcher from freecycle:j :j We spend a bit on Frontline/pannacure/Drontal but will be now getting them online(thanks to all for the advice)
As for injections well we have 2 that have contra-indications re innoculations. The point is that cats CAN be expensive, but DON'T need to be. Ours sleep on sofas, beds and also have their own (inexpensive)blankets. Good luck and enjoy your cats.
The thing that troubled me about your expierence was the way the CP acted.(have LOADS of CP experience) is it a fully affiliated branch? Normally they will assess any newcomers and flag up any potential problems. Particularly with first time owners. Why not ring Horsham I am sure that you will be able to get a voucher towards microchipping directly from headquarters.Most branches are able to microchip themselves. Do ring Headquaters(haven't got the number to hand but they have a fab website) Good Luck.

Cerenia

We've got 3 cats and a kitten. The kitten likes to sleep on the 5inches of space between the skybox and DVD player (very nice and warm there, and he's tiny), another either sleeps on my bed, or the bathroom sink, my partner's aunt's sleeps on her bed, and our last one usually sleeps in the bath now - he used to slep in my partner's baseball cap on the cupboard by his PC.

Be careful with shots - I paid for 3 kittens to have all thier shots, including catflu one (about £200 - and I was 17 in college), then 2 of them died from catflu! After being told they can't catch it and die after having the shot, but they can keep it in thier systems

Eels100

suzanne72 wrote: »

Why don't you and others think before you type??

I did think. I thought: "What sort of tightwad would begrudge a charity much needed cash in exchange for a pet?"

£80 is their standard fee. And I'm glad you didn't take on the 15 year old cat which cost £80. Because at 15 it's extremely likely he would have needed veterinary treatment costing more than £80 in the following months/years. And would you have been able to afford that? Presumably not.

Hence my point that charging a sensible fee for rehoming animals means at least they are not punted off into homes with well-meaning but clueless and underfinanced owners who haven't considered fully (and probably can't afford anyway) the potential costs of caring for them properly.

It's a shame the cat was still there a month later but at least his healthcare would be provided for (probably out of money earned from rehoming cats for which the CHARITY has paid nothing, as you describe with such shock in your previous post).

The way you speak you sound like you think your £80 was going to be spent on chocolate biscuits for the staff, or put towards the centre manager's new Range Rover. Did you ever think that charging money means they can afford to keep these places open? :wall:

patchwork_cat

Hi
Cerenia - our cat sleeps in the basin if he wants a drink.

Scrunched up tin foil is a great favourite toy, also home bargains do packs of toys 5 or 6 for 65p and fleeces for £2/£3. Zooplus.co.uk is the cheapest place for scratching posts . Youcould probably do with a carry box if you haven't got on. Cardboard ones are soon dug out of.

Cerenia

patchwork_cat wrote: »

Hi
Cerenia - our cat sleeps in the basin if he wants a drink.

Scrunched up tin foil is a great favourite toy, also home bargains do packs of toys 5 or 6 for 65p and fleeces for £2/£3. Zooplus.co.uk is the cheapest place for scratching posts . Youcould probably do with a carry box if you haven't got on. Cardboard ones are soon dug out of.

Cats are daft creaftures. I was running the bath, and went to get my dressing gown, and as i'd put the bottles of shampoo and whatnot in the sink, my cat decided he'd jump in the bath instead.... And oh god I was crying my eyes out laughing, he was NOT amused! They're all farm cats, so they're not bad with water, but his eyes were so annoyed, it took a 4 hour fussing for him to start loving me again XD

Eels100

suzanne72 wrote: »

You are extremely rude, I will not lower myself to your level of name calling etc etc

*shrug*

~Chameleon~

suzanne72 wrote: »

I actually paid £400 for a puppy because the RSPCA couldnt do anything to stop this lady and I couldnt bear the thought of him staying there another day.

And your £400 would have helped enormously to fund the breeding of many more dogs, ones which would end up in exactly the same poor conditions you rescued this one from

asea

suzanne72 wrote: »

I was surprised too, I'm not saying they are all like that I am sure they are not but I just haven't had any good experiences with cat charities.

If the cats are looked after well and microchipped with vacs then the £80 is well spent I don't deny that, it's when they give up cats with no care spent that I think is wrong.

I once reported a farm selling all sorts of breeds of dogs in terrible conditions so much infact that I called the RSPCA and they told me they had been putting a case together for years with this particular place and basically there was nothing they could do as all the court dates were always being resheduled and cancelled.

There was a programme on TV about it apparently and reports that many of the animals died shortly after being sold.

I actually paid £400 for a puppy because the RSPCA couldnt do anything to stop this lady and I couldnt bear the thought of him staying there another day.

I have heard from the CP and other charities that the RSPCA arent very helpful amongst other things!

Sorry for the long post, I just couldnt stop once I'd started!

I do support charities that care for cats properly and think the PDSA is great, I always try and support them when I can.

My cat was originally with the RSPCA then moved to the Mayhew, my boyfriend's cat was from the RSPCA as well as my grandparents two dogs

They were very well looked after, spayed & neutered, microchipped & innoculated (as well as fed, watered, brushed & loved)

The RSPCA do the best that they can, the failings you raise are not the failings of the RSPCA but of the law & the court system. I also doubt that other cat charities complain about the RSPCA as in my experience they have always proven to be professional! Also, I've also made complaints about a breeder before to the RSPCA & they have never divulged any further information once taking my complaint due to data protection law. I doubt very much that they would tell you about a case they were building against this person as it would be breaking the law. Incidentally all your £400 has done is pay for more dogs to be bred and to live for a long time in the very same conditions that you couldn't bear your dog living in for one more day

Mr_P_5

Hi there.. Been thinking a long while about wanting a cat... what are the rough costs when getting a cat? ie injections and food etc?

thanks

sandy2_2

Please try and get a cat from a rescue centre, preferably 2 or even 3