How much does it cost to keep a cat?

MissMoneypenny

xmaslolly76 wrote:

Hiya
Maybe all you cat lovers can advise me of how to keep them out of my garden.

I think you can buy some sonic items that keep cats out of the garden.

grex9101

GreenNotM wrote:

Do not forget the cost of your cat to the environment

Cats are protected predators - they kill millions of birds, amphibians, mammals and insects every week in the UK.

Cats just do what they do, generally. And they're not as bad for the environment as people are.

anyway-

c'mon people , post some pics of all your cats!!!!!

Wig

SkippyB wrote:

Zincoxide....

Have you tried using wood pellet cat litter....we have 2 x indoor cats and we use a bag every 5-7 weeks and it costs us £9.99 a bag....works out at a big saving over the year and also the smell is better and it is easier to clean and tidy out.....we moved our giys from normal cat litter to this stuff and they love it!!

We use wood pellets, far better than any other catlitter.

Tesco sell it 10 litres for 4 pounds
Focus DIY 25 litres for 8 pounds (IIRC)
Local Farm supplies feed merchants have 25 litres for 5 pounds.

Unfortunatly we bought from Focus so we have a years supply to use before we buy from the feed merchants. Also we store it in a 35 litre (??) swing top bin bought from Tesco for 4 quid

Nile

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patchwork_cat

Free cat litter if you live near the coast is sand - you can't take it off the beach, but we used to have it blowing into our garden all the time and my Grandpa used that.

When I was a child our cat never had vaccinations or was wormed or deflead - I'm not that old, so I am sure that lots of you also had a childhood pet treated the same.

Yes the diseases that are vaccinated against do save many lives, but it really is the young cats on the whole. Most older cats who have not received vaccination have an immunity.

lister

dippy-dora wrote:

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.

It's actually the opposite with regard to kidney troubles. A lot of kidney and LUT (lower urinary tract) problems are both more likely and more serious when a cat is fed on predominantly dry food. In the wild cats will get almost all their water needs from their kills, and most cats don't drink enough to compensate for the lack of moisture in the dry food, which affects the kidneys and urine chemistry (the composition of the standard foods is also a problem for the urine chemistry). I believe it is why I now see a lot more kidney and LUT problems in older cats passing through my care (as a CP cat worker and fosterer), because 10-15 years ago many vets were promoting dry food diets for their dental benefits. I always recommend about 2/3 to 3/4 wet food if the cat will eat it.

sloughflint wrote:

As I said, cat flu and leukaemia are highly contagious and deadly diseases. If your cat(s) caught either of these there would be little you or a vet could do. You are taking a risk by not vaccinating and have been lucky.

FeLV, Feline leukaemia, is indeed very dangerous and easily transmitted. In adults it can go unnoticed for some time (several years), so you can easily have an active carrier in the area for a long time. If you have an outdoor cat who is likely to come into any kind of confrontation with other cats (including just spitting at each other), then I would always vaccinate against FeLV. It is invariably fatal, either through other conditions due to immunosuppression or due to tumours. There is thought to be a very small risk of innoculation leading to tumour growth, but this is thought to be much smaller than the risk of picking the disease up outside. Indoor cats do not need FeLV vaccination.

Cat 'flu on the other hand is rarely deadly these days. There are several different viral infections that are known as 'flu anyway - primarily calicivirus and herpesvirus, but there are also bacterial forms as well. Although not typically fatal, there are often long term chronic conditions after the main infection has been cleared up.

patchwork_cat wrote:

Yes the diseases that are vaccinated against do save many lives, but it really is the young cats on the whole. Most older cats who have not received vaccination have an immunity.

True to an extent of cat 'flu in its various forms, but not of FeLV. Cats do develop a resistance to FeLV as they mature through kittenhood, but not an immunity. Some may have a naturally greater genetic resistance or even immunity, but this is with them from birth.

Older cats with a 'flu resistance or immunity will normally have already had the disease. Around half of these will be asymptomatic carriers of the virus and can easily pass the virus on to other cats.

sloughflint wrote:

I have a very adored, spoiled and pampered pet. She is 14 years old and I don't deworm her as the medications make her sick...I would only deworm her if she had worms. I don't vaccinate her for the same reason...she rarely comes into contact with other cats and the vaccinations upset her and make her sick.

I agree on the worming. I would only worm mine if they showed signs of a major infestation. It is entirely natural for cats (and humans for that matter) to have a few worms on board from time to time. I do worm all strays who come in, just to be sure, but otherwise advise people just to do it when if there is actually a problem.

Vaccinations can cause minor problems like this - they can depress the immune system - although I would always try to give the FeLV jab unless the side-effects were very severe. After all, you can't treat FeLV after infection (other than symptom management and palliative care) - in the case of stray cats, vetinary advice is always euthanasia if FeLV is confirmed.

lola_the_cat

I agree that cats can be destructive to wildlife (rather like humans) but they also have lots of great qualities. They can be very affectionate but also independant so make fantastic pets. You just have to weigh up the pros and cons and remember you will never 'Own' your cat as they are servants to none.

Kimberley

Ember999 wrote:

They are not alien hunters, they are animals, a part of nature itself. In nature all animals kill to eat and survive. Ever been to Kenya? if you had you would witness animals and how they live in the wild. You want to attack all animals for just doing what nature intended?

I agree with GreenNotM to a certain point. Some countries actually cull stray cats to keep the numbers down. Sadly because of poor ownership most cats are not neutured before they are let out and they breed like anything. There are far too many cats in this country. I think like Foxes stray cats should be controlled.

I like cats, wouldn't have one myself mind, i'm more a dog person. Years ago you saw stray dogs on the streets until they were banned and picked up if seen alone. The same thing should be done with cats.

They do destroy a lot of wildlife as well.

pennineman

Our two and a half cats (one is outdoor and not ours (yet) but insists we feed her) eat around 2 - 3 tins Whiskas a day.

Cat litter - not too much as one and a half go outside and the other doesn't use much. Probably an 8 litre bag of Thomas a fortnight.

Vets bills have been large over the last 12 months. Both indoor cats needed fairly major surgery so around £500 here. This is unusual.

Yearly innoculations around £50-£60 in total?

Fleas - Frontline - don't know the cost off hand. But is necessary and does work. And then there's spray for carpets and soft furniture also . . . . but last for 12 months so not too expensive.

And all totally and absolutely worth it when you see our 17 year-old cat playing like a kitten - shredding the settee again . . . Or when you see our semi-feral younger cat shredding my feet and hands earlier today in the garden.

tankgirl1

1) would a pre-existing condition be covered under insurance ?

2) is FAD always this bad, will I always be going back and for to the vets or is this just a bad episode at the mo because of the heat. He cannot wear a collar now as he got agitated by it.

hi there

im a vet nurse, although i havent been in practice for 12 months.

in my experience NO- pre existing conditions will not be covered by insurance- i have never seen a company who will do this, although i guess its always worth a look

FAD can vary in severity. in most cases its the flea saliva that the animal is allergic to, and so a single bite can cause an outbreak. my pooch has FAD, and although she is frontline'd regularly, she still gets outbreaks over the summer - the problem being that she may pick up the odd flea outside.

my advice would be to keep up to date with frontline and drontal religiously, all year round. make sure that you also treat your house with a spray from the vets, as fleas (in their various life stages) can happily lurk in carpets etc, only to emerge when the central heating gets switched back on in the autumn. dont use flea collars, or supermarket/pet shop preperations- they are rubbish- the stuff you get from the vets is a PRESCRIPTION med (ie frontline/drontal), and as such is much better at treating the problem. frontline is recommended by all the vet dermatologists i have worked with.

if he does become very itchy, go to the vets, and they can give him something to help- usually steroids to remove the itch.

frontlining every 4-5 weeks is the best you can do for him though.

HTH- feel free to pm me if i can be any more help

ps- no im not and never have been employed by merial