What do your cats cost to keep?

SarahPennySaver

Hi, just wanted to say thank you for thinking about a FIV or blind cat. I adopted 2 FIV+ cats a couple of years ago and one was a gorgeous long haired tabby lady who had been in the sanctuary 5 years because people ignore the older cats with health issues. I have had no vet visits linked to FIV and although my beautiful tabby passed away a few months ago she was over 20 and went peacefully due to old age. There's lots of great info about FIV on catchat, I can't post the link but it's easy to find on google. There's also a great project to record as many FIV cats as possible including info like any medical problems, it's called the 1,000 FIV Cats Project and there's a link at bottom of catchat FIV page.

Food is important but it doesn't have to be pricey, it will depend on the fussy factor though, you can find food that is expensive and really good for them and then find they will only eat Whiskers! If you do get a FIV cat then the key 'areas' to watch are teeth and urinary infections. Don't buy special food from the vet until you've checked out alternatives online and be prepared to learn how to brush a cat's teeth! Good luck, please PM me if you'd like any more info.
Sarah x

50Twuncle

MSE_Megan wrote: »

Litter - £8 a month
Food - £7 a month
Insurance - £9 a month
Carpet repairs for when she decides to have a scratch - a lot

Food - just £7 per month - that's just 23p per day !!
What do you feed them - sawdust ?
Our 2 cats cost around £2 per day in wet food alone - plus dry food about £1 per day - total food £100 per month !!
over 13 years - they have cost us upwards of £10,000 !!
Luckily - so far only one relatively minor health issue (insurance cancelled 5 years ago - way too expensive - instead we put £30 per month into a bank account for them)

GwylimT

One cat here

Food around £15 a month, she is fed a mixture of ready made raw and home made raw, she does get some good quality wet food when our neighbour pops in to feed her.
Litter £5
Insurance £8 petplan classic
Toys 50p we rarelt by any as she prefers cardboard boxes
Plaque off £1.40

SensibleSarah

4 cats here.

Litter is negligible as they all go out in the garden (although I have a tray always down just in case)

Insurance approx £6 per cat p/m
Food is the biggie with mine as a couple have special dietary needs. In the region of £100 a month.
Got vac 4 life for my youngest so that's a one off £99 - the rescue I got her from paid for her spay & chip.
Flea/worming is done every few months - works out at about £3 month if averaged out
Collars and tags (I know not everyone uses them, but as I live in a high-cat-population area then I like my cats to look 'owned' and people don't always think to scan for a chip) are lost by my youngest frequently - so that's another few quid a few times a year.
One off vet visits/dentals - my oldest 2 cats (both 11) have both needed dentals in the last 12 months - £150 per pop and not covered by insurance. My youngest (now 1) has also had an eye infection that came in under the insurance excess - £50

So the routine stuff comes in at around £35-£40 per month per cat - and the one-offs another £30 on average.

My dog is way cheaper to keep

bellaboo86

My cat is 7 now and goes outside.
I pay £4 a month for pet insurance
Food about £10 a month- mixture of wet and dry and I try to buy in bulk.
Litter costs a couple of pounds as and when.
Vaccinations around £30 a year.
£5 on a collar as and when she loses it


One off costs have been for a litter tray, carry case for when she goes to the vets, bowls, toys and a scratching post.


I've wasted money on various cat beds but she has never entertained them and prefers the top of the stairs, my bed or my living room chair.


Any new toys are usually bought for her by my mum as Christmas presents.

Redacted

Arthur is now 14 or 15, and was a rescue cat. He's been with me 6 years and goes outdoors.

He's always cost a fair bit, due to needing a specialist diet - firstly because he was massively overweight, then due to urinary tract issues and now because he has chronic kidney disease. He's not insured, as the premium was quite high so I decided instead to create a kitty fund which I pay into each month.

His food - I get 48 pouches for £35 ish, which doesn't quite last a month, plus a bag of dry food for £15 ish which normally lasts around 3 months. This is a veterinary diet renal support food, hence the cost. So £40/month average.

He's also on a phosphate binder, and glucosamine because he was showing signs of a touch of arthritis late last year, so I typically spend another £10-£15 a month on these.

I pay £10 a month to his vet to cover vaccinations, flea and worming treatments, and unlimited visits with the nurse.

I pay £120 a year for blood tests, to check on his kidney disease, and save £30 a month into his kitty fund.

I've had some big vet bills in the past, where there wasn't enough in the kitty fund, and the credit card comes into play then.

So all told £100-£105 a month regular costs, + extra for vet bills that exceed the fund.

My mum and dad have two cats that barely cost £50 a month between them, as they have no health issues and will eat anything. The thing is, you just can't tell which way it will go, so prepare for the worst (financially, I mean) and hope for the best.