How much does it cost to keep a cat?

2023 Author: Alex Livingston | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39

Let's say you have recently had a kitten at home, what do you need to do to ensure that it lives happy and healthy? To determine how much does it cost to keep a cat let's start by considering everything you need to do and get yourself from day one.

Cost of deworming and vaccinations at the vet

One of the first things to do is take your cat to the vet for deworming and mandatory vaccines for the following diseases:

• Infectious rhinotracheitis
• Feline calicivirosis
• Feline panleukopenia.

These three diseases are prevented with a single vaccine, commonly called a trivalent vaccine, which requires a few boosters over time (1 month after the first injection, 1 year after and every 3 years thereafter). In addition, there are other vaccines that are not mandatory (such as the one for FeLV, Feline Leukemia) but to which it is always good, at the right time, to submit your cat. The cost of each vaccine for the cat it can vary between € 25 and € 50. The cost of the deworming the cat, which is an equally necessary treatment, is around € 10 and can be bought at the pharmacy.

Then the vet will advise you which one pesticide treatment administer to your cat. Keep in mind that pesticides are necessary even if the cat lives only in the house, since we ourselves can, without realizing it, carry parasites into the house. The anti-parasite treatment should be carried out, depending on the type prescribed (which can be specific only for one parasite or for several), every month or every 3 months. We can therefore understand that depending on the type of pesticide, its price is variable, speaking in general we can say that a pack containing 6 pipettes of medicine can cost around € 30. The calculation of the total annual expenditure that follows to keep a cat will therefore be determined by the type of pesticide prescribed and by the frequency with which it must be applied to the cat.

Cost of the litter

We now come to evaluate the quantity and costs of the litter for the cat's needs. There are an infinity of different types of litter for cats, clumping, non-clumping, perfumed, bio etc etc. Obviously the cost always depends on the type and quantity contained in each package. Taking an average of the various types and brands, and considering that a 10-liter bag can last about a month, we can calculate that the monthly cost for the litter will amount to about € 10.

Cost of cat food

Let's now turn to the cost of food to keep a cat. Since it is fundamental and very important to feed our beloved furry friend with high quality products suited to his characteristics and his state of health, this will certainly be one of the biggest expenses you will have to face. It is also difficult to determine precisely what the real monthly expenditure may be as the variables can be infinite. The quantities of food to be given to your cat depend on its weight, the type of life it leads but also on its state of health. It should also be borne in mind that there are many types, brands and sizes of food. Let's proceed with an example then: let's pretend that by calculating the weight of your cat, the daily amount of food to be taken is 140gr, that the price of a 70gr can of good quality wet is around 1 €, and that the diet of the your cat is made entirely of wet food, the monthly cost of food to keep the cat would be around 60 €.

Cost of games for cat amusement

We now come to the cost of games for cats. To make your cat happy, scratching posts and various pastimes cannot be missing at home. Modern scratching posts can be very large and filled with toys, rest spots and different activities to meet your kitty's every need. Of course, even in this case, it all depends on what you buy. Prices for a scratching post for cats medium / large sizes can range from 50 to hundreds of euros.

Cost of sterilization of the cat

Finally, you will also need to consider having your cat neutered. In any case, it is always better to consult a veterinarian before making such a decision, he will be able to show you the best way to go for yours, but above all for the needs of your cat. THE costs of neutering the cat they can vary for various factors, but above all they vary from male to female. The sterilization of the male is usually between € 80 and € 100, that of the female between € 100 and € 150.

Conclusion with the annual costs

Briefly summarizing what we have said in the previous paragraphs, we can say that the annual costs to keep a cat (excluding toys / scratching posts, as they are not bought several times a year unless the cat destroys them) will be approximately (using the higher digits) the following:

• Vaccines, deworming and pesticides - 170 €
• Sandpit - 120 €
• Food - 720 €

Do you already have a cat and do you or do you not agree with these cost estimates? Let us know in the comments or through our Facebook page My cat is legend.