Mary Allen
A cat brightens up every day. But our innocent furballs can also cost a lot of money. That really costs cat ownership.
Cats are among the most popular pets. No wonder: Who can resist those big wide eyes, the soft fur, and their endearing stubbornness? Every cent is only too gladly spent. But how much does a cat really cost?
That depends on various factors: whether it’s a pedigree cat or not, young or old, an outdoor cat or an indoor cat – all of this determines the demands and needs of your darling. And ultimately also what it costs you to purchase, but also to keep it.
Acquisition
First of all, you have to pay the acquisition costs. Decide on a pedigree cat such as B. a Maine Coon, there are already a lot more here.
But even with a stray from the animal shelter, a protection fee of around 100 euros (the amount varies from place to place) is required.
In addition, there is certain basic equipment. You need:
- Bowls: one for cat food, one for water,
- litter box with cat litter,
- Scratching post, (here are 8 tips for buying)
- transport basket,
- Toys, (these toys are recommended)
- Sleeping place (unless Miezi takes up the sofa in the future).
In addition, you should plan visits to the vet, vaccinations, regular deworming, and, if necessary, health insurance.
One-time expenses:
Bowls: approx. 10 euros
Litter box: around 10-40 euros
Scratching post: approx. 20-60 euros
Transport basket: approx. 20-40 euros
Cat bed: about 10-40 euros
Castration: about 80-150 euros
Microchip implantation: approx. 20 euros
First vaccinations: approx. 100 euros
With the equipment for the kitten or the adult cat alone, you come to around 270 to 460 euros, depending on which products you decide on.
You may be able to skip the scratching post for outdoor cats and not every cat likes a cat bed, but you should at least keep these important things in mind.
If, for example, you have a demanding long-haired cat, you may have to plan for additional costs for grooming utensils.
Neutering is not mandatory, but advisable, since there is already a surplus of house cats, which threatens local bird populations, for example. Here the costs vary depending on the veterinarian or the gender of your pet.
Regular expenses
Of course, it doesn’t stop with these one-off costs. After all, your darling wants to be cared for and entertained throughout the year. So expect ongoing costs for food, bedding, and vet visits, as well as occasional expenses for toys, treats, and holiday care.
Regular expenses:
Food: approx. 20-100 euros (per month)
Cat litter: approx. 3-10 euros (per month)
Vet: approx. 30-150 euros (per year)
Health insurance: approx. 200-300 euros (per year)
These numbers again depend heavily on what kind of lifestyle your house tiger has: If an outdoor cat uses the little room in the garden, your wallet will be happy because less cat litter is needed.
The same applies to the food: Depending on whether you work with a lot of wet or dry food and which brands you buy, you will get away with it either cheaply or expensively. If in doubt, you should use the taste of your velvet paw as a guide or, in the event of illness, consult a veterinarian about what food is ideal for your cat.
Visits to the vet depending on the health and age of your little fur ball, but vaccinations (cold: 1x 25-35 euros, rabies: 1x 80-98 euros, FeLV: 1 x 80-98 euros) and wormers (outdoor cats) are regularly necessary, especially for outdoor cats: 4x 6-12 euros, indoor cats: 2x 6-12 euros).
Health insurance for cats is not absolutely necessary. In an emergency (e.g. in the event of an accident) or if complex operations are pending, it can be worthwhile. The annual vaccinations are also z. T. reimbursed.
Irregular expenses:
Cat toy: approx. 10-50 euros (per year)
Holiday care: approx. 10 euros per day to 10 euros per hour
Travel: around 80-110 euros
Body care: around 10-30 euros
Apart from the regular expenses, you will occasionally have to pay extra. But that shouldn’t be a big problem with toys, it doesn’t always have to be expensive here. We have collected a lot of inexpensive and popular toys in our article on the topic.
Holiday care or cat boarding can be relevant when you go on holiday and no neighbors or family members have time to look after your sweetheart.
Cat boarding houses usually take our furry darlings in for 10 to 30 euros a day. Under certain circumstances, however, you also have to plan an hourly salary – or simply take Kitty with you. Depending on the destination, this can also cost a lot, since a passport, rabies vaccination, and a flat rate transport fee are required when flying.
Total cost
So if you get a house cat and always pay attention to the cheapest offer, you will get the following result on average:
Costs: approx. 1,020 euros in the first year (further years around 750 euros)
If, on the other hand, you only want the best of the best, it can also be significantly more expensive.
Costs: approx. 2,560 euros in the first year (further years around 2,100 euros)
These are the respective extreme values, the actual costs lie in between. But remember one thing: your cat doesn’t care how much money you actually spend as long as you take care of their health and take good care of them.
We wish you and your cat all the best and a wonderful time that money could never compensate for.