I have a stupid question ... ;)

[.sarah]

I'll be moving out next year and I'd love to adopt an adult cat from the humane society. I'm just wondering how much a healthy cat costs. I could sit here and add up food, vaccines, etc. but I don't know how much little things like litter cost each month. I'd prefer to have an inside cat even though cleaning litter boxes is one of my least favorite things to do at work. I'm just afraid that my cat would get hurt roaming free outside (maybe one day I'll own an inside/outside cat, but having never owned a cat before I'll be too worried about it outside ).

So, how much would you estimate a healthy adult indoor cat costs each month?

[dab_20]

well oreo doesn't cost much at all. we just by a reallly big bag of litter and a big bag of dry cat food. and then we only have to buy one bag of food a month and ltter like every three months.

sorry, not sure about the costs, cuz i don't pay for any of that stuff.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Good idea to adopt an adult cat. They will generally cost less than a kitten because they've already been through their serious of shots so you should only have to take them to the vet once a year for annual check up and any shots they need annually.

One cat is really relatively cheap. Even premium food for one cat shouldn't run you more than, say, $100.00 year and depending on what type of litter you choose, it will cost even less than the food. Then there are toys and beds and condos and such, but you can also get away with that relatively cheap. If you read much here on the cat side, you'll find that most cats prefer home made toys such as crinkled up paper or aluminum foil rather than expensive toys. Instead of a condo, you can put a chair or couch near a window so kitty can see out and towels work well for beds, or if you're handy, someone here has a pattern for making beds which should help keep the cost down. My biggest downfall is walking into PetSmart (or similar type pet store). I need to keep my eyes glued to the floor and ONLY look at what I'm there for - dry food, litter, etc.

[catmandu]

One Cat would probably need about 5 Bags,20 Pounds of Dry,and maybe 6 Cases Of Wet,and a 40 Pound Bag of Litter every 2 Months.
And his shots,and check up,of course.
The Toys you can buy at a Dollar Store or The Salvation Army.
And you can wait until the Foods on sale ,and phone the Pet Food Companies for coupons to save money.
Good luck with your New Cat,and we hope that you find a Beloved Companion.

[catnapper]

Hmmm... depending on your area and vet costs, a healthy cat might cost $75 a year to see the vet for his/her annual shots and such.

I would say litter might be $5-10 a month, depending on brand and type you chose

a few scratching posts can be as little as $20 (maybe cheaper if you make your own) and as much as $200 for a cat tree scratching post.

Beds also range in price - you could just simple use an old blanket and they'd be as happy as can be or you can have a special bed just for them

Toys are important to keep them active (especially if older so they don't gain weight) so get a few inteactive toys like feather wands and such. These are fairly cheap, about $7 and mine last a while, even with 5 cats.

Food can really range in cost. The better the food, the less they will poop and less poop is a good thing in my book You can spend $3 on a 7 pound bag of Cat Chow that would last 2-3 weeks, and you can spoend $15 on a 7 pound bag of Nutro Natural Choice will last 3-4 weeks (they also eat less of the better food because there's less fillers and more "real" food... think of it like Cat Chow is McDonalds and the Premium foods are an expensive healthy restaurant. You certainly can live on McDonalds but its not going to be the best thing for you.)

Of course there is never a gaurantee a cat will always be healthy. In the past 3 months, I've spent nearly $1,000 on my perfectly healthy Pouncer. They get sick just like you do for various reasons. Allen is 4 years old now and I've never had to take hi to the vet for anything more than his once a year physical.

Also many healthy adult cats need dental treatments at the vet. This will run you $100 and more. You can combat it at home with cleaning his./her teeth reguarly and giving dental treats (about $5 a package) but she/he might still need the professional cleaning just like you would.

You're being very smart about this! For the most part my cats don't cost me too much, but those emergencies sure do take a chunk out of my pocketbook Best thing you can do to keep vet costs and such down is preventative care, like brushing their teeth and feeding a better quality food. It might cost you mre money at the start but it does save you in the long run.

All that said, I buy in bulk (5 cats... I have to! ) and only when things are on sale or I have a coupon. I usually spend about $100 a month on all 5 food food, treats, toys, litter, etc. Shhh.... don't let hubby know that!

[.sarah]

Thanks everyone! That's really helpful!

The reason I was wanting an adult cat was actually because I've never owned a cat. It's the same reasoning as I wouldn't really reccomend a puppy for a first time dog owner. I had also thought about the vaccines, too ... I know that can add up.

Fortunately I work at a vet so the cost of vaccines, dental cleanings, emergencies, etc. are all cut in half. I really want to get a cat, I've always wanted one, but I just don't know yet if I'll be able to afford it. I will be taking Nova and Luka with me and possibly Mandy (she may stay here since she's getting really attatched to my parents.) Plus I may be getting a Great Dane this year and if I do I will really be on a budget

Good thing is, I haven't really spent any of the money I've made in the past 1 1/2 years, so I've got quite a bit saved up.

Any more help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

[Jessika]

Depending on what type of food you get, for an 8-lb bag it will run anywhere from $8 - $13 a month, and assuming an 8-lb bag lasts you a month. Then for a big bucket of refillable clay litter from petco (the one you bring back and refill yourself) I think the first purchase is maybe $15 and then to refill its only like $11 and that will definitely last a month for only one cat.

Then the vet bills but I'm sure you know about that

Overall -- not much at all!

[.sarah]

*bump*

[dab_20]

when people post *bump* what does that mean exactly? lol kinda slow...

[Don Juan's mom]

I adopted both of my cats as young adults (1 to 1.5 years old), and loved doing it. My first cat, Cardamom, was 5 years old. Adopting from the Humane Society is good, as the cat will be spayed or neutered before you take it home. (In other words, before I could take Don Juan home, he was rendered incapable of BEING a Don Juan. )

I use Premium Choice Flushable cat litter, which comes in an 8-pound jug. Prices at stores around here range from $5.99 to $10.99 , so it's a good idea to shop around. One jug will supply one litterbox for 1-2 months, depending on how fastidious you are. A little baking soda mixed with the litter really helps with the, ahem, aroma.

Don Juan and Zerlina are approaching the end of a 10-pound bag (2 POUNDS FREE!) of Nutro Nature's Choice Indoor Formula, which I bought about two months ago. It usually runs around $12 to $15, but I had a coupon for $2 off, and I can sometimes get more off with my PetSmart Pet Pals card. I don't free feed the kitties, as the vet got on my case about Don Juan's weight (talk about the pot calling the kettle black!), and Zerlina is a, shall we say, enthusiastic eater. Once again, it pays to shop around.

Then, there's catnip, toys, treats, vet visits, kitty grass....

Liz

[Craftlady]

when people post *bump* what does that mean exactly? lol kinda slow...

Making sure that the post stays at the top of the list. Bump is a generatic term used in this type of reply.

Average cost for 4 kittys on premium food (Nutro) 20 lb bag last us 2 months at $28 a bag. Average $200 a year. When it's on sale I get a bag inbetween the normal time we would buy. Right now I have 2 (20 lb) bags plus a small bag that was free. Litter we get anywhere from $8 to $10 depending on if it's on sale or not. We go through 28 lbs of litter in about a month for 4 kitties. I'm always buying our litter when it's on sale, so I have a stock supply

[catnapper]

when people post *bump* what does that mean exactly? lol kinda slow...

It means that they were way down and nobody was seeing their thread so they put a *bump* to bring it back to the top of the list. Its personally one of my biggest pet peeves on a message board. I always try to say "anybody else have an opinon?" I often bump my threads to the top, but always use a quote from someone else's reply -- its friendlier and encourages more conversation, therefor more replies.

[.sarah]

Thanks Don Juan's mom! I'm actually hoping to go with Feline Pine for litter, and it sounds like a similar litter to what you're using. I have allergies. Usually dust isn't bad, but I have my days at work where the litter just bothers me, however it doesn't happen often (just when I forget my medicine lol).

when people post *bump* what does that mean exactly? lol kinda slow...

It's just a post to bump the thread up to the top of the forum. This one was moved back a few pages where people wouldn't see it and I'd still like replies, so I bumped it.

[.sarah]

Making sure that the post stays at the top of the list. Bump is a generatic term used in this type of reply.

Average cost for 4 kittys on premium food (Nutro) 20 lb bag last us 2 months at $28 a bag. Average $200 a year. Litter we get anywhere from $8 to $10 depending on if it's on sale or not. We go through 28 lbs of litter in about a month for 4 kitties. I'm always buying our litter when it's on sale, so I have a stock supply

Man cat food sure does last a lot longer than dog food I have to buy two new 40 lb bags (different brands) every two months for my girls, and they really don't eat that much. I'll probably go with Natural Balance cat food, since that is my preferred brand.

Thanks for the replies so far!

[Craftlady]

P.S. to my reply above...
Nice you work for a vet and get discounts on meds etc.
I would say that's the biggest expense.
We adopt older kitties usually around 2-4 yrs old average. Cindy was youngest at under a year, she was neighborhood stray so we didnt get her through PetSmart.