My girlfriend wants a cat....

[AJShep79]

My girlfriend and I are in the process of purchasing our first home and the first thing she wants is a cat.  i dont mind the idea (in fact i quite like cats!) but my only concern is that we wont have much money available as getting this house is breaking the bank a bit! so my question is how much does it cost to keep a cat?

[k8tkoo]

Hi!

First of all, make sure it's practical for you to have a cat, ie you're not away from home a lot, and if you are then you can afford a cattery (these can be �7+ per night)or someone responsible to look after it. Then it might be a good idea to consider pet insurance (for a kitten can be �5ish a month)this will cover any mishaps/ill health but will not cover regular vaccinations. The vaccinations can vary in price depending on your vet so give your local one a call and ask first. The cat will need initial vaccinations which must be done to avoid cat flu and other nasties, again your local vet can advise. You'll need a flea treatment like frontline which is also bought from the vet.

Cat food really depends on what you feed them, you can get a box of 12 pouches for about 3 quid and that's fairly good stuff (felix/whiskas etc), tins are even cheaper and supermarket own brands cheaper still. Also you'll need litter, a tray, maybe a bed and definitely a few little toys, all of which will cost you under �20.

Generally cats are not that expensive compared to some other pets, they just need a bit of love, food and somewhere to sleep!

[AJShep79]

ok cool, thanks! goldfish it is then..... only joking.

[CheekyChops]

Just to give an idea of cost (I live in the Midlands):

Initial 'start up costs; included a cat carrier �10, scratch post �10, about another �10 for toys, �15 for a cat bed and �3 for a litter tray

Flea treatment for 3 months supply costs me �13.50

Castration cost me �23.50

Inital jabs cost c�30

Annual Booster costs �25

Pet Insurance costs me �7 per month.

Food costs are minimal and as I but it at the supermarket when doing my weekly shop, I don't really notice the cost of it.  Cat litter costs �2.50 per bag and I get through about 2 bags per month.

Every single penny has been worth it!

Cattery quoted me �4 per night

[k8tkoo]

CheekyChops that is so cheap!! Whereabouts in the country do you live? I'm in Hampshire and �7 is the minimum i can find!

[k8tkoo]

Oh my god it's taken me 3 days to read cheekychops answer properly - the midlands, right...