[PlanetTea]

Hello there!

I'm thinking of buying a kitten, just a moggy really, but I want to make sure that I can afford it long term.

Does anybody know how much it can cost to have a kitten? Things such as vet bills, food, keeping fleas and worms at bay etc

Also, I live in York with my boyfriend, we rent at the moment. How difficult do you suppose it would be to find somewhere to rent once we have a cat? Its just a concern that we might have trouble, but at the same time whats one house trained cat?

Thank you for any help :-)

[Staceycake]

They are actually more expensive than most people think.
You have vet bills every few months and then you have to spend lots on food. As for fleas it's costly, but I guess the treatments are every month or so.

I have 4 cats + well luckily my mum pays for them ^_^ - Although I've only ever paid one vet bill for my cat to be snipped. Was damn expensive.
Some people don't actually do all the vet visits, my cats have never followed up on them and they're fine without.

As for the renting, a lot of landlords don't accept it, but it can't be too hard.

[Teao the Cat]

Vet bills, food, litter, toys and whatnot...
Also, bear in mind that it;s recommended that you get two kittens rather than a single one, as they get lonely easily. If you want a single cat, go for an older one- some 'single cat household' cats are hard to place- Mine was very much a one-cat cat, and we had trouble finding a good home for him when my stepmother moved back to the states. Managed, and he's very happy now...

Also remember that a kitten will have to be neutered and have all its vaccinations and preferably be microchipped, which is lots in vet fees.

Renting with a pet can be more expensive, as landlords can put rents or deposits up to cover pet-related damage, but it's not impossible. Plenty of people have pets and rent!

[DrunkenMaster]

YOu may be better off getting a kitten or cat from the CPL/RSPCA/Blue Cross as they often sell them cheap as long as you promise to neuter them. Also the RSPCA has vet surgeries that have reduced rates. That said, cats are a Hell of a lot cheaper than dogs, easier to look after and arent as noisy and smelly. If looked after properly you may not have to worry too much about regular vet check ups (right scrounging gits that they are!).

[PlanetTea]

(Original post by Teao the Cat)
Vet bills, food, litter, toys and whatnot...
Also, bear in mind that it;s recommended that you get two kittens rather than a single one, as they get lonely easily. If you want a single cat, go for an older one- some 'single cat household' cats are hard to place- Mine was very much a one-cat cat, and we had trouble finding a good home for him when my stepmother moved back to the states. Managed, and he's very happy now...

Also remember that a kitten will have to be neutered and have all its vaccinations and preferably be microchipped, which is lots in vet fees.

Renting with a pet can be more expensive, as landlords can put rents or deposits up to cover pet-related damage, but it's not impossible. Plenty of people have pets and rent!

Do you know much does it cost roughly to have a cat neutered? Also, I never thought of getting two kittens... Would it really make much difference?

[Teao the Cat]

(Original post by PlanetTea)
Do you know much does it cost roughly to have a cat neutered? Also, I never thought of getting two kittens... Would it really make much difference?

Most shelters won't let kittens go alone, especially if you are likely to be away from home for more than an hour or so at a time.

As for neutering, for some reason I have £50 in my head, but not sure if that's accurate. Spaying (female) is more expensive than neutering a male kitty, since it's internal surgery.

[briesandwich]

I recently adopted 2 kittens from my local Cat Protection Agency. They're both sisters and they had to go as a pair as kittens like a lot of attention and easily become lonely.

I recommend adopting a kitten (or kittens) from a shelter - at just under 3 months our kittens had their vaccinations and other important jabs already done which kept the cost down. We neutered them a month ago and it cost £130 for the two.

Bare in mind that kitten food is normally more expensive than adult cat food - the cheapest I can find it is 2 for £5 at either Sainsburys or Asda if you want a brand like Whiskas. Cat litter ranges in price, but my kittens refuse to poo in cheap litter, so we have to buy Catsan which is normally £5~.

Hope this helps!

[blinkbelle]

I wouldn't get a kitten, I'd get a cat. Cats are easier and are much more in need of homes. I rescued a cat from the Cats Protection League last year. He's 9 and FIV positive which means he can't go outside, which is perfect for me as I'm renting and live in London so outdoor space is pretty much a no-no. I had to pay a £600 deposit (on top of the usual deposit) when I moved into my flat so my landlord would allow me to keep a cat. I pay ~£15/month for food and cat milk, and £40 every 3 months for flea treatments. Cat litter is expensive as he only likes recycled paper as opposed to normal clay cat litter but generally the start up costs were the most.

xx

[trixster]

I have three adult cats. The only ongoing expenses for them is food and flea treatment. Food wise I spend probably £30 a month. Flea treatment a couple of time a a year -- maybe £60 a year? touch wood none of them have ever needed vet treatment and the eldest are both 10 years old. They don't have litter trays as they go outside.

One off costs include food bowls, spaying/neutering, vaccinations, cat carriers, etc.

Mine don't have beds (sofas and human beds suffice) or toys (too old to care now). They don't have fancy scratch posts or anything as they have the outside world as their playground.

I think cats can be as expensive or as cheap as you want them to be. You could feed an adult cat for £10 a month if you were frugal.

[p3bbl3z]

I have 2 adult cats and 2 kittens.

I've had all mine given to me (Except the kittens who were feral)
Vaccinations vary, £30 for full course up to £90 if including FeLV (I'd recommend the FeLV vaccine!)
Neutering costs will depend on your area. Could range from £20 - £100 for a tom. And £40-£150 for a female.
You can also get neutering vouchers from the Cats Protection if you receive benefits etc.
Flea and worming treatments, again will vary form practice to practice. But should roughly be about £5 each. So £5 every 8 weeks for flea treatments, £5 every 12 weeks for worming.
Although someone further up the page advised against regular vet checkups I'd say go annually for a booster and check over. How would you feel if your cat ended up catching a condition like FeLV and had to be put to sleep, when it could have been prevented by a regular vaccine.
I wouldn't recommend buying any beds etc. Cats will usually sleep anywhere except their bed! A litter tray and food bowls should be enough (Roughly £20?)
Litter costs will depend on what your cat likes. Wood pellets are cheaper, but messier and some cats will not use them. Catsan is expensive and not really worth the cost. Usually a gravel litter from your local supermarket should be okay (< £5 for 5kg bag).

Food is a difficult one, if your really struggling with costs, there are cheaper foods out there for cats such as whiskas. But the content of this food is horrendous. (Meat and Animal Derivatives (including 4% Fresh Meat), Fish and Fish Derivatives (including 4% Salmon), Minerals, Vegetable Protein Extracts, Derivatives of Vegetable Origin) Most of these foods consist of fillers which will make the cat's litter tray smell more and is not really providing them with a good diet. Think of it like you eating McDonalds day in, day out.
I'd advise feeding dry food as it can work out cheaper, some good quality foods are not too expensive. Such as Proplan, James Wellbeloved, Applaws etc. Most of these are about £20 for a 4kg bag which will last a lot longer than tins of cat food!

[ilovelabradors]

(Original post by PlanetTea)
Hello there!

I'm thinking of buying a kitten, just a moggy really, but I want to make sure that I can afford it long term.

Does anybody know how much it can cost to have a kitten? Things such as vet bills, food, keeping fleas and worms at bay etc

Also, I live in York with my boyfriend, we rent at the moment. How difficult do you suppose it would be to find somewhere to rent once we have a cat? Its just a concern that we might have trouble, but at the same time whats one house trained cat?

Thank you for any help :-)

First rule in pets is "adopt, don't shop!" Why would you buy a "moggy" when are hundreds of them in animal rescue societies?

About the landlords, there a few snob ones that want "no pets, no children, no smokers, basically no people whatsoever just gives us the bloody money" but there are tons of places you can rent and still have a cat. Perhaps you could check your contract and if there is nothing about pets there, you can just get yourself one.

It's not very expensive. If you adopt one you pay a fee of about 40 quid (at least where I live) but the kitten or cat comes to you already neutered and with all the necessary vaccinations. So initially you just have to spend money on a litter, a plate for food and water, and food. I buy quaility food for my cats, always Felix, Whiskas or Friskies and because they are adults I give them a sachet of wet food per day plus plenty of dry food. Sometimes I give them two sachets. But for a baby I would recommend just dry food which is much healthier to them. If you buy a big bag of quality dry food it will last ages and it costs about 5 quid. You also need to have plenty of fresh water to give him, don't give him tap water. And don't give him milk! The milk we drink is very strong for cats, you better of giving plenty of fresh water or if you must, special milk for them. But my cats have always drank just water and they are healthier and stronger than a bull. So don't worry.... It is really affordable and it's so cool to have pets. All you need is a few quids and lots lots of love.

[The Real Quaid]

(Original post by ilovelabradors)
First rule in pets is "adopt, don't shop!" Why would you buy a "moggy" when are hundreds of them in animal rescue societies?

Please adopt one!

[ilovelabradors]

(Original post by briesandwich)
but my kittens refuse to poo in cheap litter,

Ha ha.... Cats are very sophisticated... I genuinely love dogs even more, but cats are also so cool....

Have you noticed how they always choose to lay on top of whatever you have just cleaned?

[Captain Jack]

I'd support everyone's recommendation to adopt an adult cat (although I'd aim for the 1-5 year old mark) for all the reasons mentioned but also because you know what you're getting in for if money is tight. I bought a kitten a year or so ago who was quite happy eating regular shop bought food. At one year he suddenly developed an intolerance and now can only eat expensive sensitive food imported from America!

I would always say to allow extra money with pets because you never know when you'll need to visit a vet. Definitely get insurance too, a £10 a month insurance is better than a £1,000 vet bill if the cat breaks a leg or something else serious.

So as a guesstimate I'd allow....

Initial cost
£40 - 50 one-off cost for adopted cat
£10 - 30 equipment like bowls, bed and the important fluffy toy mouse
£50 - 80 total

Annual cost
£10 - 15 a month - insurance
£30 a month on food
£10 every three months for flea tablets / worming tablets
£50 - 70 annual check up and vaccine
Roughly £570 a year

[PlanetTea]

Thanks everyone this is great. Although one thing, when you adopt a cat from a rescue centre I thought you DID have to pay for it?

[Linzikins]

Costs for my kitty-

Kitty - £80
Initial vet check up, first jab and microchip came to around £70
Second jab + flea + worming- £35
Food - approx £10per week dry + wet food
Scratching post - £10
Cat carrier - £10
Litter - Approx £5 a go
Bowls, litter tray + toys - £30 (I got a hooded litter tray with filter to reduce smell)
Vet check ups - £28 to be seen (before treatment)
Insurance - £5 per month
Neutering - Approx £50
Annual Jabs - Approx £70

£30 in new wallpaper
£150 leather recliner scratched to bits
£1.50 rollers to remove fur from clothes!


He's worth every penny though and I always make sure I have money incase of an emergency!

The usual fee for adopting a cat from a rescue centre is around £50 and this usually includes jabs, neutering and microchipping. They do tend to do home checks though to make sure you are suitable.

In my experience most apartments/flats won't allow pets.

[NYprincessmaddie]

Don't buy a scratch post. If they rub there fur against it pulls out their fur and next thing you know you have a kitty with a bald patch!

ALDI cat food is £2.00 a box and we usually get through three of them in a week, I think the cat litter is about the same- I haven't used it for a while, and a sack lasted us 3/4 weeks. Continous cost is about £25 a month with 2 older cats maybe £35/40 with kittens as they eat more and need the litter.

And don't waste your money on fancy toys- they are quite happy chasing around a piece of paper on the floor.

I do agree you should get two though, they do get lonely.

You can get Bob martin flea and worm treatment in TESCO. When you take them to the vet and ask them to treat them for it is when it gets costly.

Neutering/spaying/their jabs will be your biggest expense and unfortunately all tends to come quite close together. I can't remember exact costs as my cats are older.

You can get cheap cat bowls and litter tray in ASDA, im pretty sure 4 cat bowls I got last year cost me about £3 and they have lasted great. A simple litter tray will cost you a £1 or so, you really don't need anything fancy.

[blinkbelle]

(Original post by NYprincessmaddie)
Don't buy a scratch post. If they rub there fur against it pulls out their fur and next thing you know you have a kitty with a bald patch!

ALDI cat food is £2.00 a box and we usually get through three of them in a week, I think the cat litter is about the same- I haven't used it for a while, and a sack lasted us 3/4 weeks. Continous cost is about £25 a month with 2 older cats maybe £35/40 with kittens as they eat more and need the litter.

And don't waste your money on fancy toys- they are quite happy chasing around a piece of paper on the floor.

I do agree you should get two though, they do get lonely.

You can get Bob martin flea and worm treatment in TESCO. When you take them to the vet and ask them to treat them for it is when it gets costly.

Neutering/spaying/their jabs will be your biggest expense and unfortunately all tends to come quite close together. I can't remember exact costs as my cats are older.

You can get cheap cat bowls and litter tray in ASDA, im pretty sure 4 cat bowls I got last year cost me about £3 and they have lasted great. A simple litter tray will cost you a £1 or so, you really don't need anything fancy.

If you have an indoor cat you definitely do need a scratch post, otherwise wave goodbye to your scratch-free furniture...

Also the flea treatment you can buy in supermarkets is far less effective than the vet prescribed stuff. And its the one thing you shouldn't scrimp on, as keeping your cat flea-free can be quite a challenge if they're not indoor only.
I also disagree with the litter tray comment - if you want an open litter tray that's fine, but I only paid £12 for a covered litter tray with an air filter so you can't smell or see the poo, and it minimises the amount of litter kicked out of the tray too.
xx