# How much does a cat cost ?



## celia66 (Sep 13, 2009)

Hi here!

I am thinking more and more seriously of buying a kitten to my boyfriend for his birthday coming soon ! :wink5:

But I never had a cat before so I have no idea what it would cost me. And as I am a bit on a budget I need to know where I would be going.

All I know so far is that I would buy the kitten for approximately £40 from a newspaper or community website.
I also know that I can get an insurance for about £5 a month.

Then, how much would it be for the vaccines? And others ?
Would the insurance cover these expenses?

And last but not least. How much would it be to feed a cat?

If you can think of anything else I need to know please say.
Thanks in advance for your precious help and ideas :idea:.


Celia


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## Miss.PuddyCat (Jul 13, 2009)

Hi, Ill give you a run down on how much its cost me to keep 3+1 cat

200$ vet check for the first time Decker went to vets

176$ for Decker to be fixed

100$ for Horris to be fixed

50$ for Horris to be micro chipped

60$ in cat beds

30$ roughly cat toys

30$ each for a cat carrier

20$ for food that would last a month but I have no switched there food to a better one its 31$ to 46$ of ten pounds of dry that will last me roughly 3 weeks

99 cents for 1 can of food and i go through one can a day and they get two cans a day

12$ for cat litter (this needs refilling about every 2 months)

about 15$ for raw food

I still need to get two cat carriers $60, tidbit needs to be fixed $176 and I need to get two mirco chipped 50$. Also100$ each a year for shots.


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## Effie's Mummy (Sep 11, 2009)

Hello

We've just bought our first kitten, three weeks ago. So far we've spent quite a bit on getting her settled, and have today taken her for her first vaccinations.

The kitten herself cost £65.00, and we spent around £45.00 buying food, a bed, a scratch pole, and some toys. We spent another £30.00 on food dishes, litter and a litter tray (I can separate the two out as we visited two separate pet shops!)

Her bag of kitten food was £5.00 from the shop which we bought her from, and the bag is still very full three weeks later.

We paid £49.00 for her course of vaccinations, which includes a free microchip at her second visit. This was from the Companion Care vets which is part of our local Pets At Home store. We were offered a free 4-week insurance policy when we registered with the vets, but I'm not sure how much it costs once the free session runs out, I think it's around 8.00 a month, but don't quote me on that. We also spent £18.00 at the vets a fortnight earlier, as she needed medicine for diarrhoea, and a worming treatment. The vet kindly didn't charge us for his time on that visit (a consultation is usually £21.00)

Hope this is helpful for you, good luck with your new kitty.


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

celia66 said:


> All I know so far is that I would buy the kitten for approximately £40 from a newspaper or community website.
> I also know that I can get an insurance for about £5 a month.
> Then, how much would it be for the vaccines? And others ?
> Would the insurance cover these expenses?
> And last but not least. How much would it be to feed a cat?


Hi there,

Hopefully I can answer most, if not all, of your questions 

If I was buying a kitten I would make sure that it had been regularly wormed on a schedule starting at 2-3 weeks and de-flead. Many moggie kittens are offered for sale at 6 weeks but in my opinion (and many others') this is far too young. 8 weeks is far better, and if you are lucky you may get someone who will wait til 10 weeks.

My current litter will go at 10 weeks, will have been wormed, de-flead, and microchipped, with 4 weeks insurance, and are being brought up on the best food I can get (currently they are being fed raw). And I won't be selling them for vast amounts, not a lot more than the one you're thinking of, so look around to see what you're getting for your money!

At 10 weeks the kittens are old enough to start their vaccination course. This varies from vet to vet, or area to area, but budget for about £50-£60 to cover all the 4 main diseases.

Insurance does not cover vaccination, or flea/worming treatment, or spaying/neutering. There is also an Excess, meaning the insurance will not cover the first amount of any claim - usually around £50 - this has to be paid by yourself, so you will need to keep a reserve fund of £50 in case of emergencies.

For flea treatment, you will be looking at about £20 for 3 months supply of Frontline. Worming will cost roughly an additional £5 and needs to be done every two months or so while the kitten is growing up.

Spaying/neutering should be done at around 6 months old and again, it varies. You may be able to take advantage of reduced cost spay/neutering schemes in your area.

Feeding can vary, it depends on what you want to feed and what the kitten will eat. £5 per week will cover it.

Finally, have you considered getting a rescue kitten? There are many in shelters all over the country at the moment, and their cost will include vaccination and sometimes neutering/spaying as well, or a reduced price/voucher for later on.

A useful guide to kittens from the Feline Advisory Bureau website:
Caring for your kitten


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## celia66 (Sep 13, 2009)

Thank you all very much. This is very helpful. 

Now I feel like this project is actually achievable. Which is great ! 
It looks like Doug (my boyfriend) is gonna be a happy kid for his birthday :wink5:

MerlinsMum, a rescue cat is not a bad idea at all :idea:. I'll look into it.


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but do make sure he actually wants a kitten!

Liz


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## celia66 (Sep 13, 2009)

Nice thought Lizward 

He'd love one I know that for sure.
Would be silly indeed to offer him what he hates the most


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## Tillski (Jan 8, 2009)

I've lost track of how much we've spent on Tilly now but i love spoiling her and she has tons of toys (most that she doesn't play with, i still think her favourite is an old cardboard box which cost us nothing!) We got her from the RSPCA and paid 60pounds for her which included all vaccinations, neutering and a microchip. I think their prices have gone up slightly now and kittens cost a bit more but i liked it because it's hassle free, one payment and everything is covered. We probably spend about 16pounds a month on food, 20pounds on litter and we recently had to go to the vets with an ear mite situation which cost almost 50pounds. They can be expensive but they're so worth it! Good luck with yours.


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## Effie's Mummy (Sep 11, 2009)

Tillski said:


> ...but i love spoiling her and she has tons of toys (most that she doesn't play with, i still think her favourite is an old cardboard box which cost us nothing!)


The same goes for our Effie - she's already got around £30 worth of toys, but much prefers her shoebox/cardboard box house, built by my OH, and any bit of screwed up paper she can get her paws on!


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## katie200 (May 11, 2009)

cat cost my two kitty cost me this
£50 food every two month(james wellbeloved)
£30 on litter a week 
£50 both first jabs
£60 for my maile kitty to be neutered
£90 holly my femaile kitty to be spayed
£12 for pet insurebnce from buddy for a moggy and they will pay the vet derect but the dont cover neutering or jabs 
£5 weak in chicken /samon as a treat 
then all they nead is a cat carryer /screatie post /brush/bowls/toys/colar/name tag/cat bed/ litter tray/blanket to go in pet carrer /pet first aid kit if they go out side 
micro chip which can be done when neutered forabout£12
then i put about £10 a month in a bank for them 
£50 buster jabs 
and lots and lots of love and attion 
i think thats about every thing my kitty have good luck hope it helps


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## Janak (Sep 5, 2009)

have you thought about getting a kitten from RSPCA? they are getting more and more common. I think its something like a £50 donation, but you get a free neutering voucher, and the donation includes the vaccines, worming and defleaing. 

just a thought, it would save you alot more money than getting one from a newspaper!


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## Acacia86 (Dec 30, 2008)

A lot...!!!! lol!!

I daren't go into figures for my cats on here...again! lol!!

But remember after all is bought for kitty and food budget is catered for......the insurance is monthly payments. And if you choose not to insure (you should it would save you a lot in the long run) then be prepared for major payouts of money if your cat should get ill/injured etc Also get lifetime cover insurance.

I don't tend to agree with giving pets as presents. I hope you b/f loves his pressie.............for the next 14+ yrs!

Good luck!!! Keep us updated.
x


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