What Are the Expenses of Owning a Cat

There are many things to consider before buying a dog, cat, or any other pet. One important aspect is the fact that an animal is not a short-term investment. There are animals who have a very long lifespan, such as cockatoos or turtles, who can live up to 50 years, and others, like hamsters, live on an average of 2 years.

Therefore, you should consider one important aspect, a cat can live up to twelve to sixteen years and in extreme cases even longer; it can sometimes even reach the age of 20. The owner must have the willingness to take care of the animal's needs for a long time and to deal with its daily care. Anyone who takes an animal is responsible for its further life and must ensure that it feels comfortable in all phases of life and circumstances and is looked after carefully and lovingly at all times. If you do not feel ready to spend some time with your cats every day, and only intend to cuddle with them a little while watching TV, or play with them just from time to time, you should forget about getting the pet. this way you will protect the cat from being mistreated.

Another problem is the cost of buying and keeping a cat, which should not be underestimated. If you decide to adopt or buy a cat, you should make sure that you have the necessary financial means for the care and support of your furry roommate. If you are looking for an ordinary cat, in most cases you can get it from neighbors, friends, or animal shelters, for free or at a very low price. Remember that shelters sometimes ask for a small donation. If you prefer a pedigree cat, these are usually quite expensive, and their prices can oscillate between 300 and 1000 dollars.

As an owner, you will also have many other costs. First, the regular expenses for food, delicacies, and cat litter should be considered. Depending on the type of food, these costs can range from 30 to 50 dollars per month.

Then you should calculate the one-off costs. First, you need a transport box. If you want your cat to be happy, it should also have a cozy basket, a scratching post, some pillows, some cat dishes, other small things (e.g. toys), and a litter box. A leash could also be useful if you plan to take the cat outside and prevent it from running away.

Do not forget to also consider certain unexpected expenses, that also have to be calculated in the budget, such as those for the veterinarian. You will need to pay for vaccinations, neutering, emergencies, illnesses, or other types of medical care. Towards the end of your cat's life, age-related problems will also appear.

If the owner is absent for a longer period of time, a "pet boarding" must be considered, so that the cat is well cared for, preferably in a habitual environment.

Our four-legged friend needs time and attention all day long, in order to be well looked after. Because a person who buys an animal takes full responsibility for the well-being of the pet, the animal should never be bought spontaneously or given to someone as a gift, without consultation. It can happen that the person in question is not prepared to take care of the pet properly and the pet will suffer, as a result of that.

Besides the time one has to spend daily with his cat, the pet also needs enough space in the house, to be happy. There are countries where a specific space is required by the law. In Switzerland, for example, you must have at least 7 m2 available for up to 4 cats. For each additional cat, you need to add 1.7 m2.

Some other requirements must also be mentioned. The cat needs a large enough area where it can rest (because cats love sleeping all day long in a warm and soft spot), a retreat where it can hide (because cats love hiding), a suitable climbing and scratching post (because they will otherwise destroy your beautiful new furniture, which cost a lot of money, and, trust me, you can't persuade them to stop doing that), some activity opportunities, and of course, a litter box. Cat owners should interact on a daily basis with the cat, for social contact and, if possible, give the cat the opportunity to interact with other members of the same species, as well. For this reason, pure indoor cats should be kept by at least two people. The individually kept cats must be able to interact with people on a daily basis or at least have visual contact with other people. Otherwise, keeping cats alone is only allowed for a short time.

In order to expand their living space, it is suggested that all doors are kept open at all times so that the cats can regularly inspect their entire territory. Everything should be accessible to them. For the same purpose, in the case you have a smaller apartment, it is recommended, as a substitute, to give the cats the third dimension, that is, to allow them to climb on tables, shelves, wall unit shelves, cupboards, and cat trees. In order to enlarge the cat's living space, you can even make the walls accessible with boards and tunnels. Especially for kittens, climbing will be even more exciting if they have such climbing places. But out of caution, one should put fragile things away from places, that can be used as sleeping or observation posts by cats, because glass items, that are accidentally broken by the cat can lead to injuries.

Last but not least, before buying the pet, one must be sure that none of the family members has a cat allergy. If you want to keep cats, you also have to remember what obligations you have towards other residents and neighbors. Failure to do so can lead to disputes regarding the cat. To avoid them, you have to listen to the opinions of others and clarify the situation from the beginning.