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How much do you spend on your cat every month? (Food/Litter/Treats, etc)
- Thread starter bluecapps
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...too much....
Agreed, too much! I'm scared to calculate the total of everything, but just for food its $120/month. And vet care this month has cost me around $1000 for 2 cats...most of that is from emergency visits. You can certainly get by with much less I'm sure.
about $75 a month for food, and about $30 for litter. give or take a few bucks.
Treats my parents usually buy them and they last a long time since i don't give them treats too often.
Toys I haven't bought any in a while, though I do buy new floor scratchers every 4-6 months or so since they wear out fast
Treats my parents usually buy them and they last a long time since i don't give them treats too often.
Toys I haven't bought any in a while, though I do buy new floor scratchers every 4-6 months or so since they wear out fast
It does add up fast.
-One case of food last almost a month, being 24 cans.......$34.00 & change
-Probably about two bags of litter a month at a little under $6.00... so we'll just say 12.00
-Treats, a large bag of Pure Bites freeze dried chicken (I buy the one for dogs, it's the same thing, but more economical at 17.00
-Usually a couple of bags of Blue Wilderness treats, duck & chicken & Turkey & chicken all grain free. about $3.00 each, but usually last more than a month, alternating treats.
-comfort zone or feliway refills aprox. $25.00 for two refills (amazon usually has the best prices)
-Cosequin apropx. $16.99, but 80 caps, (giving 2 every other day) last more than a month.
-L-lysine, can usually find a good amount 120 caps or more for about $12.00.
SO, IF you count ALL of that, since most of it last approx. a month or a little longer, that's 122.99! Not counting biannual exams, & anything else needed etc...
-One case of food last almost a month, being 24 cans.......$34.00 & change
-Probably about two bags of litter a month at a little under $6.00... so we'll just say 12.00
-Treats, a large bag of Pure Bites freeze dried chicken (I buy the one for dogs, it's the same thing, but more economical at 17.00
-Usually a couple of bags of Blue Wilderness treats, duck & chicken & Turkey & chicken all grain free. about $3.00 each, but usually last more than a month, alternating treats.
-comfort zone or feliway refills aprox. $25.00 for two refills (amazon usually has the best prices)
-Cosequin apropx. $16.99, but 80 caps, (giving 2 every other day) last more than a month.
-L-lysine, can usually find a good amount 120 caps or more for about $12.00.
SO, IF you count ALL of that, since most of it last approx. a month or a little longer, that's 122.99! Not counting biannual exams, & anything else needed etc...
I have to say "No comment". If my husband ever actually knew what we spend per week, he would probably have a heart attack. I buy 3 cases of food a week for the cats, a little over a case of the special food for the allergic cat, 2 or 3 BIG bags of litter and of course I can't forget the chicken I buy for them.
The cost varies greatly, depending on the choices you make in caring for the cat. The food you choose will probably make the biggest difference in cost.
I feed homemade raw. For my one cat, I spend at most $30 per month. It could cost far less than that if I bought chicken on sale and ground or cut it up at home, rather than buying whole animal grinds from mypetcarnivore.com. My kitty has feline herpes, so I spend around $5 per month on supplements in addition to his food.
I use Dr. Elsey's litter, which is around $16 per 40 lb. bag on amazon. I clean the box at least twice a day, so complete litter changes are unnecessary. The bag lasts at least four months, so let's say $4 per month for litter.
$5 per month for toys and treats is a very generous estimate.
Barring any unforeseen illnesses, his vet care is around $60 per year. Note that vet care seems to be unusually affordable in our area.
In total, routine expenses are at most $44 per month for my one cat. He eats very well and most people would consider him spoiled.
I feed homemade raw. For my one cat, I spend at most $30 per month. It could cost far less than that if I bought chicken on sale and ground or cut it up at home, rather than buying whole animal grinds from mypetcarnivore.com. My kitty has feline herpes, so I spend around $5 per month on supplements in addition to his food.
I use Dr. Elsey's litter, which is around $16 per 40 lb. bag on amazon. I clean the box at least twice a day, so complete litter changes are unnecessary. The bag lasts at least four months, so let's say $4 per month for litter.
$5 per month for toys and treats is a very generous estimate.
Barring any unforeseen illnesses, his vet care is around $60 per year. Note that vet care seems to be unusually affordable in our area.
In total, routine expenses are at most $44 per month for my one cat. He eats very well and most people would consider him spoiled.
Treats: $0. I hardly ever give treats so a bag lasts a long time. If I'm making chicken for my dinner, I give a small piece of raw chicken to my Aby. He loves raw meat.
Food: not a monthly cost. I tend to buy several bags of NV frozen raw at once for about $200 and that lasts a few months for two cats. I stock up on cans every few months.
Litter: not a monthly cost. I buy a 48 lb bag from BJs every two months or so for about $12.
Toys: $0. My cats have no interest in toys so I've stopped buying them. They prefer the free sturdy cardboard boxes from BJs, milk and uice rings, bottle caps, and straws.
Vet bills: So far not a monthly cost
There was a time when I had to bring my pet gerbils to the vet every single month for teeth trimming or some other ailment
My two current cats only go to the vet once a year for a check up. I think last year's cost was close to $200 but that included vaccinations.
Food: not a monthly cost. I tend to buy several bags of NV frozen raw at once for about $200 and that lasts a few months for two cats. I stock up on cans every few months.
Litter: not a monthly cost. I buy a 48 lb bag from BJs every two months or so for about $12.
Toys: $0. My cats have no interest in toys so I've stopped buying them. They prefer the free sturdy cardboard boxes from BJs, milk and uice rings, bottle caps, and straws.
Vet bills: So far not a monthly cost
Treats - $4.00
Food - $40.00
Litter - $25.00
Toys - $8.00 (but I anticipate this will go down to $0 now that they are all bought)
Vet - $25.00 - I'm trying to put aside this much per month to save for future vet bills.
Total: $101 for 2 cats.
Food - $40.00
Litter - $25.00
Toys - $8.00 (but I anticipate this will go down to $0 now that they are all bought)
Vet - $25.00 - I'm trying to put aside this much per month to save for future vet bills.
Total: $101 for 2 cats.
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I like this thread. I really should keep track of my cat expenses since I'm a working student! The only reason I can probably afford this is because I still live with my parents and I work almost full time with 2 jobs.
I'm not sure how fast I go through cat food but I usually go buy half of what I feed every month and a half or so. I'll just tell you what I buy in total usually:
Everything is in CAD and before taxes. And also, where I live, stuff is extremely expensive. It's absolutely ridiculous and I don't think I'll ever be able to own a home or move out until I'm on my death bed (because I'll be moved to a hospital)... but that's a rant for another day!
Primal Freeze Dried Food: $32.99 x 2 = $65.98
NV 3 oz Canned Rabbit: $1.89 x 24 = $45.36
48 cans of FF Canned: $17.98 x 2 = $35.96 (Sometimes it's $15 for 24 cans)
Wellness Indulgences = $1.79 x 10 = $17.09
Total Cat Food = $164.39
Litter: $8.99
Treats: $2.99 - $5.99
So I spend about ~$180!!!!!!
Although, I feel like the food lasts longer than a month. I think I'll start keeping track of what I spend and how much my cat eats!
I'm not sure how fast I go through cat food but I usually go buy half of what I feed every month and a half or so. I'll just tell you what I buy in total usually:
Everything is in CAD and before taxes. And also, where I live, stuff is extremely expensive. It's absolutely ridiculous and I don't think I'll ever be able to own a home or move out until I'm on my death bed (because I'll be moved to a hospital)... but that's a rant for another day!
Primal Freeze Dried Food: $32.99 x 2 = $65.98
NV 3 oz Canned Rabbit: $1.89 x 24 = $45.36
48 cans of FF Canned: $17.98 x 2 = $35.96 (Sometimes it's $15 for 24 cans)
Wellness Indulgences = $1.79 x 10 = $17.09
Total Cat Food = $164.39
Litter: $8.99
Treats: $2.99 - $5.99
So I spend about ~$180!!!!!!
Although, I feel like the food lasts longer than a month. I think I'll start keeping track of what I spend and how much my cat eats!
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Dry food: $9/mo (they like having something to nibble. This is grain free food too. Last bag lasted 3 months.)
Wet food: Depends on season. They eat more in the winter. Anything from $15-45. They're 11 pounds each, cat food cans say per 6-8 pounds of cat. They usually eat half a can of wet food in the summer, a can and a half each in the winter.
Litter: $15.
Toys: $0.
Treats: $3.
Vet: Not a monthly expense. They're young and healthy and have no fleas.
So, $40-70.
Wet food: Depends on season. They eat more in the winter. Anything from $15-45. They're 11 pounds each, cat food cans say per 6-8 pounds of cat. They usually eat half a can of wet food in the summer, a can and a half each in the winter.
Litter: $15.
Toys: $0.
Treats: $3.
Vet: Not a monthly expense. They're young and healthy and have no fleas.
So, $40-70.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
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2 cats that I keep indoors...
They are fed wet food in the morning, treats throoughtout, and dry food in the evening.
One can = 50cents.
2 bags of Wold's Best litter lasts a month = 14.00.
~ 2 bags of dry food = 10.00-14.00.
A bag of treats or cat milk here or there = 5-10 dollars.
So about 45-60 dollars a month. For 2 cats. And they're both healthy and plump.
They have never been to the vet yet, except for their rabies and spay.
They have a quite a few toys here and there and a cat tree but I don't consider that a monthly cost.
They are fed wet food in the morning, treats throoughtout, and dry food in the evening.
One can = 50cents.
2 bags of Wold's Best litter lasts a month = 14.00.
~ 2 bags of dry food = 10.00-14.00.
A bag of treats or cat milk here or there = 5-10 dollars.
So about 45-60 dollars a month. For 2 cats. And they're both healthy and plump.
They have never been to the vet yet, except for their rabies and spay.
They have a quite a few toys here and there and a cat tree but I don't consider that a monthly cost.
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I am beginning to wonder if I am feeding my kittens enough. I have three kittens. I give them a can of wet food in in the morning and evening split 3 ways, but they always each others food. I also give them a quarter cup of dry at each meal to share. I will put more out if needed between meals but it hardly happens. Mid day I will let them snack on something like chicken or meat baby food they love that.
Two are almost three pounds and the other is a pound and a half. I just bought them the second bag of dry food since I got the first two almost two months ago. I also buy can and pouch food weekly and a few jars of baby food.
Two are almost three pounds and the other is a pound and a half. I just bought them the second bag of dry food since I got the first two almost two months ago. I also buy can and pouch food weekly and a few jars of baby food.
Generally, it's suggested that you feed kittens as much as they want to eat. Since they're growing,they need far more food than adults. So most put out a plate of food & let them have at it until they walk away. Whatever they don't eat after 15 min or so can be refrigerated until the next feeding
Eight cats
Grain-free dry food $50/mo
Canned food, mostly used as a treat $30/mo
Litter, Tractor Supply store brand $20/mo
Treats $2/mo (only given to one kitty when he gets his pills)
Toys $0 (they prefer paper bags, cardboard boxes, dishtowels they can drag around the house)
Vet bills for 7 cats (annual checks, vaccinations, etc.) $150/year total
Vet bills/meds for the 8th cat $1200 over the past year
Grooming supplies, entry fees, travel expenses, etc. for 2 show cats $$$$$$
Grain-free dry food $50/mo
Canned food, mostly used as a treat $30/mo
Litter, Tractor Supply store brand $20/mo
Treats $2/mo (only given to one kitty when he gets his pills)
Toys $0 (they prefer paper bags, cardboard boxes, dishtowels they can drag around the house)
Vet bills for 7 cats (annual checks, vaccinations, etc.) $150/year total
Vet bills/meds for the 8th cat $1200 over the past year
Grooming supplies, entry fees, travel expenses, etc. for 2 show cats $$$$$$
I have two small cats who together only weigh about as much as one larger one. (They weigh maybe 14 pounds total, about 6 and 8 pounds.) Still I think about the food and it's costing sometimes as much as $2/day per cat, which would be $120/month on just food. It's not always quite that much in just food but I'm sure if other items are thrown in it's at least the $120/month and probably more. Throwing in other items, probably $150/month for the pair. With enough fluctuation in food that $150 should cover treats, litter, even a regular annual vet checkup I should think (although not any significant extra vet visits) and a few extras thrown in here and there. $150/month is $1800/year. Round up to about $2000/year perhaps to cover an occasional larger ticket item (new cat furniture item or averaging out of higher vet bill). There's not much "economy of scale" so to speak in having more than one cat. (They can only really share a few things, like maybe scratchers, toys, furniture.) And most cats are larger than either of mine so they would require more food. So I'm thinking having a single cat can easily cost $1000/year.
Yow. May be a little high estimate but better to have eyes open about it. They can be expensive little things! Can you do it for less? Yes I'm sure. Can you do it for half as much? Maybe. I'm working on adjusting the food cost a little as that's by far the largest expense. I'm sure even still buying commercial cat food there would be room for me to cut my food cost in half or perhaps even more. But the more I read about pet food the less I can personally bring myself to choose those foods at the lower end of the price scale (not because of cost but because of what's in it or how it's made or various things that don't sit well with me). I can't exactly afford to spend with wild abandon (although you wouldn't always know it by my choices!) but right now I am getting by with what I'm doing. Sometimes I am getting extra good deals of some of the existing food and I am able to stock up during these sales or coupons (which at least gives a partial reduction for a while), but really I'm hoping to push into adding some homemade food which I think will cost less.
Yow. May be a little high estimate but better to have eyes open about it. They can be expensive little things! Can you do it for less? Yes I'm sure. Can you do it for half as much? Maybe. I'm working on adjusting the food cost a little as that's by far the largest expense. I'm sure even still buying commercial cat food there would be room for me to cut my food cost in half or perhaps even more. But the more I read about pet food the less I can personally bring myself to choose those foods at the lower end of the price scale (not because of cost but because of what's in it or how it's made or various things that don't sit well with me). I can't exactly afford to spend with wild abandon (although you wouldn't always know it by my choices!) but right now I am getting by with what I'm doing. Sometimes I am getting extra good deals of some of the existing food and I am able to stock up during these sales or coupons (which at least gives a partial reduction for a while), but really I'm hoping to push into adding some homemade food which I think will cost less.
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For one 3-year-old, 6 kg / 13 lb. indoor cat:
His food, treats and litter are bought in bulk every 3 - 4 months.
What's that? About €169 a month, or $185
- prescription wet food: €51 / $56
- dry food: €9.60 / $10.50
- treats: € 7.50 / $ 8.23
- litter: €12 / $13.16
- toys: It varies, but probably works out to about €6 / $6.60
- vet costs: A conservative estimate would be €83 / $91 a month since we got him in March 2013 (he has IBD).
His food, treats and litter are bought in bulk every 3 - 4 months.
What's that? About €169 a month, or $185
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To cater for a 4 1/2 year old pampered kitty, and most stuff now bought in bulk on line every 4 months or so:
£59 for prescription dry food
£17.99 for clumping litter
£36.00, recently bought as what should be a 1 year supply of Thrive white fish snacks. (cheepest source found to be pet suppliers at cat shows)!
£5.00 was spent on Lick e Lix treats when I couldn't get the Thrive ones earlier in the year
£14.00 recently spent on a Zebedee wand toy, plus some extra darts for a Nerf gun. That was unusual though as Mouse has enough toys to keep a whole cattery out of mischief...
£60 aproximately for vet costs if he stays well - this last year has been the best so far with zero non-routine visits!
£12 aproximate for Toothpaste
£16 pm insurance (the vet bills can be evil when his herpes gets the better of him and it's safe to say he is accident prone)
Give or take few extras I'm bound to forget about / fall for (like a nice new fleece for the sofa) I'd say it's about £50 pm.
£59 for prescription dry food
£17.99 for clumping litter
£36.00, recently bought as what should be a 1 year supply of Thrive white fish snacks. (cheepest source found to be pet suppliers at cat shows)!
£5.00 was spent on Lick e Lix treats when I couldn't get the Thrive ones earlier in the year
£14.00 recently spent on a Zebedee wand toy, plus some extra darts for a Nerf gun. That was unusual though as Mouse has enough toys to keep a whole cattery out of mischief...
£60 aproximately for vet costs if he stays well - this last year has been the best so far with zero non-routine visits!
£12 aproximate for Toothpaste
£16 pm insurance (the vet bills can be evil when his herpes gets the better of him and it's safe to say he is accident prone)
Give or take few extras I'm bound to forget about / fall for (like a nice new fleece for the sofa) I'd say it's about £50 pm.
