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Costs of Owning a Pet

Annual Cat Care Costs

Sara Lippincott, Manager, Shelter Outreach, Petfinder

Adopting a cat requires a financial commitment to her health and well-being. This chart will give you a rough idea of how big a commitment you should plan on. (These costs are estimates-some may be higher or lower depending on where you live and the cat you adopt.)

Expense Adoption Food Nutritional Supplements* Food/water bowls Treats Routine veterinary exam Vaccinations Emergency veterinary care Fecal exams Worming Flea preventative Spaying/neutering Professional teeth cleaning Collar(s) Grooming tools Professional grooming Shampoo Stain/odor removers Cat bed(s) Cat Carrier(s) Toys Scratching post/board Boarding, per day TOTAL**	First Year $0-200 $120-500 $0-100 $10-30 $10-100 $50-200 $60-150 $0-2,000+ $10-30 $10-25 $0-200 $0-200 $0-500 $5-30 $10-50 $0-300 $0-30 $10-100 $20-100 $20-75 $10-50 $10-50 $15-50 $370-$5,070	Each Following Year N/A $120-500 $0-100 $0-30 $10-100 $50-100 $60-150 $0-2,000+ $10-30 $0-25 $0-200 N/A $0-500 $0-30 $0-50 $0-300 $0-30 $10-100 $0-100 $0-75 $10-50 $10-50 $15-50 $295-$4,570

*Do not supplement your cat's diet without consulting your veterinarian.
**Costs may be even higher if you have an after-hours emergency that requires a trip to an emergency clinic.

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Estimated Yearly Costs of Pet Ownership