What Do You Spend On Your Pets?

The Sweeper

I keep a budget specifically for my pets - I have to, because I have five cats. Some of what I spend isn't compulsory, as it were - and lots of pet owners get by without spending it. Some of it I don't feel I could scrimp on.

Am just curious as to what others spend on their pets! (Obviously all of my spends are in Aussie Dollars, but I'll put them in Euros for this thread. But in case someone goes "Wow, where did you buy X for that price" - Australia!) I also do some fostering so I don't include the cost of that in here but the fact that I bulk buy some things means I get them cheaper.

Okay, five cats:

Base price

The two cats I adopted over six months of age were €35 each.
Two of the cats I adopted as kittens were €70 each.
The foster I took in as a kitten was in exchange for a donation - €85.

Neutering and Vaccination

The cats came vaccinated and neutered by the shelter for that price, so the total cost to me for five cats, neutered, wormed, fleaed and vaccinated, was €295.

Bedding

My cats sleep in my study at night. They have two pet beds and two sheepskins from Ikea in there to sleep on. I also have two washable pet blankets that I can rotate around the furniture. The pet beds - one was cheap, one less so - say €50 for the two of them. The sheepskins in Ikea are seventy bucks a pop, so €85. The blankets were €5. Total €140

Annual Pet Insurance

I insure my cats every year on a policy that covers accident and illness up to $8,000, with a per-condition excess of $100. It costs the equivalent of €475 for all five cats. I took the insurance out after a run of bad luck and vets bills. I still believe it's worth having, although they paid out REALLY slowly on a recent claim (got back the cost of the year's policy though) and they won't cover 'elective' surgeries, like the cost of anal gland surgery, for instance.

Food and Water

I feed my moggies a mixture of grain-free, low-cereal kibble and raw food (meat, offal and bone). The kibble costs me €11 a fortnight. The raw supplements cost about €90 and last a year. The meat is about €24 a fortnight. That works out at about €1,000 a year.

I also bought a water fountain so they drink more - €45

Treats

My lot probably get about €15 a month in treats - which is more to do with treats being expensive than it is with them being overfed. That's €180 a year.

Toys

I probably spend €40 a year on tiny cloth mice and ping pong balls. Otherwise they improvise with whatever they're not supposed to touch.

Litter

I have indoor cats, so I have indoor cat litter. This is a major expense, though you can save yourself money and heartache when you find a good solution. I have three litter trays and go through a 24 litre bag of cat litter every week. The trays were €70 (they're extra large, covered trays with charcoal filters). The litter costs me €10 a bag, so €520 a year.

Scratching post

I spent money on a scratching post for my cats so I haven't lost a penny on the state of my furniture. Post: €100. Value: priceless.

Worming tablets

I worm my cats with drontal - assuming an adult dose (because I don't want to count the extra cost of monthly worming for kittens), I administer to five cats every three months.

Two tablets for a 6kg cat cost me €10 - so €20 in a year for one cat.
Four tablets for a 4kg cat cost me €15 - so €60 in a year for the other four.

Worming therefore costs me at least €80 in a year - closer to €100 if you count the need for spare tablets or paste syringes for those who won't be willingly pilled.

Flea treatments

Thankfully my lot don't have fleas, so I don't treat with a spot-on unless I see flea evidence. I stick with quarterly worm doses instead.

Annual Vaccinations

My annual booster vacs, for five cats, are €35 for the first cat, and €20 for each of the other four (they all go at once so the vet only charges one consult). Total: €115 I might point out that I don't vaccinate my cats every year. They get their set of three kitten shots, and a booster every three years.

Total Annual Spend

Right, so to set myself up with five cats cost me over €600, including their purchase price and basic re-usable bits. (Probably relatively cheap, given that if I'd had to have them neutered myself it could have cost me more.)

Owning them every year bankrupts me to the annual recurrent tune of: €2,475

Divide by five - €120 to set myself up with one cat, around €500 a year to keep it. How does that compare to what the rest of you are shelling out for your beloveds?

(PS: This exercise is kind of scary in term of what the total tots up as.)

Ruu_Old

Annual exam+vaccinations=~$100 for two cats, a little more if they need their rabies shot, you can get 1 or 3 year rabies.

Adoption+spay/neuter=we got our cats from a local area rescue group that does its best to control the population of cats in town (we foster kittens from there). I think they cost $100 each and that included their first shots and neutering.

Food=Nutro Complete, dry food is around $40 for a 20lb bag.

Litter=Natural clay, clumping litter and is around $12 for a 40lb tub/box. We might buy 1 tub every 3 or so months.

Bedding=They have their own room where they sleep at night and sleep on sheepskin as well, I got a set of 10 beds on eBay for $50 so I am set for a while.

Toys=not much, no more than $10. Mine play with stuff that I drop on the floor like a clothes peg or a ball of newspaper that misses the bin.

Flea & tick=I get a 6 month supply of Advantage for around $60.

Scratching posts=$30, one in the living room, hall and in their room. they have never attempted to go near the furniture.

I find myself using a large amount of coupons and my wife works as a dog groomer at a pet store so she gets an associate discount. I foster every once in a while as well so buying in bulk is a must.

rachel

great post MAJD
I started adding up my pet related expenses up but stopped - 4 cats & 2 dogs starts to add up really quickly - I'd rather just continue in my self imposed denial. It's just second nature now to factor food and kit into the monthly bills and tbh, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Totally agree on the pet insurance, I too found out the benefit of having it the hard way with a rather accident prone cat. He's since required other surgery and I cannot emphasis enough how relieved I was to have insurance the last time around.

This post should definitely be pointed out to anyone thinking of or planning on getting a pet, I would consider myself a relatively experienced pet owner and I was still shocked! I don't think potential pet owners always consider the associated costs!

The Sweeper

It's possible someone could say "well, don't insure them and don't do this and they don't need to sleep on sheepskins" and so on, but even taking into account food, pet litter, worm tablets and basic vetinary care, it's a steep price tag.

The more I shop around the cheaper things are - having five cats has the advantage of buying in bulk. Plus if you buy anything that's short-dated - a 12kg bag of kibble, for instance, with only six months left on it, you can be damn sure they'll get through it between the five of them. Still, it's a sobering thought. On this basis, my pets are almost definitely a luxury item...

rachel

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

It's possible someone could say "well, don't insure them and don't do this and they don't need to sleep on sheepskins" and so on....

In this respect, there are certain 'luxury' items that may not be necessities but I'd be of the belief that if I'm going to have pets, I'm going to give them the best home I can give them. I think the fact that all my animals are rescues too seems to fuel this in me, sometimes I'll over think it and get very morose about what they may have gone through before they came to me but thankfully, no lasting effects, I have a very contented little animal family.
I blame my mom, my crazy cat lady gene is obviously inherited from her

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

On this basis, my pets are almost definitely a luxury item...

Luxury but oh so wonderful. I'd rather see all of my 'luxury items' fall by the wayside, it may sound lame but as soon as I hear 4 contented purrs as they snuggle up on my couch/bed/any available service, I know it's all worthwhile!

MoonDancer256

I think my spending is probably similar, a bit higher maybe - last year I spent a crazy amount on them; I have 5 cats, and 2 ferrets, all fed on premium grain free food, and some sachets of premium cat foods as well, since 1 of the cats is picky. One of the cats is also on a prescription food for urinary tract issues - which also cost me extra vet bills each year when he gets a flare up and I need meds to treat him

Ferrets don't cost me much in terms of upkeep, since they don't really eat huge amounts, and hammocks/bedding is really easy to make out of jeans and stuff. Big expense with them was cages; spent €200 or so on the first one 5 years ago, then bought them a new, better cage (Ferret Nation) a month ago that cost me €300.

I don't have pet insurance on any of my current pets, and hence have paid operations etc out of my own pocket. Thankfully only two of the cats have needed any major ops recently, and they cost me under €2000 for both.

Extra expenses for me is keeping rabies vaccine up to date to keep their pet passports valid (which cost me a small fortune to get sorted in the first place, last year when I was living in France). It also cost me an obscene amount of money to get them over from France this year - I have 2 credit cards still needing paid off after this expense.

I'm also in the process of getting a puppy, collecting June 1st, who costs €500 to purchase. Then I'll have to factor in initial setup costs (bowls, collar, crate, leash, toys, anti-chew spray, shampoo, treats, clicker, books on training, puppy classes, vaccinations, pet passport, etc etc etc.). I expect some damage will end up being done to house/furniture as a result of puppies being little sods. This pet will have insurance though, since Boxers are hideously prone to cancer, and can also get hip/elbow problems and hyperthyroidism etc. Need to be covered for all that!

It's an expensive venture to get a puppy, but it's my compensation for moving to Ireland with my fiancé (he's from Dublin) when I loved France a lot and now miss it a lot Every time I got cold feet about the move, I could reassure myself with the thought that I would be paying less tax, and have a house with garden and better work shifts that would make a puppy possible.

Honestly, I spend more on my animals than anything else except rent each month! But I'd rather spend money on them than other hobbies/interests

leelee_m

I dont think i even wanna know what i spend on my husky, she pretty much gets the best of everything, totally spoilt, i actually spend more on her than i do on myself...id probably have a heart attack if i added up what i've spent on her hehe.

Blueprint

I know that between the three cats and the dog, I spend about 120 Euro a month on food. The cats are on Bozita wet and good quality grain free dry food and as they're big cats they eat a lot. The dog is actually cheapest to keep, as his 13kg bag of food lasts for well over 3 months. He gets the occasional pack of Nature Diet too and of course everyone gets the odd treat now and again!

All the animals have multiple beds and I don't even want to add up the total they cost! I also invested in a ceiling high cat tree in January, which is a great thing and well loved by all the cats (especially the hammock half way up). That cost 100 Euro and was worth every penny.

Toys, well, let's say they have a few! I get a lot free with the cat food, but the dog does get a lot bought for him.

Vet bills must be a couple of hundred a year, between bosters, worming and the odd illness.

I'd like to say that they're worth every cent!

Alfasud

Wev'e spent a fortune on both cats and dogs to date' just didnt add it up. However I think we must look after them if we have them and they will repay with all the joy they give us

PinkTulips

i refuse to calculate the yearly in case dp ever stumbles across this and reads it

i spend about 30euros a week on food and litter though... although this will decrease as soon as i get my credit card (approved last week!) and can start buying online, better quality for cheaper... yippee!

vets bills and worming in the next month will run to about 250euros or more as all 3 are being neutered simulataneously (as soon as i can get a hold of the damn vet who's too busy with cows to bother with my cats)

bedding, toys and bits and bobs i tend to buy as maybe one a month so is well spread out and doesn't impact finaces enough to be noticed, although i'm buying a fountain soon i think as i'm having to fill the bowl with water every time i'm in the kitchen.

will be getting insurance soon too i think as i found an insurer that is quite reasonable which will cost me less than 20euros a month for all three.

you're being ripped off for the drontal btw, cost me 2euros a tablet last time!

nearly

PinkTulips wrote: »

will be getting insurance soon too i think as i found an insurer that is quite reasonable which will cost me less than 20euros a month for all three.

Hello PinkTulips! I'd love to hear more about your insurer, can you pass on details to me via PM or is it OK to post them on the board?

I'm surprised no clever online retailer is using the shopping carts which allow for you to pay with a laser card. Sounds like a missed opportunity!

Sigma Force

I don't dare tot it all up, I do kick myself sometimes when I think back of all the non essential stuff I wasted money on over the years that ends up in a cupboard or in the shed. Eg instead of buying a cage one size up I should of just bought a big one in the first place. So much stuff pets don't really need and to be honest they don't want they just want their human around them it doesn't matter if they haven't sheepskin etc. to lie on as long as there's a comfy lap or towel or fleecey blanket etc.

The Sweeper

On the drontal - yeah I'm being well ripped off on it, NONE of the worming meds here are particularly cheap, unless I buy in bottles of about 200 tablets. Then I'd be worried they were short-dated. I might buy a breeders bottle of popantel and keep a supply that'll last me to the use-by date, then give the rest to my local shelter coz I donate to them anyway.

On the bedding thing - I find sheepskins to be actually the cheapest and best things for my cats. Pet beds down here are crap - the cats rag the bejesus out of them within a few months and they fall apart in the washing machine. The sheepskins last forever and they love them.

The cat trees are definitely the best thing I've spent money on. I have to re-wrap the posts on my cat tree with sisal rope at least once a year, because they turned it into something that looks more like a grass hula skirt. The carpet covering is nearly threadbare with ragging. The whole thing's on its last legs - and my furniture is still immaculate. If they'd turned those attentions to my couch it'd be destroyed.

Jack B. Badd

Prices are all converted from pounds at today's rate and rounded to the nearest fiver. As we've only had our cat about 6 months and the exchange rate has fluctuated repeatedly over the period I've included the pound value too.

One-off expenses:

• Adoption (incl. initial vaccinations) €100 (£90)
• Bedding (incl. KatKabin)/Carrier €95 (£85)
• LItter Trays €15 (£15)
• Cat tree & scratching posts €60 (£55)
• Veterinary Treatment (not covered by insurance) €100 (£90)
• Feliway €45 (£40)

Total one-off: €415 (£375)

Annual (estimated)

• Vaccination boosters €70 (£60)
• Pet insurance €165 (£145)
• Food €205 (£180)
• Treats €35 (£30)
• Worming & Feas €40 (£35)
• Litter (indoor/outdoor cat) €70 (£60)
• Cattery (est. 1 week per year) €80 (£70)
• Toys €25 (£20)

Total annual: €690 (£600)

Worth of having an extra personality in the house (plus free blood pressure reduction): priceless

Demonique

Albino boa constrictor - €2000 two years ago, although the price of them has dropped since then, you can get them for €800 now

Het (carry the recessive gene) for albino boa male/female pair - €1000 two years ago

Hogg island boa constrictor - I think she was around €300, this was a discounted price to regular customers at the Reptile Haven. Of course, I can't remember the exact discount, I could have paid €250, I could have paid €350

4 cornsnakes - €500 (two of them were around €150 each as breeding age youngsters)

royal python - €125

Pueblan milksnake - free from a rehome arranged on boards.

Californian kingsnake - €120 as a baby

2 '07 corns - courtesty of my adult corns

2 '08 corns - courtesy of my adult corns

1 '08 corn - he was a little guy with a kink on his spine who was going to be returned to the wholesaler. I felt sorry for him (because the wholesaler might have euthanised him) and traded the shop one of my healthy '08 babies for him. He's a greedy little sod and is on large fluffs at the moment.

Last Thursday I paid €100 euros for three weeks worth of food for them.

I didn't buy crickets for the geckos and I have no idea of the elecricity costs in keeping them worm.

I also paid about €25 for a UV bulb for the iguana last week which has since stopped working, which means either the iguana pulled the bulb loose or the problem is in the control unit for the light which will cost around €40+ if I need to replace it. The control unit is about 4-5 years old now

Our man in Havana

I am not even going to try to figure out what I spend a week! Let alone how much all my birds cost! Then there are the exotics - not cheap thats for sure!

I spend around €40 a week on fruit & veg for animals without other foods.

Queen-Mise

I have two terriers - one five year old & a pup. I buy the best food I can afford usually €45 a bag & then 20 euro for the puppy bag. A bag can last 2/3 months.
Boosters are 25 euro a year. And 10 euros - four times a year for worms/fleas.

That is 250 a year for the 2 dogs. I don't spend a lot else on the dogs. I give them old blankets/quilts which I wash once a while and then bin when they get too worn.

I got a rabbit this week - 87 euro for the hutch. Have no idea about bedding & food yet - probably 10 euro a month.

I want to get a guinea pig next - and maybe build an aviary next year.


My pets aren't the most expensive compared to the ones here. I don't have any insurance for any of them.