A. Knowing the ongoing, not just the initial, cost of having a cat or a dog would certainly help your budgeting purpose.
One-time Costs
- Initial medical exam: $70/dog, $130/cat
- Spaying or neutering: $200/dog, $145/cat
- Collar: $30/dog, $10/cat
- Litter box: $25/cat
- Scratching cost: $15/cat
- Crate: $95/dog
- Carrying crate: $60/dog, $40/cat
- Training: $110/dog
- Total: $565/dog, $365/cat
Annual Costs
- Annual medical exam: $235/dog, $130/cat
- Pet health insurance: $225/dog, $175/cat
- Food: $120/dog, $145/cat
- Litter: $200/cat
- Toys and treats: $55/dog, $25/cat
- License: $15/dog
- Miscellaneous: $45/dog, $30/cat
- Total annual costs: $696/dog, $705/cat
In short, owning a dog or a cat could set you back by at least $1000 the first year. Of course, there are other hidden or surprising costs, depending on what food you buy, whether you travel frequently or not, whether your pet gets sick a lot or not, your actual costs could be a lot higher.