It’s useful to know it BEFORE adopting a cat, right ?
All the indicated amounts concern Switzerland, where life is rather expensive. If you don’t live in Switzerland, read first this example of household budget : it will allow you to put in perspective amounts given in this article.
Cat price
- given or found : 0 CHF
- shelter : 150 to 250 CHF
- breed : 1000 to 2000 CHF
Identification microchip
- pose and recording at AMICUS : 80 CHF
In our opinion, it’s essential !
Veterinarian
- neuter (male): 80 to 100 CHF
- spay (female): 170 to 200 CHF
- vaccines = > 1x a year : 60 to 90 CHF
- worm treatment = > 4x a year: 40 CHF
- flea treatment => 4x a year if needed, or if your cat goes out : 50 CHF a year
The vaccinations expenses are higher first year for a kitten, because a reminder has to be done 3 weeks after the first vaccination.
Don’t forget that your cat can get ill or have an accident as our poor Angel Loupi : it represents additional veterinary expenses which can be important.
Insurance
- 120 CHF per year
A hospitalization or an operation is expensive ; an insurance is very useful to face these spending.
Food
- bowls = > at least 2 for food and 1 for water : 12 CHF
- food : 50 to 150 CHF a month
For the long-term health of your cat, avoid low-end food from the supermarket ! We teach you here how to read labels to better choose your cat’s meals. You can also choose to prepare him his meals yourself or to give him raw food, but then watch out the nutriments balance !
Toilet
- litter box : 10 to 40 CHF
- shovel : 2 to 5 CHF
- litter : 10 to 20 CHF a month
Zorro is super economic : he does everything in the garden !
Basic accessories
- transport box : from 25 CHF
- cat tree: from 50 CHF (80 cms in 1m) or from 100 CHF (1m20 and more)
- brushes and combs : 5 to 40 CHF
- claws scissors : 5 CHF
- diverse toys = > according to needs and renewal : variable
- basket : from 20 CHF
According to your lifestyle, you may need maybe also a necklace, a harness, a leash, a pension, a cat-sitter, a passport, …
In summary, how much costs a cat ?
The first year, besides the price of the cat himself, it’s necessary to plan an additional budget from 400 to 700 CHF for the microchip, spay/neuter, the first vaccines, and the acquisition of basic accessories.
A healthy cat costs then between 120 and 250 CHF a month, all included.
Please, don’t adopt a cat if you can’t afford the basic expenses it involves !
Used with permission
Beautiful RouXy, red acrobat with three legs, crossed the Rainbow Bridge between Wednesday and Thursday. He was going to be 16 years old. We send soft purrs to his humans and the humans of our buddy Frimousse who took care him so well for several years.
