The Cost of Responsibility for a Cat

I found this article on another cat site but wanted to share it here.

http://cats.about.com/od/responsible...care_costs.htm

I can not agree more then what this article said .

Yeah the costs they outline are right in-line with what I expected to read. Up until my most recent two little boys I had never adopted a cat from a shelter. I need to go back and look at the paperwork I got from the shelter to see if they had given me an article about cat expenses that was as concise and realistic as this one is. By the time I adopted my two boys I already knew what to expect, but I am curious to know if they had given me anything like this... and I need to file the babies updated rabies certificates anyway.

Originally Posted by PurrfectCatlove

I can not agree more then what this article said .

Click to expand...

Me too. I get angry when I hear someone say "it's just a cat" or "it's just a dog" Now I can understand if someone really doesn't have the money to take them to a vet. Example being paying their light bill, or buying food verus the vet bill. I can see where the vet would have to wait then. I may not like it but I understand it. I've been in those shoes a long time ago and I did the best that I could back then. So I can't throw stones at glass houses.

All of my babies go to the vet now when they need it and sometimes when they don't just to put my mind at rest about little things. But they are getting the care that is needed for them. They are my children after all.

I have to agree also.

I thought good and hard about taking on Rosie and Sophie. Cats in my parents house were known as being part of the family.

I think the article was right on for expenses. I, too, can understand how a vet trip might be pushed back in favor of things like food. Also, I'm a proponant of home remedies if possible, but a professional opinion should always be had as well.

Amen! Kitty and Robin are sentient beings dependent on us for all of their care, and by forcing them to be dependent on us (taking them to our home), we've agreed to give them that care. Before I came here, for a while my friend was living on $500 a month, and he had a hamster The hamster got sick, and the normal cheap vet in this rather bad neighborhood wasn't open on weekends. The hamster died. I gave my friend so much hell over that (later, when we became closer friends and I could take more liberty with him). There's just no excuse. Regular vet closed? Go to another vet. Think moving the hamster would've killed it even faster? Pay extra for a home visit. Can't afford it? Why'd you bring home a hamster in the first place? I can't feel all that sorry for my friend while he's crying and heartbroken when his hamster has it a lot worse. Although I did feel sorry for him

It's like, oi, if you're that kind of person, once I come live with you, would you let me die because you don't want to go through the trouble of getting me adequate medical attention? How much is a life worth, anyway?

You know, there are two more expenses I would add to the list in this document...

1. Yearly Dental Cleanings ($200).
2. For cats 8 & over a full bloodwork with their yearly exam.

I know that next year I'll be scheduling my appointments with dental cleanings so I can spare myself taking 6 cats in twice a year! They really hate going to the vets!

I also looked at the paperwork I got from the shelter I adopted Casey & Clarence from and there was no paperwork outlining expenses. I think this article should be mass printed and given to pet adopters! I'm sure most shelters do this. The one I adopted my little stinkers from wasn't the best shelter I've ever seen. They wanted me to send them pictures of the boys as they grew up and when I did they didn't bother to respond to my email so I figure they don't really care.

One other nit picky detail... In the beginning of the article she suggests a quality non-clumping litter, but later in estimating the costs she recommends WBCL which is a clumping litter. DOH!
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Completely agree! More people should be aware of this prior to dedicating themselves to the health and wellbeing of a cat!