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- Jan 11, 2005
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I'm prompted to write this because I'm curious as to other people's experiences in this regard.
My whole life, I have always had cats and only cats. I had a dog for a few months when I was a child but he was an impulse acquisition that I begged my parents for and, against their judgement, they caved in to my pleas and the poor little dog didn't have a good life with us. We knew nothing about dogs and he was loved and fed and sheltered, but to have a Kelpie in a suburban household with full time workers and schoolgoers was a bad idea. We ended up rehoming Duffy to a farm, where I believe he lived and worked and thrived until he was 18!!
After that experience there were no more dogs for us, only cats and the odd budgie and goldfish! When I was married we had German Shepherds and I loved them, but it was my ex-husband who really took care of them. Again, I didn't understand dogs and I was thoroughly a cat person.
It wasn't until I met Max and we moved in together, and he wouldn't let me get another cat (lol) that we agreed to get a puppy. Ruby. I have never in my life fallen so utterly head-over-heels in love with anything. We fell HARD for her and that was the start of my love-affair with dogs, the start of everything in my life since then that has been focused around dogs and working with dogs. I learned and learned and loved and loved and eventually became a trainer. It woke me up to welfare issues of all animals, and it also woke me up to how expensive having animals in your life can be.
In the last four months alone, we have gone through absolutely every penny we had saved, looking after Ruby. Ever since she was a puppy she's been quite a sick dog, and in the past two years our vet bills have gone into the thousands of dollars. All for her. About a month ago Chester got sick, too, and we used up the rest of what we had put aside treating him. Ruby is on medication that costs us $700 per year, aside from the other expenses for all the animals - food, vaccinations, regular check-ups, toys, treats, daycare for the dogs. They cost a fortune.
Now, I have no problem with this. Responsible pet ownership also includes spending money at the vet to ensure your pets are well and healthy. This is fine, and we'll start selling things if we have to, to make sure our dogs and cats stay healthy. It seems Ruby has another UTI, and we're out of money. Still, she'll get treated for it, same as she always has.
But it got me to thinking. The most I've ever spent on any cat, ever, was their spay and their vaccinations. Occasionally they've needed a check-up and that was it. Is it just me, or are dogs infinitely more expensive than cats? Do they get sick and injured more often? Or has it just been our bad luck? Or, should I say, good luck to never have had very sick cats?
What has been your experience?
My whole life, I have always had cats and only cats. I had a dog for a few months when I was a child but he was an impulse acquisition that I begged my parents for and, against their judgement, they caved in to my pleas and the poor little dog didn't have a good life with us. We knew nothing about dogs and he was loved and fed and sheltered, but to have a Kelpie in a suburban household with full time workers and schoolgoers was a bad idea. We ended up rehoming Duffy to a farm, where I believe he lived and worked and thrived until he was 18!!
After that experience there were no more dogs for us, only cats and the odd budgie and goldfish! When I was married we had German Shepherds and I loved them, but it was my ex-husband who really took care of them. Again, I didn't understand dogs and I was thoroughly a cat person.
It wasn't until I met Max and we moved in together, and he wouldn't let me get another cat (lol) that we agreed to get a puppy. Ruby. I have never in my life fallen so utterly head-over-heels in love with anything. We fell HARD for her and that was the start of my love-affair with dogs, the start of everything in my life since then that has been focused around dogs and working with dogs. I learned and learned and loved and loved and eventually became a trainer. It woke me up to welfare issues of all animals, and it also woke me up to how expensive having animals in your life can be.
In the last four months alone, we have gone through absolutely every penny we had saved, looking after Ruby. Ever since she was a puppy she's been quite a sick dog, and in the past two years our vet bills have gone into the thousands of dollars. All for her. About a month ago Chester got sick, too, and we used up the rest of what we had put aside treating him. Ruby is on medication that costs us $700 per year, aside from the other expenses for all the animals - food, vaccinations, regular check-ups, toys, treats, daycare for the dogs. They cost a fortune.
Now, I have no problem with this. Responsible pet ownership also includes spending money at the vet to ensure your pets are well and healthy. This is fine, and we'll start selling things if we have to, to make sure our dogs and cats stay healthy. It seems Ruby has another UTI, and we're out of money. Still, she'll get treated for it, same as she always has.
But it got me to thinking. The most I've ever spent on any cat, ever, was their spay and their vaccinations. Occasionally they've needed a check-up and that was it. Is it just me, or are dogs infinitely more expensive than cats? Do they get sick and injured more often? Or has it just been our bad luck? Or, should I say, good luck to never have had very sick cats?
What has been your experience?