budgeting for a new kitty

[smacky1]

We are thinking about getting a kitty and I was wondering if anyone had any tips for where to shop for litter, food, toys, and other supplies. Is Walmart/Target the best options, or are there online stores that offer cheaper rates? Thanks.

 

[Elfstar]

Wish I lived near you - I have four kittens just about weaned that I need to find homes for. I have several cats, I get scoopable litter the cheapest for good quality at Sam's Club; Walmart is my next choice, and Target when they have it on sale. For food, add Petsmart to the mix, use coupons and watch for sales. I get most of their food at Target and Petsmart. Sign up online with Purina and Iams for good coupons, sign up at Petsmart for their savings card. Good luck with your kitty! (Two would be even nicer; they are so funny when they play with each other.) Just don't forget to factor in a yearly checkup, vaccinations and, one time only, the cost of neutering.

Almost forgot - toys and other supplies - watch for sales - Petsmart can be pricey but sometimes has good sales. Toys are pretty much the same everywhere pricewise.

 

[ah1126]

I get the Target brand non-scoopable litter. I think it is about $3 a bag and that lasts us 2 weeks. (I tried the Wal-mart brand but it was very dusty) I also get most of his food at Target. I buy the Target brand dry food (about 2.50 per bag) and mix it with a bag of a fancier brand that I usally have a coupon for. He also gets wet food 2-3 times a week and is favorite is the Fancy Feast in the green cans. They usally run about $0.75 a can so if I find them on sale I stock up.

Treats I buy anywhere they are on sale. They run about $1 - $3 depending on the brand. My kitty has liked all that I have bought except for the salmon ones we got him in Alaska. He gets treats every morning when we get up and sometimes more later in the day. Growing up my cats never got treats, so it is up to you if you want to start this!

My kitty wears a collar. Make sure to buy the safty ones that will unclasp rather than hang your kitty. I have gotten them at Wal-mart, Target, and Petsmart. I have also ordered several from ebay. They will run you $3 and up. I have several so I can change them for the holidays and seasons.

Toys are the cheapest and you don't really need to buy much. Some of our favorites came from the dollar store! Another favorite is the ring off a milk jug or hair bands.

Depending on what kind of litter box you want it could run you $5 - $150. My guy likes the kind with a dome cover to give him some privicy. I also buy the liners so I just pull the liner and litter out and throw everything out. The liners cost about $7 for a box of 20 depending on the size.

If your kitty is going to be outside full time or part time you will need some kind of flea treatment. My cat is inside full time so I don't really know about prices for that.

Kittens are so fun and exciting! Have fun!!!
Hope this helps!

 

[Libbyt]

Our Big Lots has a huge selection of cat litters, foods, treats, toys, and beds. For some reason, our kitty's favorite toys have been the ones from the Dollar Tree that are the "fishing pole" kind - she drags those up and down the stairs every day, usually into our bed to wake us up every morning!

 

[MouseketeerOvaHere]

We buy our 3 cats litter at Walmart, as well. We buy the Arm & Hammer Scoopable Naturals thats made with grounded corn because the the clay litter makes them cough and makes a huge mess on the hardwood floors. It smells like laundry detergent and doesn't leave an odor after they have used it. Costs around $9 a bag and lasts about 3 weeks in the 2 boxes we have set up.

As far as food goes, we buy them the dry Cat Chow made with Carnation milk and occasionally mix in some wet food for a treat. We buy the big bags that are like $11 and it lasts around a month, maybe more.

As far as toys goes, we've bought the $10 petsmart toys and they might play with them twice. So we give them water bottle caps and shoe laces and they play with them for hours. We also give them cat nip every once in a while but that can be a handful with 3 cats running wild in the house.

Also, a basic checkup with the beginner vaccines will run you about $200 (depending on your vet of course) and neutering/spaying will run around $125- $275) depending if the cat is female (more expensive) or male. Just an FYI, your local PetSmart may have adoption day clinics where they offer coupons for discounted spays/neuters and also check your local paper for pet clinics. You can save hundreds if you are able to utilize one of these options.

 

[lolinmr]

ooops, replying to the wrong post....

 

[pk1959]

We just got a new kitten from animal control 3 weeks ago and let me say that the vet bills have been by far the biggest expense! The 'free' new kitten checkup ended up being a $87 bill, then the kitten came down with the respiratory infection that is so common in animals from the shelter which was another $71 bill, followed by the second round of vacines which ran $35. Now in three weeks, it's round three of the vacines and another worming, so that will most likely be in the $50 range, then the neutering which is $99 here plus the rabies shot....I swear it seems like it is never going to end!!! That being said, we are totally in love with the little devil and would do it again in a heartbeat. It's just amazing how the entire house is a toy to the little guy. He plays with absolutely EVERYTHING. The ring off of a milk jug is by far the item that is hours of entertainment. Good luck with your new family member.

 

[Shyvioletisme]

We just got a new kitten from animal control 3 weeks ago and let me say that the vet bills have been by far the biggest expense! The 'free' new kitten checkup ended up being a $87 bill, then the kitten came down with the respiratory infection that is so common in animals from the shelter which was another $71 bill, followed by the second round of vacines which ran $35. Now in three weeks, it's round three of the vacines and another worming, so that will most likely be in the $50 range, then the neutering which is $99 here plus the rabies shot....I swear it seems like it is never going to end!!! That being said, we are totally in love with the little devil and would do it again in a heartbeat. It's just amazing how the entire house is a toy to the little guy. He plays with absolutely EVERYTHING. The ring off of a milk jug is by far the item that is hours of entertainment. Good luck with your new family member.

have you tried looking into seeing if your area offers low cost vaccination clinics and low cost spay/neuter clinics??? our area has both. and you get a great discount on both things.

 

[pianoronni37]

We buy all of our litter from Walmart/Target, and the food from whatever place has our brand on sale (and usually we have a coupon for it as well).

We found (through trial and error) which brands upset our kitties' tummies and which brands were less "potent."

Toy-wise, we either buy clearance toys at Target or Petsmart. But let me tell you, my kittens' favorite toys are the ones that cost NOTHING: the top of a milk bottle, twist ties, my flip flops, a random piece of paper they'll find on the floor...

We did invest in a nice "house" that both of our cats love to sleep on. One of them uses it as her "safe spot" when the other decides to chase her around - once she's on top of the house, he knows to cut it out!!

Good luck with your new kitty - and as one poster said, two might be better to keep themselves busy all day, and their playtime is priceless!!

 

[pk1959]

have you tried looking into seeing if your area offers low cost vaccination clinics and low cost spay/neuter clinics??? our area has both. and you get a great discount on both things.

That would be nice. Our area does offer these occasionally, however you have to have a pretty low income to qualify. We used to have a small town vet who did everything animal related for a reasonable price, however he passed away years ago and nobody has replaced him.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Check your local shelters. WHile they usually have a fee to take an animal, it usually includes shots/neutering and would come out less in the end.

 

[okeydokey]

Check to see if there is a low cost spay neuter in your area. I had my male spayed for $34 and the female neutered for about $56. Of course they had to be up to date on shots too which were done at the low cost place also. If you want an adult cat you can often find them in the big pet supermarkets during their animal shelter adoption days. For $25 or $40 you can get an adult cat that is already fixed and has all their shots.

I get my Iams food at Target and my cat litter at Walmart. We only use Scoop Away litter now as I think it works the best. I also go a scratching post and cat bed at Family dollar for a good price.

 

[smacky1]

Thanks for all the great replies! My dd has been wanting a cat for so long and we are very excited about getting one. I have a few weeks before our kitten arrives so we are using this time to slowly gather all of the things it will need. Oh, today DH decided we should get 2 kitties not 1 so I guess Im going to double my expenses!

 

[PinkRhombus]

We adopted our cat from an animal care group. It was through a vet that spayed her and did all the shots. It was only something paltry like $35...a "donation". She was 9 months old. You miss a lot of the kitten factor, but she is such a sweet cat. Our girls can pick her up and she just takes it in stride.


I get the Tidy Cat standard clay...and at our Wal-Mart, it is cheaper than the Wal-Mart brand. Go figure. And I can find coupons for that. I agree about the Wal-Mart brand being dustier.

I use the Goodlife indoor cat food. Coupons are pretty plentiful for that. I was able to print two off of the web the other day, and I had another one from a prior bag.

Toys - I recommend the real fur mice (WalMart) and the bigger brown rats (Target). I find those things under the stove, in the closets...you hear her throwing them around all the time. And the little fur balls (we call them "Tribbles" like from Star Trek).

We bought ours a dog bed from Sams. Washable cover...under $20. She LOVES that thing.

Get a good pair of claw clippers and one of the fur buster brushes. The brush is $15 or so, but it works SO SO SO much better.

 

[DisneyLandMan]

as far as toys go, i swear, u need to invest in a laser pointer. I have been part of a cat family my whole life. we have had a number of kittns over the years and the most fun you will ever have and funniest thing u will ever see is a kitten chasing something it can not catch.


this isnt my video, but it gives u the idea.....it will entertain u for HOURS


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZfK8ulOIt0

 

[las3888]

Congrats on your new upcoming addition(s) to your family! Two is the way to go with kitties in my opinion and I don't think you will double your expense. You can get away with only 1 litter box, but you will have to clean it a little more frequently. It's my least favore chore but I always try to remind myself it only takes about 3 minutes really.

It will be double the food, but our cats share toys, and frankly, a few X-large shoelaces and one laser light is really the ticket here.

I think Petsmart prices are pretty decent...just be sure if you shop at Petsmart or Petco that you sign up for the frequent buyer card (similar to grocery stores). Our cats don't do treats and they don't care for canned food. They just turned 1 y/o and our shelter told us that they may not be interested in canned food or treats.

Good luck!

 

[karen624]

I buy cat litter at Costco since it is the cheapest that I have found. The one thing I don't get cheap is cat food- I have 2 older cats who need specific food, and I found with the kitten that the cheaper foods= stinkier/more pooh than something like Iams kitten. What a difference when we switched her to that! We got our kitten spayed at the SPCA kitten for about $50.

I agree with the laser pointer, she loves that thing! If you crochet you can make a long double crochet chain for her to chase. Our kitten is always batting around my daughters' toys.

 

[Libbyt]

Another toy idea (and if you have two kitties, this will be double the fun!)..... my son took several packing boxes of different sizes, stacked them up, and cut holes into them to make a (simple) maze on different levels - even with a few holes that were just eye-holes or arm-holes - and taped the whole thing together with packing tape. We are talking HOURS of side-splitting fun - for us, just watching her play in that thing! It lasted for months, and we taped it back together several times, until it finally bit the dust. One of the things she liked best was a long soft drink can carton that made a tunnel into the whole "castle" - our older cat couldn't fit into it, so he would stalk the kitten right at the end of it and she would tease him. As she got bigger and more coordinated, we could dangle a toy over the top hole and she would come shooting out to grab the toy - it was hysterical!

Libby

 

[CLR4321]

Ebay is a good option for buying a lot of stuff, including kitty supplies. Other than that, sometimes you can find good deals at Petsmart, and Walmart is a good option as well.

 

[mhelsley]

because i'm in the same boat but my new kitten is going to be a budget breaker(purebred and $$$) from the start. She(Taj)will arrive in about 2 wks. Please don't use clumping litter with kittens as it's not good for them and i 2nd the person that said to spend more for good food(at least Iams or Science Diet). I would like to recomend a good book on toys you can make it's titled 50 game to play with your cat. Ebay most of the time has the best prices on cat trees and sometimes toys but do a google search to double check. Now some of the best toys bought as i've had cats before a da bird wand,ping pong balls and furry mice. Best free toys toliet/paper tubes,my flip flops,paper bags, shallow box with holes on top and side(like the expensive SmartCat box)stuffed with toys. It a great way to try the idea before investing. Good luck and i hope you'll have many happy year with her/him and post a picture for us to see.

Melinda