How Much Will That Pet Cost … to Care for?

When my daughter was younger, she could watch for hours in the window of the local cat hospital (aka pet shop, aka shelter). The cutest kittens would parade in front of her and she would be delighted.

But how much would a cute kitten or a cute puppy, parrot or fish cost to have in your own family?

Unless you buy a rare breed, the initial cost of the pet is minor. What’s much more costly is maintaining the pet. Beyond to the initial cost of adoption, there’s a long list of expenses that the average pet owner will incur within a year.

The ASPCA has developed a handy tool to make it easier to plan for (and assess the feasibility of) a potential new arrival in the family in the form of a pet.

It is a detailed financial breakdown of annual costs of caring for a variety of animals, by size: small dogs, medium dogs, large dogs, cats, fish, etc. It covers grooming, pet toys, litter, pet health insurance, pet training, and 15 or so more line items, besides…. pet food.

If you sign up for our monthly newsletter, you will receive your own FREE copy of the Financial Pet Care Overview for your use.