I haven't seen anyone else mention this... but, when you have pets in apartments... they are most likely going to charge you for them. Some places will only charge a Pet Deposit (runs anywhere from about $100 - $300). Depending on the place, this may not be refundable. Other places like to charge Pet Rent as well. It can be anywhere from $10 - $30 per month in addition to your 'people rent' and utility costs. Basically, the nicer the place, the more they will charge you. Places will also charge for pet damage if that happens (pee/poop on carpets, chewed/scratched stuff).<br /> <br /> Depending on the cat, and if you shop around for apartments and veterinary services, what you end up paying can very. We got my cat neutered at one of the cheaper clinics that are held like once a month or every couple of months and paid $30 (by the way, neutering is cheaper than spaying). We started out at a private veterinary practice for him and my dog, but ended up having to switch over to Banfield because the prices we were paying were a bit outrageous (and that's with us having pet insurance while we went to private practice). Where you live is also going to influence how much you pay at private practices. It's way more expensive here in NC than it was for us in VA.<br /> <br /> A kitten is probably going to cost you more than an adult cat. Kittens outgrow collars, harnesses, carriers, litter boxes, and food types. Mine went through a chewing phase. I don't know if that is for all kittens, but there was definitely like three months where he was trying to chew up whatever he could get into his mouth (speaker cords/phone charger D: ).<br /> <br /> Also, if you keep your cat indoors 24/7, you won't have to pay for monthly flea/heartworm medication. It's cheaper for cats than it is dogs, but it's still an additional $20+ a month you could be saving. I'm not a fan of cats outdoors... even for short periods. Most cats can be a bit flighty when startled. They have a tendency to start running for safety and don't even know where they are going.<br /> <br /> I've been lucky that I have a cat with absolutely no medical problems. At 5 years old, he is a little on the squishy side, but otherwise is extremely healthy. When I was a vet assistant, we did get cats with allergies, eye problems, respiratory problems, IBS, etc. so when you pick your cat, try and find one who is in good health. I know it seems like a good thing to try and adopt a pet that you can 'help', but if you're short on money (like I am) you're better off getting a pet that you will be able to keep for its entire lifespan. Many people end up having to dump their pets in shelters (or worse places) because they can't afford to keep up with their pets needs. At the worst, we had 12 'resident' cats at the clinic I worked at who all had medical problems. Their owners gave them to us because they couldn't afford to care for them anymore. :-/<br /> <br /> I don't think Banfield is bad. It's going to depend on what kind of people work at them, but that's the same for private practice too. So far, the folks at our Banfield have been very kind and more than helpful, but a lot of the responsibility also rests on the owner. What I like about Banfield is with the plan that we have, I can bring my pets in for free check-ups if I ever think something is amiss (I have a 10 year old dog who is starting to slow down, so this is very nice).<br /> <br /> And if you're ever in doubt about how much vaccines and stuff cost, you can always call a vet clinic that you're interested in visiting, and just ask the person who answers how much it would cost to vaccinate a healthy kitten. A good place will be able to give you an estimate. By the way, some folks skip out on vaccines because they're trying to save money. At the very least, make sure you get rabies, feline leukemia, and feline distemper vaccines for your cat. The other vaccines are nice to have, but those 3 diseases are deadly to cats and the vaccines are required if you ever want to kennel your cat somewhere (and that can cost $20+ a day by the way).<br /> <br /> Oh... and if you plan on getting a dog farther down the road, make sure you socialize your kitten to dogs or adopt a cat that is already fine with dogs. Then make sure you get a dog who is fine with cats or a puppy who can be socialized to get along with cats. I got my dog first, then got my kitten 2 years later and realized that my dog *hates* cats and all small critters. I keep the cat separate in a bedroom and let him roam around at night when the dog has been crated for bed, but I know not everyone would be that dedicated. Most people would just get rid of one or the other pet.
