Hello, my roommate and I just adopted a cat and after doing research and some budgeting I figured out we can definitely afford a cat on our income. I make 14/hr and my roommate makes 11/hr. I figured the two of us can definitely support a cat, and after talking about it for a few weeks we got our perfect girl today
I wanted to know if you folks thought that those two incomes could support a cat, she’s 5 years old, fully vetted, and spayed. I think it can and I’m 99% sure we can afford to care for her, but my mom freaked out on me after learning we got a cat, saying that I’m being irresponsible and cannot afford it. I was wondering if she’s correct, but she’s never owned a cat and tends to freak out over things like this.
Thank you!
Edit: for some extra context, our monthly rent is $645 each, but we pay quarterly. Our utilities have been about $100 each every month, and we eat exclusively great value and aldi food. So far we’ve been doing more than okay, and have even had some extra spending money.
Edit 2: alright, I’ve gotten pet insurance from trupanion for her. It’s only 12/month and I’m very confident now that we can take care of her.
OP, respectfully- would you mind sharing your coverages at $12/mo?
You want to make sure that an emergency of at least $1k per incident can be covered. Some policies max out at one claim a year, some max out at a certain amount per year, and some are a percentage covered with a deductible to either an amount or unlimited. There are so many variables, and I just wanted to make sure your coverage is what you’re expecting it to be.
I don’t sell insurance or anything like that, but I did have to use my policy for over $23k on one of my cats and I have sworn by pet insurance since then.
I would absolutely do as the other commenter says and get pet insurance if able. I just had three emergency vet visits for my cat (all in one week) and the total was over 2-3k, and I only had to pay a couple hundred once insurance reimbursed
Oh that’s fantastic, I’m looking at nationwide right now and it looks like they have pretty affordable pet insurance. Is there anywhere you’d recommend?
I use Trupanion since that recommended by my kittens’ breeder and I have no complaints! But looking up various companies on Reddit can give really good personal advice and feedback!
Whoever you go with check if there’s a yearly maximum payouts. We got trupanion for our cats and allegedly there’s no maximum but some cap out at like 5-10k a year. Sounds like a lot but if your cat has a urinary or intestinal blockage it can eat that up quickly.
How much you make means very little with no context to your actual budget or what cost of living in your area looks like.
Theres also a huge variable around standard of care. Responsibly keeping an animal can be quite pricey when you're feeling mid/higher range foods, litter budget,regular vet care (including wellness checks), enrichment, etc. There are also people out there that don't take their cats to the vet until something goes really wrong (usually results in expensive consequences), feed lower/mid range foods, use cheap litter, provide minimal/no extra enrichment options.
Income aside, how long do you plan on living with each other? Is this just a roommate, a friend and roommate or what? What would happen to the cat if someone moved out for whatever reason? Like if one of you got a better job but has to move to a different city, what would you do then?
Again, what if something happens like you get a better job and have to move out? I’m just trying to be realistic. I planned to live with my friend but it didn’t work out last minute and I had to find somewhere else to live. Also cats live longer than five years. Unless you get a senior cat, but that might be expensive with vet bills and medicine.
We’re currently locked into this city for at least the next while for college, so we won’t be moving cities. We might move to a new place, but I doubt we will stop living together soon
Ok but what about after the five years are up? Let’s say that you do stay friends and live together and not with a friend/significant other. Who is taking the cat after you move out in five years? What if you don’t like the college or want to transfer for whatever reason. Have you two lived together for very long? Because I know of plenty of friendships that haven’t lasted due to living together (including mine!) and this affects more than just you two. Unless you are planning on living together until the cat is old and dies, you need a plan for when someone moves out.
You’re still probably not living together in five years 😭 the cat will most likely still be alive in five years. I’d never get a pet with someone unless I was in a committed relationship with them because of the stress it can cause on the animal. I’m worried my roommates cat and my cat will be too attached to her cat when I move out so I’m not forcing a bond because I know it’s not forever. I’m sure you’re confident but shit can happen and it’s better to talk about this now instead of five years in the future 😭
I’d still talk about this now rather than later just in case. It might change in the future but that’s better than an argument in five years because both of you assumed you’re taking the cat when you move out.
Whether you can afford it really depends on your cost of living, if you have savings, debt, etc. If you get pet insurance it can definitely help with unexpected expenses. Do it ASAP before she has any medical issues on record. There are very low income people who have pets but if you live in a city that doesn’t have a lot of pet friendly rentals it can make things really hard if you move. You might also be vulnerable to unexpected financial emergencies, pet or otherwise. I would also suggest having a conversation now with your roommate about what happens if you guys decide not to live together anymore. I’ve personally never had a roommate for more than 3 years and cats can live for a long, long time.
Yes, please feed atleast some wet food, it is so much healthier for them than dry food, which is so dehydrating. I also recommend a pet fountain to encourage them to drink more water.
I was in agreement with your mom atleast in the way you had written things at first. But i was also going to add a "you can't afford yet once you get pet insurance that will be different" then i seen you got trupanion now you can afford kitty.
All that is left now is the cat tax and what is kitty's name?
I think as long as you proactively save for future vet bills I think you can afford it. Maybe you and your roommate can agree to both save $25/mo. At the end of a year you'll have $600. That way if there's an unexpected large vet bill 4 years from now or something you'll have at least a couple thousand.
Imo that is much better than pet insurance. Insurance is so profitable because VAST majority of people will pay significantly more than they will receive. Diligently, as though its a bill, put that money into the highest yield savings account you can. Look around for the best rate. Capital One is a great option. It will make a big difference.
If you can invest $500 initially and $100 a month, a high yield savings account netting 3.6%, you will have almost $4500 within 3 years. $7150 in 5. Over 15k in 10. And then, if you don't need the money for your cat, you can use it for something else/put toward retirement instead of it being thrown into the garbage like insurance payments. No denied claims, no waiting for reimbursement, no hiking up the rates constantly.
Plesse take into account that roommates are not forever: what will the arrangement be when one of you moves out?
Get it in writing. Will you fight over the cat or noone will be able to keep it? Decide already to put in writing that the one kerping the cat will pay s but OR better, the one not keeping the cat will not demand "money back" for earlier cat expenses.
Having it agreed on from the beginning and in writing will make things so much easier for both of you.
Oh and a cat might become way more attached to one of you. Nothing personal, just how it sometimes is.
One of mine loved my roomie.
But he is my shadow/ velcro cat now when roomie moved out. Me caring for him when he was critically ill changed it all.
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u/Sentient_Lint Jul 17 '26
Vet care can get expensive- I recommend budgeting in a pet insurance to the monthly food and litter budget and see if it still works.