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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think having a pet is not affordable these days?

198 replies

cadburyegg · 29/05/2019 21:59

So as not to drip feed, I completely believe that once you have a pet you are 100% responsible. I grew up with pets and had many animals over the years. We don’t have pets anymore but when we had rabbits, one of them had long term health problems and we were often at the vets with her, until she died.

We had insurance, but the cost of that plus yearly vaccinations, vet check ups, other appointments that the insurance didn’t cover - it all added up. So we haven’t had animals since our last bunny died.

I think my DH would quite like a cat but I can’t see us being able to afford to pay out for everything that it would need.

So, AIBU? How do people manage the cost of a pet?

OP posts:
Foxmuffin · 30/05/2019 12:09

@showmethegin

You insure against a risk you can’t afford. Most annual limits are £5k or so, so it stands to reason that if you can raise £5k you can afford not to insure.

I agree when you can’t afford the risk it’s foolish.

Pinkvoid · 30/05/2019 12:11

Maybe all boils down to luck? I’m not sure. I have one cat who I have had since he was four months old. Never needed to go to vets aside from being neutered and having his vaccinations done. I buy flea treatments online and they’re the ones that work for three months so not expensive. His food isn’t really all that much and pet insurance is £4 a month. He has a few toys which I’d say cost me £30ish in total.

All in all I’ve spent about £300 on him in the 2.5 years we’ve had him I think? I don’t see that as a huge expense.

givemesteel · 30/05/2019 12:17

codenameduchess it might possibly be the breed of cat I have then, as the cheapest policy I could find which was comprehensive enough to bother was £100 a month for both. They're 6 now so I figure I've saved quite a few thousand pounds.

If it were £9 a month it would obviously the better thing to do.

WiddlinDiddlin · 30/05/2019 12:26

Totally missing the point..

I want to know what starzig thinks 'benefits people' are exactly?

I've got five dogs and an uncountable number of fish.

They are not free by any means but they are not unaffordable, however I don't have children, we don't smoke or drink either...

OP you seem to have been paying an extortionate amount of money for rabbits - £300 dentals every 3 months? £60 a month on food?

I feed my 5 dogs on under 130 a month (all high quality food too, mostly raw, some premium grain free kibble), and we just had a dental done including five teeth removed on our huge Deerhound for £320!

I do not think your costings for a cat are accurate at all!

19lottie82 · 30/05/2019 12:31

My cat costs me £20 a month for food, another £3-4 for treats. £12.50 vets subs which includes flea / worm drops and vaccinations and £6 a month for insurance.

So less than £1.50 a day.

MyFamilyAndOtherAnimals1 · 30/05/2019 12:31

I have 2 extremely friendly chickens.
I think their feed costs £3 p/m
Their bedding is £4 p/m
Together they cost £10
Free 2nd hand house.
They're not insured.

Vilanelle · 30/05/2019 12:51

I have a cat anda dog, both insured.

Around 2 years ago my cat was run over and needed urgent veterinary treatment miles and miles away in Bristol. The total bill came to £7000 (we were insured for £3k). Still paying it off now but wouldn't be without him unfortunately.

I have since upped his insurance cover to the maximum allowance as vet bills spiral quickly.

He has had the odd problem, allergic reaction etc which is about £100 a time so I would not underestimate the cost of keeping animals.

Megan2018 · 30/05/2019 12:53

They cost us more than the mortgage (1 horse, 3 cats, 4 chickens). On a good month about £750. On a bad month.....doesn't bear adding up.
But I'd not change it for the world.

mindproject · 30/05/2019 12:57

Our cat is affordable. She only costs a few pounds a week to feed and look after and she has only needed the vet twice in 16 years. Now she's old I expect there will be a few big vet bills in the future but I have been saving for this. I don't earn much at all. I think if you have a healthy animal and you look after them properly then vet bills can be very minimal until they get old.

TheTitOfTheIceberg · 30/05/2019 13:06

Pets are like cars (or houses or many things) it’s all well and good until it goes wrong.

Echo this entirely. The monthly cost of food, parasite control, vet plans for jabs, insurance can often be absorbed into a household income - for as long as the pet is healthy, and I think a lot of people who have been lucky enough to only have healthy pets don't necessarily appreciate the cost of vet treatment these days.

Our last dog developed a condition that first required an operation and then ongoing medication. There was a complication which meant he ended up having to be referred to a specialist vet hospital. All in all he cost us almost £8,000. His insurance policy paid out up to £5k but we had to find the rest ourselves and it was a real stretch. One scan alone, one tiny part of his diagnosis and treatment, cost £300.

Ronsters · 30/05/2019 13:27

My cat costs me about £40 to £50 a month on food, he's a big cat. Treats and litter are about £10 a month and his insurance is £18 a month. Plus jabs, vets bills (I don't bother claiming for the small stuff), flea and worm treatment, cattery fees, he is pretty expensive when you add it up.
I like having a cat though so never really think about it.

milkshak3 · 30/05/2019 16:50

My cat costs me about £40 to £50 a month on food, he's a big cat.

Shock really intrigued what your cat feats on. Ours is on Purrina dry food (so not the cheapest option) and it costs us about £8-10 to feed him.
Ronsters · 30/05/2019 16:55

He likes Whiskas pouches, £3 a box if on offer (often are), so approx £9 a week as he can get through 3 boxes a week. Sometimes it's 4 boxes. So approx £40 a month. He is a big cat, not fat but he likes his food.

viccat · 30/05/2019 17:04

You are right OP and I wish more people considered the financial implications before getting a cute puppy or kitten... it is a huge commitment, financially and otherwise, for the next 10-20 years in most cases.

Unfortunately many of the bought from Gumtree kittens and puppies end up in rescue when people's circumstances change.

pineapplebryanbrown · 30/05/2019 17:33

I agree that most routine costs become absorbed into the household budget. The vet bills can be awful if anything goes wrong. One of my dogs is 9 now and his insurer says we are now co-pay - dreading that. However with a 0% cc you can pay it off over the year.

Jenasaurus · 30/05/2019 18:23

Your not wrong Op. I had a house rabbit once. I went into the pets shops for degu food and the pet shop owner had a little bunny following him around.l the store He said the rabbit had allergy’s and he was looking for the right family to look after her. After a while I went back and brought the rabbit home she was lovely and fitted in well but sadly sniffles had more than an allergy and I took her the vets after 5 days of bringing her home and it turned out to be flu. She was kept in and administered medication for 2 nights but sadly died. The bill was £600. But the shop paid as they agreed they had sold me a rabbit that was basically dying. Poor bunny. Imagine how long her symptoms had been ignored and she had suffered. I knew very soon that she was very unwell and not just allergies. But all pets big and small can cost a lot to keep well. I still have my degus which apparently can live 20 years but when they have gone no more pets for me it’s not fair on them or my family

lioness87 · 30/05/2019 19:34

I was thinking this yesterday whilst shopping around for insurance!

Dog 1- has long term allergies. allergy medication, special food, flea tick and lungworm treatment = £80 a month. No insurance, keep a separate kitty for any vet bills for her. Accident and illness prone. We've spent at least £10k on her medical treatments over the past 4 years.

Dog 2- insurance, food, flea tick and lungworm treatment= £75 a month

Cat is cheap- insurance, food and flea treatments= £20 a month

Dogs go to doggy daycare once a week too which is £190 a month!

thethethethethe · 30/05/2019 19:43

Got a rescue cat. Pay for food only. About £6 a month? And a big bill for having a cat-flap put in. Had her 9 years and she's never been ill. Previous cats were also never ill.

GreyofSunshine · 30/05/2019 19:43

We should probably be discouraging pet ownership anyway. I do love animals but pet cats and dogs are an environmental disaster.

adaline · 30/05/2019 19:50

I do love animals but pet cats and dogs are an environmental disaster

How?

Surely children are much worse?

Socksontheradiator · 30/05/2019 19:50

I agree with OP. It's all good until things go wrong. Vets are expensive, and you have to really shop around if the insurance puts on exclusions once the animal has had certain treatments. We had a rabbit who was not insured and some dental work cost nearly £400. She is no longer with us but we have a dog with a heart condition and meds for itchy skin too. Insurance doesn't cover his dental treatment either.

thethethethethe · 30/05/2019 19:53

But how many have a pet INSTEAD of having a child?

BMW6 · 30/05/2019 20:07

I certainly wouldn't get a pedigree dog - my sister has had 4, and all have ended up having expensive ongoing medical treatment.

My crossbreed has had 1 "emergency" treatment (grass seed in ear removal) in 10 years. That cost £250 as he had to be sedated for removal, but if I had insurance I'd have paid out over £1200 over the 10 years and would still have had the excess to cover.

If you have access to capital or a 0% credit card it can be a better option than insurance. Pet insurance is a booming business. There's a reason for that.

GreyofSunshine · 30/05/2019 20:09

Having a pet probably is not as bad for the environment as having a child, but most pet owners also have children.

Children are probably worse for the environment than gas-guzzlers, that doesn't mean cars with particularly high emissions aren't very environmentally unfriendly.

Cats and dogs are responsible for up to 30 percent of the environmental impact of meat-eating in America. They're also bad for native wildlife (particularly cats).

We should be looking to reduce pet ownership.

Gin96 · 30/05/2019 20:10

My horse is £200 a month, my 2 dogs cost about £40 a month. They are worth every penny, they are my sanity