Hi-
Kittens should get vaccines at 8, 12, and 16 weeks- if the cat is going to go outside it needs to have Ent-FVRC (distemper/upper respiratory), Fel. Leukemia, FIP & FIV along with Rabies. If its going to be inside only- then the Ent-FVRC & Fel. Leukemia along with Rabies should suffice. Its a good idea to have a feline leukemia/fiv test run on your new kitten- thats usually about $40.
Neutering is a must- male cats will learn to spray if they aren’t neutered before 6-8 months and females will drive you absolutely crazy when they go into heat. Neutering does make some cats less active, but it does not change their personality. Its also healthier for them- there are less risks of certain cancers, especially in females.
Cats that are allowed to go outside have significantly shorter lives, statistically, than indoor cats. There are many dangers to cats- they aren’t like dogs who can be easily confined outdoors- they can jump out of most fences and have a natural tendency to roam. There’s cars, poisons (antifreeze is a big cat killer), aggressive dogs, other cats that can spread disease or cause infected bites, people who hate cats can do pretty evil things- especially kids. Plus a cat can be a nuisance to your neighbors- I really hate that one of the neighborhood cats likes to use my yard as a litter box. Indoor cats do need to have access to windows for entertainment and should have toys to keep them active - they can have a very satisfying life indoors. Be warned though, if you try to give them a supervised taste of life outside- they might drive you nuts if you try to keep them in after that.
Yes, they can be trained to keep off where you don’t want them- although I don’t know that mine really do when I’m not there to use the spray bottle.
Expenses- will vary by region- I work for a vet so I will give you a rough estimate.
Our first set of kitten vax- along with fecal test (to check for parasites), fel leuk/fiv test and wormer is about $70. If you just opt for the shot/wormer- that 8 wk set is about $14
Second set for indoor cat would be $40, outdoor cat would be $66
Last set would be $27 for indoor cat, $53 for outdoor cat.
Annually its $40 for indoor, $66 for outdoor vaccines.
Male cat neuter about $40, Female about $75- we recommend a pain inj after the surgery (you’d want one I’m sure)- thats an additional $24.
Food would depend on what you feed the little bugger- quality food would be about $20 a month, maybe a bit less than that.
Vet expenses vary- if you let your cat outdoors, you are more likely to have more reasons to see the vet- abscesses happen alot to outdoor cats to the tune of $100-200 per treatment.
Cats are usually pretty healthy but always good to have a vet account or credit card available just in case- pet insurance is getting more popular and from what I’ve seen its a good investment.