# Roughly how much does it cost to maintain a kitten? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 12, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159 "2003-04-12T01:24:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/41 "2003-04-13T06:58:31Z")
I have issues with keeping cats inside. Perhaps they get used to it. I am sure **Guin’s** are very healthy, happy animals. But I remember our cats, how they loved to hunt and stalk through the garden, how they loved to bask in the sun, how they loved to roam around in the outdoors. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/42 "2003-04-13T07:13:37Z")
I remember my cats, how they loved to run across the street, how they loved to go into the woods where the coyotes lived, how they loved to roam into the shotgun-toting neighbor’s yard. Small wonder only one of them live beyond the age of 5 until I finally learned to keep them inside. ---
**Author:** ![The\_MacDairmuid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_MacDairmuid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_MacDairmuid)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/43 "2003-04-13T07:13:44Z")
Your soul. ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/44 "2003-04-13T12:46:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*Oh convince her to let you keep BOTH! They’ll be heartbroken! > > What about your dad? In our house, my dad’s the soft touch, especially when it comes to the animals. He spoils them rotten. > > \*\* My parents are divorced therefore dad probably wouldn’t get much say in how many cats we can keep in the house. I’m really hoping that maybe she’ll forget about getting rid of one of them. She’s not mentioned it since yesterday and when I had picked them up she insisted that one must be gone that day. That seems promising! The kitties can’t stand to be away from each other. I took Mischief downstairs to let mom pet her and Dutchess started mewing because she was all alone. So then I brought down Dutchess and Mischief started mewing. I had to bring them both down to make them happy. Eventually I’ll let them roam the whole house but first I want them and the dog to get used to each other. I do not want to wake up one morning and find my dog burping up kitty fur. And just to make sure everybody is on the same page the kitties will not be tools. These are house kitties and they will be spoiled rotten! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/45 "2003-04-13T13:42:20Z")
Oh my, silly me. I just realized I was spelling my kitty’s name wrong. It’s _Duchess_. It just sounds like there should be a T in there! ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/46 "2003-04-13T14:11:49Z")
Do try to convince her that they need to stay together. If they’re that closely bonded and you really can’t keep two, I’d actually advise you to let someone else adopt both of these, and find yourself a cat who will be happy as a single. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/47 "2003-04-13T14:22:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lorinada \* > \*\ ***Crafter\_Man** , I’m not going to use the “T” word because clearly you’ve been around a long time, but even people who use animals as “tools” have the decency to keep them as disease- and injury-free as possible. And when that is not possible, they arrange for euthanasia. And like **Guin** said it is blatantly obvious this discussion is not about tools. Speaking of tools…never mind, this isn’t the Pit. 😉 \*\* It’s not my intention to be a troll. I’m simply trying to add some perspective here. If your cat is a pet then be prepared to shell out money. If your cat is a tool then it’s about $.50 per day per cat. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/48 "2003-04-13T14:52:26Z")
Are we pretty much done here, GQ-wise? ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/49 "2003-04-13T15:54:43Z")
Crafter\_Man, your cats can be “tools” or whatever you want to call them, but it is thoughtless and irresponsible to not provide vet care to them if they are injured and ESPECIALLY to not neuter them. Your cats have probably created hundreds, thousands, of other cats. What do you think happens to all of them? Has it ever occurred to you to take the most minimum of responsibility for your “tools” or is that just not in your frame of reference? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/50 "2003-04-13T16:07:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by missbunny \* > **Crafter\_Man, your cats can be “tools” or whatever you want to call them, but it is thoughtless and irresponsible to not provide vet care to them if they are injured and ESPECIALLY to not neuter them. Your cats have probably created hundreds, thousands, of other cats. What do you think happens to all of them?** Most get eaten by coyotes. I would estimate the average life expectancy for a cat is 3 years around here. Unlike the city, there’s no such thing as a cat overpopulation problem in the country… ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/51 "2003-04-13T16:11:40Z")
**manhattan** the kitty questions have been answered, do what you will with the thread.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/52 "2003-04-13T16:22:58Z")
See my thread in Great Debates [Cats as expendable rodent management tools - Ethical or not?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=177016) ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/53 "2003-04-13T16:44:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crafter\_Man \* > \*\*Most get eaten by coyotes. I would estimate the average life expectancy for a cat is 3 years around here. Unlike the city, there’s no such thing as a cat overpopulation problem in the country… \*\* Gee, I just checked PetFinder - just ONE site that lists cats for adoption - and there are 450 listings for adoptable cats in your local area. I wonder where they are all coming from - I guess they hop the Greyhound from the Big City. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159/54 "2003-04-13T16:53:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > \*\*See my thread in Great Debates > > [Cats as expendable rodent management tools - Ethical or not?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=177016) \*\* Thanks, **astro**. Glad _someone_ can read the forum descriptions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roughly-how-much-does-it-cost-to-maintain-a-kitten/168159.md?page=2)