conversation: User (CystaCysta): "Hi r/personalfinance! I volunteer regularly at an animal shelter where I help socialize cats to prepare them for adoption. There is one that has kind of grabbed my heart and I am at least partially serious about adopting her. What is holding me back is the financial side of pet ownership. Currently my only pets are some succulents /s\n\nHere is some of my basic info:\n\n - 22F\n\n - Current full time college student, graduating in December with a BSN in nursing\n\n - Current savings are a little over $1500\n\n - Currently working a part time job as a home health caregiver, earning about $200-400 a month, but I could increase that potentially to $400-500 if I picked up more hours and watched less Netflix. \n\n - Current monthly spending is usually $50-100 in miscellaneous things such as toiletries and meals with friends. I am relatively frugal!\n\nInitial fees for the cat would be a $40 adoption and a $400 deposit at my current apartment ($200 refundable on move out) plus food and litter supplies (estimating ? $120 right out, monthly will be less). I might be able to get the pet deposit waived by my MHNP that I see for anxiety and get the cat classified as an emotional support animal. The cat would already be spayed, with shots, and microchipped. My parents will be paying my rent and providing my food money until December, where I will move in with them while I study for my boards. When work starts (timeline estimates mid february) I will move in cities to live with my long term significant other. \n\nI'm a full time student, but I could definitely pick up more hours. I really haven't been saving for anything in particular other than my first month of rent/food for when I move to my new city (rent/bills will be ~$750). Eventually I will need to get a new car, but that can definitely wait until my big girl money comes in.\n\nMy question is: do you think I can afford to adopt a cat? How much do you spend a month on your cat? Is there a certain amount I should save first? \n\nI appreciate all advice! I also posted this on r/cats\n\nEdited to correct some numbers\n\nEdit 2: y'all are so supportive! You have definitely given me a lot to think about. I live out of state from this particular shelter, but I am going back this week to visit my parents during my short summer break. If she is there, I will see if I can adopt her! Also thank you for the gold! That's a first! \n\nEdit 3: to those of you offering donations, I so appreciate it!! I had no idea reddit was this kind. I do have a PayPal account for those that wish to contribute. \n\n\nThank you so much to everyone! If the adoption is successful, I'll report back with photos!\n\n\nEdit: I adopted her! I'll post an update with the breakdown of my first month of expenses in the next few weeks! Thank you all so much for your help!"
  Self: "Some ideas on vet expenses beyond annual checkups:\n\nMy cat had [tooth resorption issues](https://www2.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/tooth-resorption) from about 5 years of age forward. The vet told me it is common in something like 1/8 to 1/4 of the cats she sees.\n\nIt affected nearly all his teeth, but they started falling apart over the course of a five year period, so every year he needed a dental procedure to extract one or more diseased teeth.\n\nThe procedure ran $450-$500 each time, mainly because of the sedation and x-rays they performed before doing the dental work.  It was only something like $18 per tooth for the extraction.\n\nMy other cat (who is no longer with us) racked up about $2500 in vet expenses at the end of her 12-year life, over the course of a month, from emergency vet expenses and then follow-up visits before the vet concluded she wasn't going to get better.\n\nI don't carry pet insurance and I have no regrets about not getting pet insurance, because I would've broken even (or lost money) had I gotten the pet insurance when they were kittens and the premiums were cheap, versus just throwing $20-$30 into a cat expense jar every month."
  User (CystaCysta): "Sorry to hear about your kitty. Thanks for the response"
  