Written By: Isabella B.
Over the years, there has been a constant debate about which pet is better. Some may say dogs are loyal and a man's best friend and others might say that cats are cuddly and independent creatures. While I’m not here to tell you which one is the best pet out of the two, I will tell you which one is less expensive to take care of.
To break things down a bit more, there are two main categories of expenses that come with any pet: vet and food/supplies. In the first year of owning a pet, the veterinary bills can be very expensive especially since in the first year, they need all of their shots to make sure that they can live a happy and healthy life. All these shots add up, not to mention if your cat/dog needs medication due to an illness or injury. According to, Moneytalksnews.com, many families get pet health insurance to help decrease the amount of money from the vet bills but the insurance itself is very expensive. In 2017, it averaged about $535 for dog insurance and $335 for cat insurance. It’s already starting to seem like a lot of money but this is just the veterinary needs.
Every pet has their share of expenses for the animals food needs and these prices can vary from $5 to $40 depending on their needs and what you prefer to give to your pets. Then you have to think about bedding, toys, litterbox for cats, kennel for dogs, etc. While this may seem like the only things you need to consider when deciding which pet is more expensive, you also have to think about their life expectancy. Dogs can live up to 13 years while cats can easily reach 18 years. I can even verify this statement because my first cat lived to be 21 years old.
In the photo from CNBC, you can see that between dogs and cats, dogs can cost an average of $11,603 more than cats in their life. This includes all needs necessary for them to live a happy and healthy life. Of course these numbers have a very large expense range due to what type of dog/cat it is and how much you are willing to pay for your pets needs. There are just a lot more factors that come into play when paying for a dog then for a cat such as training lessons, a leash, grooming, a kennel, number of vet visits, etc.
All in all, due to all expenses and factors included, cats come out to be cheaper than dogs. However, pets are the best thing that you can invest in because not only do they become a part of the family but they are always there for you when you feel alone and need someone. It’s all up to preferences and how much money you are willing to pay for a furry companion.
Work cited
https://www.moneytalksnews.com/which-is-cheaper-cats-or-dogs/
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/27/how-much-does-it-cost-to-own-a-dog-7-times-more-than-you-expect.html
https://pets.thenest.com/average-lifespan-cats-vs-dogs-5379.html
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/pet-insurance-costs_n_5adf43abe4b07560f395f9b4
This is a great piece. When it comes to pets, I don't think many people look at the costs but the joy it will bring them and so if people believe a dog is going to bring them more joy, they are going to buy a dog. It would be interesting to know how much of this is because of the social majority that dogs are better with a social minority that cats are better.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting. Personally, I do not own a cat/dog, but I did use to have a goldfish and my parents only let me have it because it was the cheapest pet to get. I was very interesting to learn about all the different factors that go into cats/dogs such as shot, kennels, etc. and seeing how having a pet like that can get into the ten thousands brings a lot of perspective to pet owning. This begs the question, from a societal standpoint, where are pets more common, is it in areas with higher incomes because they're a large investment to have?
ReplyDeleteThis post was incredibly surprising to me. I have never owned a dog or cat and I had no idea how much money they end up costing in the end! Although pets are very expensive, I can definitely see why people would still spend the money on them. This really wakes me up to how much all of the smaller expenses can add up and it really gives validity to the phrase that you can "nickel and dime yourself to death."
ReplyDeleteWow that's pretty interesting. I owned a dog for many years and never really stopped to think about how much it would actually cost. The fact that my dog always tore toys in half was pretty amusing, but in the end I never payed attention to the cost. I've looked at some dog toys and the prices are actually very high. Now that I think about it, I can see how a lot of people could spend almost $28,000 on dog essentials. Good Post!
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting preservative on an age-old debate. I have always been a dog person myself and I've stuck by that simply for emotional reasons with no logical backing. The cost of the pet never seemed to cross my mind. Although it is a bit more expensive to own a dog I don't think I'll be updating my position anytime soon. Its also interesting to see the expenses that aren't very evidence such as the vet visits and the shots to keep them healthy.
ReplyDeleteI'm honestly really surprised about the gap in the costs associated with cats and dogs. I feel like most people weigh their want to have a cat or dog without looking into the cost difference too closely. I've actually never had a cat or a dog but this was really helpful in terms of making me more aware of how big of a commitment pets can be beyond just your time and energy.
ReplyDeleteIt always surprises me how much a pet can cost in the long run. It's not something you really think about at first, but it's important to consider all of these factors. As someone who wants to own bother a cat and dog in the future, there's a lot more that I need to consider about the expenses for both.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great idea! I have always known that I want a pet in the future, but now I know exactly what I am getting in to, with expenses and more. Thanks so much for writing this, it was super helpful!
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ReplyDeleteI personally can’t relate to this post very well because my family has never had a dog or cat, due to the fact that both my dad and I are severely allergic to most animal furs. I had no idea how expensive it is to have a pet! I never thought about the initial veterinary visits, and how you can even have insurance for pets. It makes me think, how much of all the spending is actually necessary? After doing some research of my own, I found that a single 18 pound bag of dog food can cost over $123. Of course you want your pet to have a healthier diet, so maybe the absolute cheapest option for food isn’t ideal, but you could still settle for something a little cheaper than $120. Although it’s important to have enrichments for your pets to stay active and help their brain develop, one could perhaps find some alternatives to expensive dog toys. This video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agRQZgJKf8g ) shows some great, cheap homemade toys for your pet. Although I don’t have personal experience with pets, maybe these tips could help someone cut down on their “pet budget”.
ReplyDeleteI never have looked into the average price to raise a pet, very interesting to see these numbers. I personally hate dogs as they have sharp teeth capable of hurting me. As for cats we should leave them outside, but bunnies I have a decent amount of respect for, not only are they cheaper but they serve as a great companion. Whether fetching a duck or saving you from drowning a bunny is a great friend. Spending the same amount of money as a car on an additional family member that adds no benefit is quite stupid in my opinion. This article again however interesting in how economics can be related to almost everything.
ReplyDeleteThis post was super interesting, and honestly I was surprised by the results. I’ve always been a dog person myself, but I never really took into account the price of each pet and how money and time I would have to put into them over the years. The graph especially really helped me understand right away, and overall thought this post was a great idea! From now on I will definitely have to look more into the pet I want not just based on because of the joy, but also other factors that may play into it, such as price.
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