Which pet is cheaper - cat or dog?

[Doglover8180]

I have a dog right now - she really needs a companion - she is lonely during the day when I am not there. I am thinking about getting a cat as a companion for her because I believe they are cheaper both money wise and damage wise - they don't eat window sills, sheetrock, etc... and I think the actual cost would be cheaper as well...but is this an accurate assumption? I would like some feedback from cat & dog owners who truly know the comparisson of the two. Thanks.

[navybrat]

I have had both my whole life and personally I can't tell any difference in cost. I guess if you get a dog that needs regular haircuts that could cost more than a cat, unless you shave your cat like I do. (I have 2 cats right now but only shave the Maine Coon) My parents cat eats more than their dog so..food isn't always cheaper for the smaller animal. Both need toys. Both would like beds. Not EVEN gonna try and compare vet bills, they suck for both!! I guess my opinion would have to be get whatever you would also like as a companion because it's just as much your new buddy as it is the dogs. Just make sure the dog likes cats first before you get one!

[akita_mommy]

CAT --- 100% CHEAPER!
At least in my case they are. We have two HUGE dogs and they require LOTS of vet maintenance. Cat litter is cheap and she only goes through one small bag of food every two weeks or so. So $5 x 2 = $10 on food per month. Compared to my $130 for dog food every month. Take into consideration dogs require YEARLY vet exams, heart worm meds EVERY month, intestinal worm meds every few months, GROOMING depending on breed. And dogs tend to get into EVERYTHING. Much higher risk of them ingesting something and having to be rushed to the vet. Trust me this has happened MANY times to me.

We've had our cat for 3 years now and I always say I would never get rid of her. She is the easiest animal ever. I change her litter box and feed her and that's all she needs!

[heyitsjenny]

CAT --- 100% CHEAPER!
At least in my case they are. We have two HUGE dogs and they require LOTS of vet maintenance. Cat litter is cheap and she only goes through one small bag of food every two weeks or so. So $5 x 2 = $10 on food per month. Compared to my $130 for dog food every month. Take into consideration dogs require YEARLY vet exams, heart worm meds EVERY month, intestinal worm meds every few months, GROOMING depending on breed. And dogs tend to get into EVERYTHING. Much higher risk of them ingesting something and having to be rushed to the vet. Trust me this has happened MANY times to me.

We've had our cat for 3 years now and I always say I would never get rid of her. She is the easiest animal ever. I change her litter box and feed her and that's all she needs!

100% agree with this! Cats are cleaner, easier to take care of, and most important of all, cheaper!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Small dog vs cat I would say are about equal. I spend more on my small dog though because I buy her clothes...the cat won't let me dress her.

Large dog vs cat = dog more expensive.

[akita_mommy]

Smaller dogs tend to need more grooming, though. Well in most cases. Depends what kind of dog you would get.

[Liz]

Small dog vs cat I would say are about equal. I spend more on my small dog though because I buy her clothes...the cat won't let me dress her.

Large dog vs cat = dog more expensive.

I'm going to disagree.

If you're looking at a small dog, food is the same. I have both cats and dogs, and I notice that even though we're heavy handed on the cat treats, the dog gets many more (once for each potty which is 3 times a day, plus one for greeting 2 of us when we get home--minimum 5 per day). A vet visit annually, distemper and rabies shots are negligibly different in cost for each species.

Cats need litter, with 3 cats and 3 boxes we maybe go through one 27lb box a month. At one cat, $50/year.

Dog needs heartworm testing once a year, plus monthly heartworm and flea/tick meds. That's $60/year for the test plus about $10/month for each med (going through a reputable US pharmacy) even for a small dog.

Cats are cheaper.

[PrincessCoupon]

I think (now don't quote me) that a 'pet rock' would be cheaper than either!

[Smee]

Small dog vs cat I would say are about equal. I spend more on my small dog though because I buy her clothes...the cat won't let me dress her.

Large dog vs cat = dog more expensive.

I'm in this camp. In general, I don't think a small short haired dog is going to cost much more in maintenance than a cat, and there are plenty of short haired breeds and mixes.

However, I'll be the dissenter and say that I don't think cats are generally any cleaner and less destructive than dogs. During many years of canine rescue and cat ownership, we've had as many as 13 dogs of various breeds and sizes and 5 cats in the house at a time. While I love my cats, I hope to never have another one when these pass on to whatever awaits cats on the other side. If given a choice, I'd easily pick 10 hairy, groomable dogs over 2 cats any day of the week. Right now we're at five dogs including a couple of high maintenance Standard Poodles and four cats, and I still prefer the dogs (not that I don't love my cats!).

[kval07]

I'll give my two cents.

Cats are cheaper, but dogs are way more fun.

Another important thing to remember is teeth cleanings! No one has mentioned that. Getting teeth cleaned isn't cheap, but the alternative is way more expensive. My dogs get their teeth cleaned yearly.