22nd September 2026
A cat or dog can bring years of companionship and pleasure to a household, but there is another side to pet ownership that is sometimes overlooked when people decide to bring an animal home.
The purchase or adoption price is only the beginning. Food, insurance, routine veterinary care, vaccinations, flea and worm treatments, equipment and, potentially, some very large veterinary bills all have to be paid for over the animal's lifetime.
With household budgets still under pressure, it is worth looking at the costs before making the commitment.
The animal charity PDSA estimates that the minimum ongoing cost of keeping a cat is around £79 a month, or about £950 a year. Its estimated minimum lifetime cost is between £11,400 and £13,600, based on an expected lifespan of roughly 12 to 14 years. These figures are minimum costs and do not include buying the cat or additional veterinary treatment for illness or injury.
Cats Protection reaches a similar conclusion, estimating that typical cat ownership costs more than £1,000 a year. Its breakdown includes food, litter, insurance, routine healthcare and other regular expenses.
Dogs can be considerably more expensive, particularly as they get larger.
PDSA estimates minimum monthly costs of about £69 for a small dog, £83 for a medium-sized dog and £116 for a large dog. That means roughly £830, £1,000 or £1,390 a year before unexpected veterinary bills and some of the additional services owners may need.
The initial equipment also adds up. PDSA estimates that getting the basic equipment and initial healthcare for a dog costs around £415 for a small dog, £531 for a medium dog and £560 for a large dog, before the cost of actually acquiring the animal.
There can then be grooming, training, dog walking, boarding kennels or doggy day care, depending on the owner's circumstances.
The bill nobody can predict
The difficult cost to budget for is veterinary treatment.
An otherwise healthy animal can go for years with relatively modest veterinary costs and then suddenly need an operation, dental treatment, scans, medication or emergency care.
Cats Protection warns that an out-of-hours consultation can cost more than £150, while diagnostic tests and treatment can run into thousands of pounds.
That is why insurance or a separate emergency savings fund can be important. Insurance itself is another monthly expense, and premiums can rise as an animal gets older.
The latest changes to the veterinary market should at least make some of these costs easier to understand. The Competition and Markets Authority is introducing reforms requiring practices to provide more information about prices and treatment. Written estimates will eventually be required where a treatment pathway is reasonably likely to cost £500 or more, followed by an itemised bill. There will also be limits on charges for written prescriptions.
But the new rules do not put a general limit on what vets can charge for treatment.
Are pet costs rising?
There is clear evidence that affordability has become a concern.
PDSA found that only 24% of pet owners had looked into the cost of owning a pet before choosing one, despite earlier research showing that many owners underestimate the minimum monthly cost.
Cats Protection reports that 30% of cat owners are significantly concerned about being able to afford household bills and other living costs, while 24% say cost is the biggest barrier to taking their cat to the vet as often as they would like.
The problem is not necessarily that every part of pet ownership is rising at the same rate. Food, insurance, veterinary treatment and other services can all move differently. But over a 10, 15 or even 18-year lifetime, even relatively modest annual increases can make a significant difference.
This is particularly important for someone on a fixed income.
What should a prospective owner budget for?
Before bringing home a cat or dog, it is sensible to consider the cost of the animal itself, initial equipment, food, insurance, routine veterinary care, vaccinations, flea and worm treatments and replacing worn-out equipment.
Then there are the occasional costs such as holidays, pet sitting, grooming and training.
Most importantly, there needs to be a plan for an unexpected veterinary bill.
A rescue animal can sometimes reduce the initial cost because organisations may already have dealt with vaccinations, neutering and microchipping. Cats Protection, for example, includes these services with its adoption arrangements.
None of this means that people should be put off having a pet. For many households, the companionship is worth far more than the financial cost.
But a sensible calculation before taking on an animal could prevent a difficult situation later.
The real question is not simply “Can I afford to get a cat or dog?”
It is “Can I afford to look after one properly for the next 10, 15 or even 18 years, including the possibility of a large vet bill?”
That is probably the calculation worth making before bringing a new four-legged member of the family home.
Sources: PDSA, Cats Protection and Competition and Markets Authority.