I didn’t write about pets in my book for habits draining your net worth, but I should have.
Boyfriend has a cat named Curtis. He’s fabulous and cuddly and appreciative and also kind of a jerk. I love him, but he’s a massive expense and doesn’t bring in any income.
Curtis is an indoor/outdoor fella. We’ve tried to confine him indoors and he howls all night long. He has more endurance than we do, so he has a door his size and he comes and goes as he pleases. Sometimes we won’t see him for a couple of days and then we worry about him. But then he saunters in like nobody’s business. What?
This kitty is stressful.
But we love him. We love him.
Pros: We love him. He keeps the mouse population at bay. He’s a buddy to talk to when you’re home alone. We can walk around the block and he’ll follow us, causing people passing by to ask if we’re actually walking our cat. Yes, we are. He stars in cute pictures.
As for the cons, well…
I’ve had cats throughout my life. When I was in high school, my parents got Daisy. She was a tabby and lived for fourteen years with them.
When I lived in Chicago, I had Lady Grey and Mimi. They were foster cats and adopted out after a couple of months.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from these cat interactions, it’s that I’m allergic to cats. Especially indoor/outdoor Curtis.
That’s the number one negative in having a cat. The constant drippy nose, congestion, itchy, dry, yet inexplicably runny eyes. I take medication every day and I’m still allergic.
Another con on the pro/con list and the one we all care about is that cats are expensive. At least this cat is. As an indoor/outdoor furball who is a long boy and tough, he gets into a lot of fights. He hurts himself on fences. He eats things he shouldn’t. This kitty has no sense of self preservation. We love him. We take him to the vet often and pay for his playing dearly.
Seriously, we’ve spent thousands on vet bills since I’ve met him. At least boyfriend has. It’s his cat.
I haven’t even mentioned the routine maintenance. The special cat food for older male cats. The yearly shots. Etc. It all adds up and it all prevents you from retiring early.
I’ve never had a dog, but I imagine having a dog is like having a cat on steroids. You feel extra guilty when you travel. Big dogs eat a lot. They shed and drool. They can’t tell you when something is wrong.
Curtis uses the outdoors as his litterbox, thank goodness. That’s not a pro or a con, just a neutral.
I love Cat Face more than anything, but if I’m being honest, I won’t ever get another feline friend again. Because of the allergies, mostly, but also the expense and the inability to travel without feeling guilty. It doesn’t fit our lifestyle.
I remember reading once that pet ownership is optional and I think about that a lot.
What about you? Are pets’ companionship worth delaying retirement? I’m guessing a lot of people would say yes with an exclamation point.
I had a cat for 20 years. I loved her, and I miss her. Yes, expensive. Not to mention, hair in food, off-putting smells, and unsanitary. I still miss her. But no more pets.
I know so many people who got one pet and after that pet died, they vowed no more pets. Thanks for reminding me of additional cons!
Yes! And my personal rant is that I feel like veterinarians are predatory now. Not a month goes by that I dont have a friend telling me they just spent thousands of dollars for one of their pet’s afflictions. In these days when people are foregoing children because they are so expensive, they are now spending that money on pet care, pet toys, pet food , pet boarding and VET BILLS. It makes me crazy because growing up I remember we spent almost nothing on our pets.
For my parents’ cat Daisy, we barely spent anything on her either. She didn’t get sick until the end and then it was a rapid decline. It does feel like pets are more expensive these days. And it’s so hard to know what to do with vets! They’re like mechanics. When they say you need to do something, it’s impossible to understand why. At least for me.
Honestly, I thought cats were low maintenance. I bought a house to have a pet and was leaning on getting a cat now and a dog after retirement. Your post has me rethinking everything.
Sorry! Cats are definitely more low maintenance, but I think it depends on the cat, maybe? No more pets for me.
Fantastic post… great stuff. Sorry to hear about your cat allergies… I can relate completely… although I don’t have a cat in the house, so maybe not on that part. 😉
As for retirement and pets.. I have been retired now for 4 years (retired at 49)… and beyond investments, my Navy pension makes it very easy to remain retired. But, like you and your boyfriend, I travel a LOT… and I simply cannot justify getting a pet because it will either be left alone a good bit (cat) or live in a kennel a good bit (dog)… and neither of those seem fair to the pet (totally get your point about feeling guilty when you’re gone for a longer period of time). On top of that, the expense of kenneling for a dog.. whew!
Agree fully on cost factor.. but for me I think the primary factor is limiting my autonomous movement through the universe. I’ve watched many a friend have children… and then since often they purposefully limit travel for a few years (simply because of the added expense of a full-price seat for a toddler, the patience testing realities of traveling with little ones, etc.) they decide to get a pet.. because they’re not so mobile anyway and I don’t know.. pets are pretty awesome and all.
Then, their kids grow a few years older and now they are ready to TRAVEL! But, they’ve got Misty the Dog, and FurrBear the cat, and a fish that needs feeding… and well, after watching this storyline (or something similar) play out over and over for many of my friends and colleagues… I’ve committed to foregoing all the awesome pros of having a pet until I’m ready to be a bit more sedentary. 🙂
Quick disclaimer (smile) – I also recognize that MANY people have plenty of pets and they make it work.. even with frequent travel! I’m just lazier than all those good humans! 😉
As always, hope you and boyfriend are well!
Same! Indeed we sometimes say we can’t even take care of a pet. But I was just looking at the trips I did last year, and a pet would have been a lot of admin.
People do love their pets though.
We lock our second bedroom door and have a cat door in the window and explain in the Airbnb listing that we have a cat they have no responsibility for. We leave a bunch of food and water and have the cleaners top eveyrthing off. It’s a lot of admin as you say!
It’s a tale as old as time! Misty and FurrBear stop you from moving throughout the universe. They’re very limiting. Some people say grounding. I say restricting.
And yes, I used to petsit, so I know there are cheap ways to travel with pets, but it’s still not easy!
Thanks for the thoughful comment. 🙂
Anita,
Are you living alone? Do you love the cat? If “no” to both questions, cat is expendable.
Living with boyfriend and cat. We both love cat very much. This particular cat is not expendeble.
I have had my cat for 13 years, I must be lucky because he has only cost about $300/year .
That’s pretty good! Is he an indoor cat? I think that helps a lot. But $3,900 for a companion seems like a pretty good deal.
Hey Anita, long time reader here from Europe. My mum (71) owns a 12 year old black cat called Mici. She costs also around 300 bucks a year and was a total life saver for my mum during pandemic. She also keeps mice at bay which is a big plus. I am super grateful for that little bastard for keeping Mum company.
I believe if one chooses the pet and the vet wisely, the vet bills and other costs can be kept low and keeping a pet really is an investment for mental health!!
We don’t have pets but planning on having at least a low maintenance dog and a cat. Expensive breeds can be really pricey.
Your post made me think of budgeting, finding a nearby respectable vet in advance and planning ahead for trips etc.
Thanks for your thoughts!
I like your argument! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
I told boyfriend maybe we should get a dog when we’re old and not traveling as much. Maybe I’m just allergic to cats.
We got a rescue dog when our kids were young and she was the best dog ever! Had her for about 13 years, I miss her like crazy, but, my kids are adults now and freedom is something we aren’t ready to give up just yet though we love love love dogs. Maybe when we get much older and don’t travel much.
Boyfriend and I were discussing getting a dog when we’re 65. Maybe we will travel less then. We’re on the same page.
I understand your point of view, but I don’t agree with the ideia of reducing the relationship with pets to just money and habit. The decision to have a pet or a kid goes beyond, it goes to things that are far more valuable than money 🙂
Very fair point! I didn’t capture the emotional aspect of how wonderful pets can be and that does weigh a lot in the pro column.
Some comedian joked that he wanted a dog and his wife wanted a cat, so they compromised and got two cats. Despite his flaws, Curtis kind of sounds like a bad ass.
We don’t have any pets, but my husband loves dogs. He knows the neighborhood dogs by name, not so much the owners. The feeling is mutual. Dogs see him a mile away and know he is a friend. Now that our kids are more independent it’s getting to be that time to fulfill my promise of getting a dog. Originally, it was once the kids were out of diapers, then, once we moved to the next house, my latest (last?) condition is to update the kitchen first (read agonize over too many expensive decisions). But I can’t keep delaying and feel okay about it. Which reminds me, I need to add this line item to the future budget. Gah…all that pet hair too!
LOL. Your comment made me chuckle and your husband sounds awesome. 🙂
🙂 Nice! He is pretty great…people like him too
Marie: I don’t know what it says about me, at 72, but I’m liking dogs more than people, except my family of course. I think I’d like your husband.
Rudi, I know you’re not alone in preferring dogs over people. The unquestioning love and companionship dogs can provide is something special!
At the place when I used to live as a tenant, there were 4 stray dogs, I started feeding them and they used to wait for that small feed. Then I started giving them big portions and took it as responsibility and they used to wait for me whole day to return home.
Recently constructed house and moved to another location in the same city. Visited the place after 5 days just to see how they are doing and one dog was in bad shape, it had eye infection and not able to move with that pain.
I was fully into work with settling but could not leave it there and brought it home.
Took to doctors and got it treated, lot of expenses and effort. After few days, brought 2nd one to give company.
Now both are there with me due to the attachment with them and could not leave them without food.
Yes it is expensive and effort but someone is waiting at home for you and the affection they give us.
That’s a lovely story. And you’re right that it’s nice to have someone waiting at home for you!
I enjoyed pets growing up, but have had no compelling reason to own one as an adult. But it seems a possibility that I will fall in love with a dog person or a cat person and will have to compromise on that. I’d prefer the cat over the dog myself.
Yes, falling in love with a man who had a cat certainly couldn’t be helped!
I have had many dogs and for me the saying “mans best friend” rings true. The love, companion ship, laughter, home theft deterrent, exercise and social aspects of walking them seems like a low cost to pay when I do the math on dog cost. Last dog had a 13y run he was grouchy but always at my side all costs included he was about $2.25/day and for me, with all the benefits, I’d call that a bargain. (noteworthy i didn’t include my hourly labor for dog poo or vacuuming)
That’s certainly a convincing argument!