PawBudget

How much does it cost to own a cat? By breed

Owning a cat in the US costs roughly $1,150 a year on average (ASPCA/APPA), with a first year of about $1,000–$1,700 once you add adoption or purchase, spay/neuter and litter setup. Cats live longer than many dogs, so over a 13–17 year life the estimated total reaches $15,000–$22,000. Below, 9 cat breeds ranked by estimated lifetime cost. All lifetime figures are estimates — your costs will vary.

Source: ASPCA (annual & first-year pet care costs); NAPHIA State of the Industry Report. Data as of June 2026.

Cat breeds ranked by estimated lifetime cost

BreedFirst yearPer yearAvg lifespanLifetime (est.)
Bengal$1,700$1,250/yr14 yrs$17,950
Persian$1,500$1,250/yr14 yrs$17,750
Siamese$1,350$1,150/yr15 yrs$17,450
British Shorthair$1,500$1,200/yr14 yrs$17,100
Sphynx$1,900$1,350/yr12 yrs$16,750
Scottish Fold$1,650$1,250/yr13 yrs$16,650
Maine Coon$1,600$1,250/yr13 yrs$16,600
Domestic Shorthair$1,150$1,100/yr15 yrs$16,550
Ragdoll$1,550$1,200/yr13 yrs$15,950

Source: ASPCA (annual & first-year pet care costs) · NAPHIA State of the Industry Report. Data as of June 2026.

Lifetime cost = first-year cost + average annual cost × (average lifespan − 1). It is a transparent estimate and excludes major one-off medical events. See the methodology.

All cat breeds

Domestic Shorthair

$1,100/yr · ~$16,550 lifetime · 15 yr lifespan

Maine Coon

$1,250/yr · ~$16,600 lifetime · 13 yr lifespan

Ragdoll

$1,200/yr · ~$15,950 lifetime · 13 yr lifespan

Persian

$1,250/yr · ~$17,750 lifetime · 14 yr lifespan

Siamese

$1,150/yr · ~$17,450 lifetime · 15 yr lifespan

Bengal

$1,250/yr · ~$17,950 lifetime · 14 yr lifespan

British Shorthair

$1,200/yr · ~$17,100 lifetime · 14 yr lifespan

Sphynx

$1,350/yr · ~$16,750 lifetime · 12 yr lifespan

Scottish Fold

$1,250/yr · ~$16,650 lifetime · 13 yr lifespan

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Last updated: 2026-06-18