How much does it cost to own a dog or cat?

Ask pet owners online what surprised them most and two answers come up again and again: vet costs, and needing a rainy day fund. The money is real, but most of it is predictable once you split it into food, routine care and the unexpected. Here's what each costs, using our own price checks for food and published surveys for the rest.

Food: the cost you can control most

Food is the biggest everyday cost, and it depends mostly on your dog's size and the food you pick. We worked out a year of dry food for a spayed or neutered adult dog from the 15 best-selling dry dog foods we priced in October 2026:

*Pedigree Complete Nutrition Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor, the cheapest dry dog food we grade at B or better ($0.43 per 1,000 kcal). "Typical" is the middle of the 15 foods; the last column averages the three premium brands. Calories use the standard 1.6 × resting energy formula; treats and wet food are extra.

A 10 lb cat eats about 260 kcal a day, so a year of dry cat food runs about $52 to $287 across the foods we grade. Wet food costs several times more per calorie; see wet vs dry cat food.

The cheapest way to save on food isn't always a cheaper bag. Measuring portions with our dog food calculator stops the overfeeding that both wastes food and leads to weight-related vet bills later.

Vet care: routine and surprise

The American Pet Products Association's owner survey (2021 to 2022) found dog owners spent on average about $242 a year on routine vet visits and $458 on surgical vet visits. Cat owners averaged about $178 routine and $201 surgical. Those are averages: most years cost less, and one bad year can cost far more.

Two things reliably cut long-run vet bills:

• Dental care. Dental disease is common and expensive to treat once it's advanced. Daily brushing, or a chew with the VOHC seal, is cheap by comparison. See do dental chews work?.
• Keeping weight down. Extra weight adds to joint problems as pets age. See senior dog care.

Planning for the unexpected

Emergency and specialist care is where budgets break. You have two main tools, and many owners use both:

• Savings set aside for the pet. You keep what you don't use, but a big bill early on can outrun it.
• Pet insurance. In 2024 the average U.S. accident and illness policy cost about $749 a year for a dog and $386 for a cat, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. Whether it's worth it depends on the plan and your pet; see is pet insurance worth it?.

Other costs to budget for

• Treats and chews: vets suggest treats stay under 10% of daily calories, which also keeps the cost down. Our treat grades compare price per ounce.
• Pet sitters, walkers or boarding if you work long hours or travel. See how long a dog can be left alone.
• Grooming, especially for long-coated breeds.
• One-time costs when you first get a pet: spay or neuter, vaccines, crate, bed, leash and bowls.

Not financial advice. Prices vary a lot by region and by pet.

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