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4-5 minute read
We are cat lovers, and have three of our own. We got all of our cats as kittens, and two were free kittens and one was from the SPCA. We want to make sure you know what you are getting yourself into by looking for a kitten by whichever means.
While it can be tempting during kitten season seeing all the available free kittens on social media, we outline whether is this really the best option overall. Free kittens have often been raised with a lot of handling from people, and can come very socialised and litter trained. SPCA/rescue kittens do get handled by people, but not at the level of a kitten who is raised in someone's home.
We outline the options when it comes to free kittens verses the cost of adopting one from somewhere such as the SPCA/rescue or a pet shop, and tally up which is cheaper and better for peace of mind overall.
NOTE: We do not outline adopting from a breeder information, as this is entirely different - breeders quite often have specific requirements, and will often include similar to the SPCA/rescue including vaccinations, de-sexing, and microchipping before allowing their kittens for adoption.
COST
Free Kittens
Well, it is in the name - they are free, or a minimal cost of often less than $40, and are advertised on places such as social media.
SPCA/Rescue Kittens
These kittens cost a flat fee on average of $250 (this may vary locally) from the SPCA, and from pet shops they range from $160 to $300
WHAT DOES THIS COST INCLUDE?
Well, according to their website, the SPCA kittens include the cost of a microchip insertion and registration, de-sexing, and vaccinations. It does not include the cost of de-worming which ranges from $30 to $100.
Free kittens do not include any of these, however if they are a minimal cost say $40, this might include deworming, and any flea treatments completed. If we tally up the cost of microchipping and registering, de-sexing, and vaccinations this would be:
- Vet consultation - $60
- Microchipping - $40
- Microchip registration - $30
- De-sexing male - $90
- De-sexing female - $125
- Vaccinations - $60
- De-worming - $30 to $100
This adds up to between $310 and $415 - considerably more than the cost an SPCA/rescue, or pet shop kitten.
NOTE: These are average costs of New Zealand veterinarian websites that we have looked at, and overcall cost may be different depending on where you go.
HEALTH
SPCA kittens have been given a clean bill of health from a veterinarian prior to being put up for adoption, and any that are not healthy enough are not put out into the adoption pool. This can give you some peace of mind, that the kitten you have adopted is healthy, and free from any health conditions that are known at the time, they will also let you know if there are any recognized at the time or any future issues they suspect.
Free kittens have not necessarily been given this rigorous check, and depending on where they come from can have an array of health conditions including Feline Lower Urinary Tract Diseases (FLUTD), fleas, tapeworm, feline aids and eye problems. These conditions can rack up a costly vet bill for treatment ranging from $200 to over $1000.
Overall the choice is up to you, but we have been there with the extra costs of a free kitten verses an adopted kitten from SPCA or a pet shop, and wanted to outline this for you so you don't get surprised down the track. When you do decide to add a furry edition to your home, we have collars, tags, and toys available to make the transition easier!
You can find out more info on adopting a kitten or cat from the SPCA https://www.spca.nz/adopt
Share your thoughts below if you've had similar experiences.
