How Much Does a Somali Cat Cost? 2024 Price Guide

If you’re ready to add a cute kitten to your family, you might be tempted by the mischievous and downright adorable Somali Cat. Before taking the plunge, you should ensure you can cover the costs of your new kitten throughout their lifetime. Besides one-off costs, like getting microchips, spaying, or neutering, you’ll also need to consider ongoing monthly and annual expenses, like cat food, pet insurance, and medication.

We broke down the typical ownership costs for a Somali Cat. These estimates will vary depending on your region and the types of products, like cat litter or food, you choose to buy. One of the most significant expenses for cat owners is veterinary care, but the annual cost can vary wildly, as some cats rarely need the vet, while others will be there more often. Either way, knowing what kind of budget to expect is a great place to start before you bring that sweet kitten home.

Bringing Home a New Somali Cat: One-Time Costs

Becoming a cat owner will require a fair amount of upfront investment as you prepare to bring your kitten home. If you haven’t had a cat before, there are quite a few one-off expenses that you’ll need to pay. These include a cat carrier, bed, and bowls for water and food.

You’ll also need to budget for the initial cost of your kitten, veterinary check-ups, spaying or neutering, and vaccinations.

Free

You may see cute kittens advertised online or know of a friend or neighbor whose cat is expecting kittens. While they may tempt you, they’re unlikely to be purebred Somali cats.

If you’ve set your heart on a Somali, it’s wise to consider adopting an older cat from a shelter or investing in a purebred kitten from a new breeder. Free kittens might seem like a bargain at the time, but the initial adoption price will likely be one of your least significant costs in the long run!

Adoption

• $100-$250

Bringing a cat home from a shelter is a wonderful way to give a cat or kitten in need a loving new home. It’s often better value than buying a kitten from a registered breeder. The only downside is that you may not always be able to find the specific breed that you’re looking for.

It’s always worth contacting your local shelters to let them know you’re on the lookout for a Somali cat or speaking to rescues that specialize in this breed, like the Southern California Abyssinian Rescue or the Northeast Abyssinian Rescue (which both also rehome Somalis).

You’ll usually be asked to pay an adoption fee, which helps the shelter cover the costs of cat food, veterinary fees, and other expenses.

Breeder

$200-$500

A reputable breeder is the best place to look if you’ve set your heart on a Somali kitten. The price of a kitten will vary depending on your area, the breeder’s reputation, and factors like the kitten’s color and lineage.

It’s always important to ask the breeder about the health tests they carry out on the kittens and the parent cats. They should also be happy to allow you to meet the parent cats and kittens and provide references from previous customers.

Initial Setup and Supplies

$120-$450

If you’ve never owned a cat, you’ll need to buy at least everything on the list here and a few extras if you want to! For some items, like food bowls and beds, you can find various options to suit all budgets. For others, like veterinary care, you’ll have to pay the going rate in your area.

If you’ve owned cats before, you probably have at least a few of these supplies, which will help keep costs down.

List of Somali Cat Care Supplies and Costs

Before you bring your new Somali Cat home, you’ll need to make sure you’ve covered most of the things on this list. You can buy budget versions or splash out on luxury brands. For things like a spay or neuter appointment and microchipping, speak to your local vet’s office and ask for a quote.

How Much Does a Somali Cat Cost Per Month?

$50-$250 per month

Once you have the initial setup costs out of the way, the monthly expenses of keeping a Somali can vary. It will depend on whether you decide to use budget or premium brands for cat litter and food and whether your cat needs ongoing medications.

Health Care

$15-$200+ per month

If your cat needs emergency medical treatment, it can considerably increase the costs. Any cat owner needs to think about how they will meet those unexpected bills, which can sometimes be sizeable!

Some vets accept payment plans, and asking about this in advance is always a good idea. You can also consider taking out pet insurance or setting up a savings account for vet bills.

Food

$20-$75+ per month 

When it comes to different cat food brands, there are so many to choose from! The good news is that there’s something to suit every budget. While premium cat food might be wallet-friendly, it should still contain a high amount of protein. Look specifically for brands that list real meat as one of the first five ingredients. Some discount cat foods may contain fillers and grains, but as long as the protein percentage is high, they can still be good options.

At the other end of the scale, luxury cat foods can be made with organic ingredients and novel proteins to suit your cat’s tastes.

• Also Read: 10 Best Cat Feeding Mats (For Food & Water) – Reviews & Top Picks

Grooming

$0-$15 per month

When it comes to keeping your Somali Cat’s skin and coat healthy, you won’t need to make any significant investment each month. As long as you have grooming tools, a quick brush once a week or so will do. During shedding season, you may want to increase it to daily brushing or invest in a de-shedding tool to help remove the excess hairs.

Medications and Vet Visits

$0-$50+ per month

Some Somali Cats rarely need medication or vet visits other than their regular annual check-up. Others may develop a health condition that requires ongoing medication.

You should ask your kitten’s breeder or vet for more information about these conditions before bringing a new cat home. Budgeting for an annual dental appointment is also a good idea, even if you brush your cat’s teeth regularly.

Pet Insurance

$5-$25+ per month

Insuring your Somali Cat might seem unnecessary, but it can pay off big time if your cat needs an expensive medical treatment or an emergency procedure. There are various policies to suit almost any budget, so see if you can find one that fits your budget.

Environment Maintenance

$15-$100+ per month

Even if your cat goes outside, you’ll likely have a litter box inside for them to use. Apart from food, litter is one of the most significant costs for cat owners. On average, an indoor cat will go through around 20 pounds of clay-based litter per month. Some litters cost more than others, and you may also decide to use litter mats, deodorizing sprays, or litter box liners.

Many cat owners replace cardboard scratchers monthly, so their playful Somali cat always has a nice, fresh scratching surface.

Entertainment

$0-$50+ per month

Here, you can keep a strict budget and spend little on entertainment or go wild! Somali cats are playful and can benefit from plenty of toys to keep them occupied. Whether you entertain them with a rolled-up ball of aluminum foil or the latest high-tech gadget is entirely up to you!

Somali Cats are active and intelligent, so you may find they need more entertainment than some other breeds.

Cat subscription boxes are a terrific way of keeping an intelligent Somali entertained, and they’ll love the new selection of toys and treats. We bet your clever cat will even learn to recognize the box that arrives every month!

Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Somali Cat

$50-$250+ per month

The monthly cost of keeping your adorable Somali will vary depending on whether you use premium or budget products or a combination of both! It’s possible to keep a cat on a budget or lavish them in all the toys and treats you can afford.

The one thing that an owner can’t control is the cost of veterinary visits. Somali cats are generally healthy but can suffer from a few conditions requiring medical help. Of course, any cat can also have an accident that requires emergency treatment. Our final monthly estimate doesn’t include any large vet bills, so bear that in mind!

Additional Costs to Factor In

Becoming the owner of a Somali cat requires you to factor in occasional costs, including expenses like:

Owning a Somali Cat On a Budget

The good news is that owning a sweet Somali Cat on a budget is possible. If you’re careful not to spend too much on unnecessary items, like fancy beds and luxurious water bowls, you can save plenty of money that way.

However, the one expense you shouldn’t economize on is good-quality cat food. Always buy the best brand you can afford, and find something with real meat as the first ingredient but without fillers or artificial ingredients.

Saving Money on Somali Cat Care

There are always ways to save a few cents when caring for your Somali Cat. Consider switching to a different, cheaper brand of cat litter or make toys out of cardboard tubes and foil instead of buying the latest interactive toys.

Don’t be tempted by fancy accessories or buying a new bed every month. There are plenty of DIY plans for cat trees or outdoor enclosures if you want to treat your cat to something new on a budget. Remember, all that most cats want is plenty of attention and affection from their owners, which they’ll appreciate more than anything that money can buy.

Conclusion

Owning a gorgeous and fluffy Somali cat can cost as little as $25 per month once you’ve covered initial expenses like their bowls, carriers, and beds. At the other end of the scale, you may have a larger budget and enjoy spoiling your cat with the finer things in life. Either way, what your cat will value most is time spent with you, either cuddling or playing!

Food and cat litter will make up most of your budget for a typical month. There are options to suit any budget, so do your research, read a few reviews, and find the best match for your cat.

One factor that can cause your monthly outgoings to skyrocket is an unplanned visit to the vet or if your Somali develops a health condition that requires ongoing medical care. You may decide that taking out pet insurance while your cat is still a kitten is a worthwhile investment.

Featured Image Credit: Nataliya Kuznetsova, Shutterstock