If you’re looking to get an Abyssinian cat, one of the first questions you should ask yourself is whether or not you can actually afford it. You should consider how much they cost to buy as a kitten or as an adult, but it doesn’t stop there. You also have to consider the monthly or yearly cost of taking care of one of these animals. Since I was considering adopting an Abyssinian myself, I did a lot of research on how much they actually cost. I will summarize all my findings in this article in a clear and concise way to give you the best, most complete overview of how much you should expect to spend on taking care of one of these beautiful cats.
So, how much does an Abyssinian cat actually cost? The short answer is this: You can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1200 for an Abyssinian kitten if you buy one from a breeder. The price largely depends on the demand for this bread in your area, your location, and the breeder you buy from. Adopting one from a shelter will of course be much less expensive, but you’re unlikely to get a kitten. Instead, you’ll most likely get a fully grown cat. If you go for the adoption route, expect to pay around $75 to $150. Also, take into account all the yearly costs, they can add up to over $20,000 over the lifespan of your cat!
But that’s not all, there are of course also monthly costs associated with owning any cat, and the Abyssinian is no different. Let’s take a closer look and make a complete price breakdown.
How much does an Abyssinian Kitten cost?
The price you can expect to pay for an Abyssinian is not set in stone. There are many breeders and they all have their own prices. The main factors that affect the price you’ll have to pay are your location, the demand and supply in your location, and the breeder you buy one from.
You should expect to pay around $500 to $1200, so to be safe, set aside around $1200 when you’re considering buying an Abyssinian kitten. That way, you can be pretty confident that your budget is sufficient to be able to afford it.
How much is adoption?
Adoption is always the cheaper option, but you will usually not get a kitten but rather a fully grown cat. Whether or not this is for you is your decision, but financially and ethically it’s the better option in my opinion. You’re giving a cat from a shelter a new, loving home and you’re saving money at the same time!
Generally speaking, it will cost you about $75 to $150 to adopt one of the cats into your home. The best way to find out whether one of these cats is available for adoption is to go to a local animal shelter and ask around. Alternatively, you can also look around on the internet. Some shelters have websites with lists of cats that are currently looking for a new home.
Abyssinian one-off costs
Now that we’ve taken a look at how much it costs to get the cat itself, let’s take a look at the other one-off costs that come into play when you buy an Abyssinian.
Item | Cost |
Microchip | $45 |
Cat Carrier | $25 |
Neuter/Spay | $300 |
Bed | $25 |
Food/Water dish | $15 |
Grooming Brush | $15 |
Scratching Post | $40 |
Total | $465 |
Annual and lifetime costs of owning an Abyssinian
Now that we’ve taken a look at the one-off costs let’s take a closer look at the annual costs. Also, I’ve multiplied the annual costs by the average lifespan (15 years) of an Abyssinian cat to give you an idea of how much you’ll probably spend over the lifetime of this cat.
Item | Yearly Cost | Lifetime Cost |
Cat Insurance | $300 | $4500 |
Annual Checkup | $150 | $2250 |
Flea, worm & tick medication | $80 | $1200 |
Food | $1000 | $15000 |
Litter Box | $40 | $600 |
Litter | $100 | $1500 |
Total | $1670 | 25050 |
Realistic price breakdown of owning an Abyssinian
By now you might be a bit shocked at how much it will actually cost to take care of an Abyssinian. It’s true, Abyssinians are expensive cats. Furthermore, I took the average of the price ranges that I found – not the high end. For instance, let’s take cat food. In my overview, I budgeted $1000 a year for it. The actual range that you can pay for it can be much lower or much higher – if you buy low-quality food it can cost as little as $90 a year, while high-quality food can cost up to $2500 a year! I took the median because I wanted to give you the most realistic breakdown possible.
However, I should note that while it’s possible to go with the bare minimum and spend very little money on your cat this is not recommended. First off, by doing this you’re not giving your cat a great life and secondly, it can lead to health issues in the future which can lead to expensive vet bills which will quickly evaporate all the money you saved on cheap cat food…
The initial price of purchasing an Abyssinian is nothing compared to the ongoing cost that you will face over the lifetime of the cat. Therefore, you really have to consider if you’re financially ready to take care of one of the beautiful creatures.
In the tables I’ve laid out, you can see that you can spend up to $1200 for the kitten itself plus one-off costs of around $500. This already puts the total at $1700.
However, the annual costs are around $1700, and since the cat is quite likely to live for up to 15 years if you take care of it well you’ll spend around $25,000 in maintenance costs over the lifetime of the cat.
If we add all of the three aforementioned costs together we get a grand total of $26,700!
Purchasing an Abyssinian
Now that you know how much you should budget in order to be able to afford an Abyssinian you might wonder where you can buy one. If you’re going to buy a kitten from a breeder it’s best to go with a trusted breeder that follows an ethical, healthy breeding program.
These breeders take pride in their work and will have a certificate to prove it. They’ll often be happy to show you around and answer any questions you might have. Picking a good breeder is very important because it will ensure that you get a healthy kitten. Always make sure that the breeder you choose has good recommendations and a good reputation.
If you find a breeder that offers an Abyssinian kitten for a suspiciously low price it’s always good to be cautious and question why they’re willing to let go of the kitten for so much less than its market value. It might have health or behavioral issues.
When you buy an Abyssinian kitten from a breeder it should come with a registration certificate. Also, it should have had its first vaccinations.
Abyssinian insurance cost
Once you’ve found a reputable, trustworthy breeder to buy your Abyssinian from it’s recommended that you get pet insurance as soon as possible. There is some debate on whether or not pet insurance is worth it, but from my perspective, it definitely is. Pet insurance can save you thousands of dollars if your cat gets sick or injured.
It’s best to do this as soon as possible and many companies have policies available that will cover your cat for its entire life. You can expect to pay around $25 a month for this insurance or a total of $300 a year.
Cost of traveling with your Abyssinian
You might not be planning to take your new Abyssinian on your next overseas trip but you will still need to take it with you when you go to the vet. Therefore, you will need a cat carrier.
I recommend buying a large cat carrier right from the start. That way you won’t have to keep buying bigger ones whenever your cat outgrows its old carrier.
There are many different carriers available so just pick one that you like, is sturdy, and has good reviews. On average, a good carrier costs around $26.
Price of microchipping your Abyssinian
Many people keep their cats indoors and you might be planning on doing the same. However, even if you do plan on keeping your Abyssinian indoors it’s still a good idea to get it microchipped. Cats are escape artists and you never know if it manages to escape. If it does, and you haven’t microchipped it, finding it back might be quite a struggle.
If you do have it chipped it’s quite easy to find it back. The chip has a unique number that’s tied to you and your address.
Also, if you’re getting your cat microchipped I recommend asking for the variant that has a temperature meter. That way, the vet can simply scan the microchip and get an accurate temperature reading. This is much less stressful for your cat and will also save the vet a lot of headaches. This will usually cost you around $45.
Cost of neuter/spaying
If you’re not planning on becoming a breeder you have to spay or neuter your Abyssinian. This will cost around $300 at the veterinarian. It’s also possible to go for a lower cost option – there are non-profits available that offer this service and they usually charge much less than for-profits.
Even if you do not plan on letting your cat outside it’s recommended to get them spayed or neutered. The reason is that it improves their health and for males, it makes them less prone to aggression.
Price of feeding your Abyssinian
As I’ve mentioned previously, the cost of cat food varies wildly. If you want to give your cat the royal treatment you can spend upwards of $2500 on their food while on the very low end you can spend around $90 a year. However, you should take into account that the food on the low end is not of the best quality and might lead to health issues in the future.
On average, you’ll probably spend around $1000 a year on cat food for your Abyssinian.
Cat litter and litter box
After eating, your cat will need a place to relieve themselves. Therefore, you’ll need a litter box. Chewy recommends that you get a new litter box once a year because your cat can scratch it and these scratches can harbor bacteria from their feces.
An average litter box costs around $40 while the cat litter itself will cost you around $100 a year. I also recommend getting a scoop for about ten bucks.
Toys, beds, and more!
Your cat will also need a place to sleep so you’ll have to get a bed. There are many different kinds of beds available, but you should expect to spend around $25 for a good one.
After a refreshing nap they might be in for some play-time so getting some toys isn’t a bad idea. Abyssinians are known for their playful nature, and even when they’re adults they will still want to play. There are many free toys you can make at home, cats aren’t very picky when it comes to their toys. For instance, they love playing with a piece of string or a ping-pong ball. However, if you want to take it to the next level you can buy some specialized cat toys.
Also, if you don’t want your cat to absolutely destroy your furniture you’ve got to get a scratching post. These usually cost around $50.
Abyssinian price – conclusion
Now that we’ve taken a look at all the costs that are associated with owning an Abyssinian cat we can clearly see that buying the cat itself is definitely not the most expensive part. Sure, buying an Abyssinian kitten from a reputable breeder is not cheap, but the yearly cost of maintenance over the lifespan of the animals completely dwarfs the initial purchase cost.
However, don’t let that completely deter you. Sure, you should carefully consider whether or not you have the funds available to be able to afford this cat and give it a good life, but if you can afford it then Abyssinians are great cats to own. They’re playful, intelligent, kid-friendly, and very beautiful!
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