Fur Forecast

True cost of owning a dog or cat

The sticker price is the cheap part. Pick your breed and a few details to see the first-year, annual and lifetime cost — food, routine vet, prevention, insurance, grooming and supplies, broken out line by line.

A modeled planning estimate, not a bill — anchored to published 2024–2025 US ranges and scaled to your inputs. How we estimate.

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What goes into the number

One-time costs (adoption or breeder price, spay/neuter, the initial vaccine series and microchip, and starter supplies) hit in year one. After that you’re paying recurring costs — food (computed from the same vet calorie model as our portion calculator), routine vet care, parasite prevention, optional insurance, grooming and the everyday extras. We scale every line by your pet’s size, weight, breed lifespan and region. See the full method →

Curious how breeds stack up? See the most & least expensive breeds to own, compare two breeds side by side, check cost by state, or read the full 2026 cost guide →

Questions

How accurate is this estimate?
It’s a planning model, not a bill. We anchor every line to published 2024–2025 US ranges (ASPCA, the Synchrony “Lifetime of Care” study, Rover, and NAPHIA) and scale them by your pet’s size, weight, breed lifespan, and region. Your real numbers will vary — see how we estimate.
Why is the first year so much higher?
The first year includes one-time costs most owners forget — adoption or breeder price, spay/neuter, the initial vaccine series and microchip, and starter supplies (crate, bed, bowls, carrier). After that, you’re mostly paying the recurring annual total.
Should I budget for pet insurance?
For breeds prone to expensive conditions, a monthly premium is usually far less than one major claim. Toggle insurance on or off in the calculator, then see your breed’s risk in insurance by breed.