Owning a cat costs average person over $25,000 — and most say it’s worth it!

NEW YORK — There is a price tag that comes with owning a cat — but many feline families say their pet is “priceless” no matter what. The average American spends $25,304 on their friendly fur ball during their life, according to a poll of 2,000 cat owners. For two in three, it’s led to the belief that their cats are truly the queens and kings of their home.

Based on an average 15-year lifespan for cats, the costs really stack up. Over that lifetime, people spend $764 just replacing or repairing scratched-up furniture.

Per visit, vet appointments cost $111 out of pocket on average — twice to four times as much as the copay from a human doctor visit.These costs don’t even include food or toys, which can run up an average $109 per month and $108 per year, respectively.

What kind of personality does your cat have?

Aside from being royalty, owners say their cats tend to take on one of five major personality types. Commissioned by Solid Gold and conducted by OnePoll, respondents were encouraged to find the personality types of their cats. Six in 10 think they own little “graffiti artists,” prone to kneading their paws on everything or scratching every surface they can.

Over half (53%) say their cats are true “revenge seekers” when they hunt down their toys or hiss at the outside world. Nearly as many (52%) own “tornadoes” – infamous for knocking items off of counters and causing a mess of mischief wherever they go. Cat owners also have a near 50/50 shot of ending up with a “climber” (51%), clawing their way up to the highest points of the home, or a “cuddler” (49%) who shamelessly lays across keyboards or piles of clean laundry.

The study also finds that 65 percent swear their cats act like they’re from a completely different planet. A good portion of that sentiment comes from the strange things owners have caught their cats in the middle of. For instance, 73 percent of “revenge seeker” owners have witnessed their cats doing something completely, unexpectedly wild.

Meanwhile, 76 percent of “tornadoes” are practically predictable: getting caught red-handed breaking and tearing things around the home — especially where clothing (44%), sofas (42%), or rugs (42%) are concerned.

Nearly four in five “cuddlers” (78%) are seen as complete angels by their owners when they’re not causing any trouble and 71 percent of “graffiti artists” are anything but angels when the havoc they bring has to be repaired or replaced by distressed owners.

cat personalities

No one can resist a cat’s cuteness

Many shared the wildest behaviors they’ve witnessed from their felines, including “gifting” owners with their kills in the form of cat toys and pinecones, begging for bananas, or learning to turn doorknobs to get into rooms.

“We love our cats because of how unique their personalities can be,” says Steve Ball, CEO at Solid Gold, in a statement. “No matter what kinds of chaos they bring, there’s no denying the things we would do for our furry friends. At the end of the day, pet parents want to make sure their cats are able to be their unique selves for as long as possible.”

Despite all the drama they cause, 70 percent of cat owners say there’s “nothing” they would change about their cat.

It seems all the frustration caused can be cured when cats turn cute, which according to those polled, is whenever they’re playing (50%), eating (40%), purring (37%), or sleeping (37%).

More than three in five (63%) say nothing is more exciting to them than mealtime for their cat. At feeding time, cats are most likely to let their humans know they’re ready when they meow (49%), paw (37%), or headbutt (34%).

“Mealtime is a universal ‘stop-destroying-the-home-and-come-eat’ moment for cats,” Ball continues. “It’s so important to make sure your cat is getting the proper holistic nutrition they need in order to get back to doing what they do best.”

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