New owners

First-year costs of a new dog or cat (2026)

Everything a new pet costs in year one, from the adoption fee and first vet visits to vaccines, spay/neuter, supplies, food, training and insurance, with low, typical and high totals.

Last updated: October 2026 · US prices · 8 sources · see sources

Quick answerWhat a new dog or cat costs in the first year: adoption, first vet visits, vaccines, spay/neuter, microchip, supplies, food, training and insurance…

First-year totals

Dog, first year

Low$2,014

Typical$3,406

High$5,201

Cat, first year

Low$1,308

Typical$1,986

High$3,538

How we added it up

Low: the ASPCA's one-time costs (dog $1,030, cat $455) plus its yearly costs without insurance (dog $875, cat $801), plus the average adult adoption fee (dog $109, cat $52). [5] [1]
Typical: the ASPCA's first-year total (dog $3,221, cat $1,904, which includes insurance, grooming and dental) plus the average fee for a pet under a year (dog $185, cat $82). [5] [1]
High: the typical total, swapping the ASPCA's vet and vaccine budget (dog $525, cat $335) for the top of owner-reported first-year vet bills (dog $2,000, cat $1,800) and the ASPCA insurance figure for the 2025 US average premium (+$320 dog, +$87 cat). [3] [4] [8]
The ASPCA table is from 2021, so today's prices are probably higher. Emergencies aren't included; see emergency vet costs.

Cost by item

What new owners pay for, dog vs cat
Item	Dog	Cat	Notes
Adoption fee	$109 (avg., dogs over 1 yr) – $185 (avg., under 1 yr) [1]	$52 (avg., cats over 1 yr) – $82 (avg., under 1 yr) [1]	Shelter fees often include vaccines, spay/neuter or a microchip. Ask what's done. Breeder prices aren't covered here.
First vet visits	Exam fee $75 (most $65–$88) [2]; puppy first-year vet bills $500–$2,000 total [3]	Exam fee $75 (most $65–$88) [2]; kitten first-year vet bills $400–$1,800 total [4]	Owner-reported first-year totals include exams, shots and tests.
Vaccine series	ASPCA initial medical $300 [5]; core vaccine $38 per shot (most $30–$48) [2]; vaccination bills $140–$350 [6]	ASPCA initial medical $175 [5]; core vaccine $38 per shot [2]; vaccination bills $60–$225 [7]	Puppies and kittens need a series of boosters.
Spay / neuter	ASPCA $300 [5]; published median $340 (most $200–$548), low-cost clinics $170 [2]	ASPCA $150 [5]; same published price data [2]	See spay & neuter costs.
Microchip	ASPCA $20 [5]; published median $52, low-cost $28 [2]	ASPCA $20 [5]; published median $52, low-cost $28 [2]	See microchip costs.
Starter supplies	$210: collar/leash $60, carrier $50, crate $60, grooming tools $40 [5]	$110: litter box $20, scratching post $15, carrier $40, collar $15, grooming tools $20 [5]	One-time.
Food (year)	$300 [5]	$225, plus litter $150 [5]
Toys, treats, grooming supplies (year)	$125 [5]	$86 [5]
Flea, tick & heartworm prevention (year)	$185 [5]	$140 [5]	See prevention costs.
Training	$200 (class or at-home materials) [5]	Not in the ASPCA table	Cats usually don't need paid training.
Pet insurance (year)	ASPCA $516 [5]; US avg. accident & illness $836 (2025) [8]	ASPCA $348 [5]; US avg. $435 (2025) [8]	Optional. See insurance basics.
License & other (year)	License $15, one day of boarding $25 [5]	License $15, one day of boarding $25 [5]	Varies by city.

Ways to spend less in year one

Adopt an adult pet: average adoption fees were lower for pets over a year old. [1]
Ask the shelter what's already done. Spay/neuter, shots and a microchip bought separately add up (PawsRx medians: $340, $38 per shot, $52). [2]
Low-cost clinics: median spay/neuter $170 and microchip $28 in published prices. [2]
Don't skip yearly exams and prevention. The ASPCA notes treating illness costs more than preventing it. [5]

Get a personal estimate with the cost calculator · Compare two breeds · Puppy first-year cost · Kitten first-year cost · Adoption fees · Breed library

Not veterinary or financial advice. Prices vary by city; see costs by city.

Sources (8) — tap to show