---
title: Here's What Our Pets Cost Us
description: Toys, vet bills, health insurance, food...it all adds up. Good thing our pets are so cute.
authors:
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published: '2016-10-26T15:29:58.000Z'
modified: '2023-05-15T13:12:49.000Z'
section: Personal Finance
tags:
  - cost of owning a pet
  - Money
  - Pets
  - veterinary bills
  - video
word_count: 191
canonical: https://money.com/cost-pets-food-toys-vet-insurance/
type: Article
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![screen-shot-2016-10-24-at-3-14-10-pm](https://img.money.com/2016/10/screen-shot-2016-10-24-at-3-14-10-pm.png)

How much is man's best friend costing you? Have you ever really thought about it? Money did. We compiled a list of what our animal friends cost us.

Our readers took our poll and told us that 32% of them spend less than $50 a month on their pets. But 22% admitted to spending more than $120 a month.

Each year, Americans spend $47 on dog toys and just $28 on cat toys. American pet owners spend more money on dog food too. $269 a year to feed Fido, whereas cat owners pay an average $246 a year and bird owners pay an average of $120. But cat owners spend $33 a year on feline vitamins. That's $33 a year, for every cat they own. It adds up.

And then there's pet health insurance. Make sure you compare pet insurance as [plans vary in price](https://money.com/best-pet-insurance/) according to coverage. New York pet parents pay a monthly $43 in premiums. Kansas, Mississippi, and Nebraska have the cheapest monthly health insurance premiums, coming in at $29 and $30.

Vet visits over the course of a year can add up to $375 for pet owners.

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