How to cut down on pet expenses as costs rise
Pet ownership costs over the past year have increased by up to 10%, according to Rover.
March 23, 2026 / 12:45 PM EDT / CBS News
The cost of caring for your pet is skyrocketing. One in five pet owners carries at least $2,000 in pet-related debt, according to a study from MetLife Pet Insurance.
For Jeanne Warsaw, who has two cats named Idris and Elba, a regular vet visit that used to cost $50 is now double that.
"If you do get one that does — at an early age develop issues like Elba has — which she has seizures, so she's epileptic, and she has some skin conditions, I would say that the first month that we adopted her we did spend close to $1,000," she said.
Warsaw said that, in addition to health care for her cats, food costs have increased.
"Food has gone up because today there's so many varieties of more healthy options," she said. "There's a lot of specific diet options too if your cat has kidney disease, thyroid, diabetes."