How many pets are too many?

The question of "How many pets are too many?" raises another question: How many pets can you afford? But there are a few other considerations before discussing cost.

* How well are you able to physically care for your pets? Some inside pets require quite a bit of clean-up from shedding, accidents and food debris.

* What are the pet regulations where you live? If you're an apartment dweller or rent a property, there are probably restrictions. You would do well to find out far enough in advance of a move to make other arrangements for your pet(s).

* Do you have children? Even a very placid dog, cat, or other pet can inflict serious injury on children who just want to play. If there is any chance of this in your home, you may have too many pets.

* How about allergies? If anyone in your household is allergic to animals of any kind, most likely even one pet would be too many.

* Temperament. No, not your pet's... yours. Are you the type who finds great enjoyment in owning, training, grooming, providing medical care and feeding a pet? How about walking it at all hours? Is that going to get old long before your pet does?

As mentioned earlier, the cost of food is through the roof. Looking at a small bag of a good brand of kibbles for a senior dog can cause sticker shock. Some dogs and cats prefer only one brand. Granted, they probably have good taste in food, but one small dog may cost well over $50 a month just for kibbled food if it has a very good appetite.

Cats are also expensive to care for and can be finicky about what they eat, or may have special dietary needs. Saving money by spending less for animal food defeats the purpose, and ends up costing more when the animal gets sick. Proper nutrition is an obligation every pet owner takes on when getting a pet.

There is no such thing as an inexpensive veterinarian visit these days. Consider the cost of vaccinations, de-worming, lab work, and other expenses - these are just the preliminaries. Then there are animals with special issues who require special care. Plus yearly check-ups. Older animals need even more care.

Professional training is sometimes necessary when an animal will not cooperate with at-home behavior training. Will the budget allow?