Are pets worth the expense?

Last night I got into verbal disageement involving an all too familair topic.

My cat, so labelled the $100000 pet. We have beat this topic into the ground and it still comes up.

My friend might be located somewhere on the aspberger’s spectrum. He lives alone with out plants. Very seldom gets in anything that can be labelled a relationship. Beside that he is accountant with a minor in economics.

His arguments that just the cost of and inconvenience of finding and renting more expensive sub par pet friendly locales in 15 yrs will cost me easily over 100000. Including some accrued interest on savings. 4500 a year right now on a cat basically a frivolity. That I am in no where near the financial situation to afford luxuries. So on.

Is there a way I can win this argument or present it in terms of facts and logic rather then intangibles he doesn’t acknowledge and doesn’t understand?

Also as a pet owner or thought about being a pet owner did you seriously consider the financial and practical side. How much did such thoughts influence the outcome?

I know I have to consider a time when I will probably have to find a home for my cat. I was young and got one on the encouragement of others. Now I love her dearly but also consider it my duty to care for her as she is my cat and as such dependent on me.. I have been her only constant.

However I am also aware that in my future surgery and recovery and as a result uncertain financial/employment situation that I should not look for another owner regardless of the timing of the surgery to cut expenditures and save to the very best of my ability. So his arguments are getting under my skin. Yet I feel so much guilt at even considering to give my cat away. Spoiled as she is it will be no easy task.