Our cats

[Changing4Best]

I am not sure what to do. I can't afford vet bills, so that would be cruel to a kitty. I can't do that! So maybe I will get to visit the shelter and at least pet some cats, I hope.

 

[siniang]

I am not sure what to do. I can't afford vet bills, so that would be cruel to a kitty. I can't do that! So maybe I will get to visit the shelter and at least pet some cats, I hope.

Would you be able to put away just a really small amount each month into “vet savings”?

Also pet insurance? Our youngest’ (3 years) is $35/mo and I do realize this is a lot of money when already on disability- but it’s a possible safety net for emergencies.

Under normal circumstances, vet costs are like $50/year for annual checkups/vaccination. A safety net is prudent for unexpected things, ergo my above questions. But in many many many many years of pet ownership, “emergencies” really were VERY rare and just really showed up with age in my older cat who’s now 18.

 

[Changing4Best]

My last vet bill for my dog, a mini dachshund, was $350.00. she was about middle aged then, and had incontinence. My niece said her cat's most recent vet bills were both in the $600 range. I just can't afford that. And, insurance seems unaffordable too. I might foster some kitties, but I hear they tear up your rugs and furniture. Not sure if I can deal with that as I rent. Yes, there are toys and scratching poles and all, but I am a bit leery of damages I would have to pay for if that didn't work. Sigh....

 

[Rose White]

@Changing4Best it's really wise of you to be thinking about all that stuff now, before you get anything! I agree cats can be destructive, in more ways than one. It's good to be aware of all the things that might happen.

 

[Changing4Best]

This is Bootssie, a cat that came begging for food today. She appears to be pregnant, but we are not sure yet. I found her and my neighbor had some tuna...

 

[Changing4Best]

Well I went out to search for Bootssie, but she's not there yet today. I suppose she will return when she is hungry. I searched three times for her so far. I think we will get to keep one of her kittens if she sticks around. Time will tell.

 

[Changing4Best]

I went out and bought a cat food dish, the best flea collar I could find (it kills ticks and fleas eggs) and some canned tuna cat food. If she comes back, Bootssie can be our outdoor cat.

 

[Changing4Best]

Today Bootssie came back, so we fed her another can of food and rubbed the anti flea and tick stuff into her neck fur. We petted her a lot. I spoke with a friend who works at the Humane society shelter and she gave me 45 minutes of info about how to care for a feral cat. Lots of good info. We are pretty well set to take care of her and her kittens now, with the help of the new vet five miles from here and the shelter.

 

[whiteraven]

I am not sure what to do. I can't afford vet bills, so that would be cruel to a kitty. I can't do that! So maybe I will get to visit the shelter and at least pet some cats, I hope.

I recommend that anyone who is getting a dog or cat get pet insurance. I have one cat with lymphoma and one with a probable nasal or brain tumor; insurance sure would have been a help.

My younger girl's birthday is today - she's 11. She's the one that was diagnosed with lymphoma last July. I honestly didn't think she'd still be with us...

 

[siniang]

Happy birthday pretty girl!!!

I recommend that anyone who is getting a dog or cat get pet insurance. I have one cat with lymphoma and one with a probable nasal or brain tumor; insurance sure would have been a help.

I can absolutely second this. We had the same experience last year when we ended up with a sudden $2.5k bill for acute pancreatitis in a cat who's pretty much never been ill for 15 years of her life (minus one unfortunate encounter with a dog and the usual teeth cleaning/extraction). And that didn't even require surgery, just diagnostics and two days of hospitalization. A bill for our youngest was recently denied because I signed her up too late (after the other cat's illness last year) and unfortunately she already had some comments on her file that the insurance company regarded as "preexisting conditions. Vet bills can be very small for years and years of only having to show up for their annual check up - until suddenly they aren't.

 

[whiteraven]

Vet bills can be very small for years and years of only having to show up for their annual check up - until suddenly they aren't.

Exactly. And it's important to get insurance early, since none of them cover pre-existing conditions.

 

[Changing4Best]

I am working on getting some pet insurance quotes... Made an appt with the vet.

She just came back today for more food. She did yesterday too. Here's another photo.