Do Pet Cats Get Sick And Require Insane Medical Bills Often?
I was planning to get a cat, and a friend said it can be really expensive. But then my dad tells me he has had about 7 cats and they never need to see a vet, they would just crawl away and die one day.
I dunno who to believe, I really want a pet cat but I am far from rich.
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Well, it could be a little of both, but I doubt most cats run up “insane” medical bills.
My current cat has never been to the vet (she is an indoor cat). in 14 years she has been sick 3 times. When sick, a cat will be lethargic, and eat and drink very little. Additionally, it will sleep (even more than usual).
There are, however, times when a vets intervention IS required. I would be concerned after the second day of being sick. There are times when immediate attention could be required.
Much of the run of the mill stuff you can take care of your self if you are so inclined (shots, the occasional bout of worms etc). It matters whether the cat will be an indoor, outdoor or both. (I am sure people will disagree with this)
I guess I would try to set aside some money as an emergency fund.
This is definitely a good post. Thank you.
Yes, cats and any pet can get expensive. But most cats live pretty healthy lives, and apart from routine care and vaccinations, vet bills are few and far between. Cats need to see a vet yearly – vaccines are needed every three years. If a cat is kept indoors, they are not likely to be exposed to all of the things that really can cost a lot of money. Getting hit by cars, cat fights causing absesses – these are ways of running up big vet bills. Both can be avoided by keeping your cat indoors. And taking your cat to the vet yearly will detect any kind of illness/condition early, when treatment is significantly less expensive than if left until it becomes a major issue. Feeding a high-quality, all-canned diet, too will help avoid such issues as diabetes, obesity, urinary tract disorders, and kidney disease. Again, all preventable to some degree.
As far as cats crawling away to die – yes, they crawled away to die because they had some sort of treatable condition that was ignored. There is no reason for something like this, and those cats could suffer terribly. Think of yourself coming down with a terrible cold, then bronchitis, then pneumonia, then you die. Going to the doctor for intervention at the second step prevents death – it’s no different for cats.
If you go to the shelter and get a nice adult cat, it will already be spayed/neutered and have it’s vaccines. That will avoid a vet visit for quite a while. Many shelters also have shot and exam clinics at low cost, which saves money too.
I totally agree with Pretty Kitty and John.
Usually I prefer to leave cats outside (not all the time, just during the day), but in your case, if you do decide to get a cat, get one from the shelter, and keep it inside. Cats that are left to go outside cost a lot more money to keep.
At least you will be giving a cat a home (better than the shelter !), and your vet bills shouldn’t be too bad, if you have it checked out every so often by a vet. And since a lot of shelters seem to be running basic tests on them to make sure they’re healthy, you shouldn’t be starting off with a sick cat.
It’s a good idea to try and save a bit of money for emergencies, even if your cat is kept indoors.
And if you’re like me, and it makes you a bit sad to keep it inside all the time, think that maybe, by the time your cat becomes a lot more settled, you might have more money, and you might be able to leave him out in the garden a bit, so it won’t have spent its whole life in. My sister’s cats (in town) didn’t go out from the start, she just let them out I don’t know, maybe 2 to 4 years after she got them, and they just stay in the courtyard outside her flat, never go further, so no accidents, and no astronomical vet bills !
All cats will require vet care from time to time. The best way to avoid huge medical bills for serious conditions is to provide preventative care for your cat. Keeping the cat indoors so injury and illness are less likely is one good way to dodge big vet bills. Feeding a proper diet, using flea treatment regularly, and getting well-cat exams at the vet are other effective ways to avoid big vet bills. Having your cat spayed/neutered will not only prevent pregnancy, but will eliminate the risk of deadly cancers and infections of the reproductive tract.
If you adopt a cat from a shelter, you will pay a fee of about $50-100. Spay/neuter, vaccinations, deworming, and flea treatment is included in the adoption fee most times. If you get a free cat from the paper, you’ll have to pay for vetting which could run about $150-200 for the same care. Adopting from a shelter will cut down significantly on first time vet care.
Plan to spend about $200-500 a year on preventative care for your cat. High quality cat food will cost you about $35 a month for one cat. It’s a good idea to either have a credit card or a bank account with about $300 available for emergency care. It’s commendable that you are being responsible enough to think about whether or not you can afford a cat before getting one. I wish everyone was so responsible. I think you’d make a good pet owner but maybe you should wait till you get out on your own. Your dad doesn’t seem nearly as responsible as you.
Jason,your Dad is wrong.Pets need medical care just as we do.
Cats are stoic and hide their sickness.But it is the responsibility of
a cat guardian to know when their pet is ill.
No,do not adopt a pet unless you can afford a quality food and decent
vet care.
none of my cats needed a vet……
It depends greatly on the age of the cat and how far you are willing to go medically. I have a cat that is 7 years old and has never been sick or gone to the vet for being sick or injured. He has gone yearly for shots and a checkup. He is indoor only.
I had a 16 year old cat that I had since he was a baby. In the last six months of his life I spent over $3000 on treatments and emergency visits for hyperthyroidism, saddle thrombus, heart failure, CRF, pulmonary edema etc. Each time the vet insisted that the treatments were working and that it wasn’t his “time” but unfortunately he passed away one night at home about 6 months after he began treatments.
So when it gets to that point, YOU have to make the decision. Don’t let the vet make the decisions for you because ultimately they are running a business as well.
I estimate a monthly cost for a good quality food Taste of the Wild at about $10 for a 5lb bag. That usually lasts a month for one cat.
A good litter will run between $5 and $10 a month depending on what you use. I use swheat scoop which lasts a really long time with daily scooping. A 14 lb box will last a month at my house. You can also get big 20 lb bags of clay nonclumping litter for $5 a bag.
So that’s a $20 per month maintenance cost. The initial cost will be $50 to $100 for adoption. This will be a good savings for the medical care the kitten or cat has. If you get a cat, he should be set for another year. A kitten will need one to two more vet visits for shots and deworming and those visits usually cost $65 each.
Then you will need the essentials which you only need to buy once.
Cat carrier: $20
Food and water dishes: $5
Litter box: $5-$20
Scratching post $10 for currogated cardboard
Toys $5-$20
Total $75 for supplies, $100 for adoption, $20 for 1 month of food and litter.
And like others have said, definitely have some money stashed away in case of emergency. A good amount to have on hand not only for cat emergencies but also for other emergencies is $1000 if possible.