Category Archives: Medical & Health Care

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

How to Afford the Cost of Veterinary Care

2 Comments

When you adopt a cat, you aren’t thinking about the day when your cat may become ill, or get injured, or need emergency care. But cats do get sick and sometimes do require expensive diagnostic tests and emergency care. You may be faced with veterinary expenses far beyond what you can afford, or need unexpected medical care that you didn’t anticipate and don’t know how you’re going to pay for it. Of course, you want to make the best decision for your cat, regardless of the cost, but how to pay for it? Here’s how to afford the cost of veterinary care.

I have been in this situation countless times with our many rescue cats. So often, I have needed to pony up and pay for complicated dental care, full-mouth extractions, multi-day emergency hospitalizations, or treating kidney failure to the tune of thousands of dollars—and I had no idea how we were going to pay for it.

I didn’t have the money or savings—the only thing I knew to do was to put it on my credit card, and worry about it later. I have maxed out our credit cards multiple times paying for veterinary bills, literally not knowing how I was going to pay off the debt or how or when the money was ever going to come in. I have forfeited countless vacations over the years, and bathroom and kitchen remodels (still not remodeled!) so we could pay our vet bills and pay our credit cards off. But honestly nothing has been more worth the money, or been more rewarding, or made me feel better than having happy, healthy cats who are living good lives and who share their unconditional love with us. In time, over years, we have always managed to pay off those credit cards, certainly at a price (lots of interest!), but my peace of mind and satisfaction comes from knowing I did the right thing for my cats—even if it meant sacrificing some things I thought I wanted or needed for myself. In time, I have learned I can live without these things, and I’ve done fine.

How to Afford the Cost of Veterinary Care for Cats
The Costs of Cat Care

Today, if you’re faced with an expensive surgery or an emergency you can’t afford, there are some options.

Talk With Your Veterinarian

Work with your veterinarian to negotiate a payment plan to pay the costs over time. Some veterinarians will do this for good clients. Of course, this won’t work if you’re coming to the vet for the first time or in cases of an emergency.

Consider getting a second opinion from a different vet to see if the diagnosis is the same, and if a different vet will charge less for the same or a different procedure.

Apply for a CareCredit Loan

Many veterinarians accept the CareCredit credit card used specifically for health expenses, including veterinary care. You can use CareCredit for routine check-ups and also for emergencies. See more about applying for CareCredit.

Apply for Relief Grants and Financial Aid

There are several non-profit organizations that provide funding and resources to applicants who need financial help with veterinary care, including The Pet Fund and Red Rover. For the Pet Fund, all applicants are required to contact the Pet Fund by phone at 916-443-6007 before applying for funding. Emergency funding is not available. If your cat needs medical care that you cannot afford, see the listings of state-specific programs that may be able to help you on the Best Friend’s website. If you need financial support related to Vaccine Associated Sarcoma (VAS) or Injection Site Sarcoma (ISS), the Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program provides financial assistance for vaccine associated sarcoma for cats, only.

Get Discounted Services at Veterinary Schools

Many veterinary schools provide specialty services, emergency care, and low cost clinics through their veterinary residents and technicians. Here is a list of veterinary schools by state accredited by the AVMA and another list of veterinary schools by state.

Get Pet Health Insurance

Purchasing pet health insurance can give you peace of mind and relieve the worry of unexpected expensive veterinary bills. You can get pet health insurance and pay a monthly premium that can cover the costs of accidents and injuries, illnesses, exams, diagnostic tests, cancer treatments, chronic and genetic conditions, surgery, non-routine dental, ultrasounds, prescription medicines and much more. A good, reputable plan may be the way to go, especially if you have an older cat or one prone to illness. But even if you don’t, this may give you the peace of mind you need. For one, PetPlan is recommended by the Humane Society of the United States.

Raise Money Through Crowd-Funding

A great way to raise money for pet emergencies or high veterinary costs is through crowd-funding websites that use a donation-based model of funding. With these websites, you create a campaign page and funders donate to help you reach your goal. The best crowd-funding websites for causes and charity are Crowdrise, Indigogo, and Causes. Here is a list of the 15 best crowdfunding websites for personal fundraising.  Here are three crowdfunding websites where you can start today to get help with your vet bills and animal costs —  GoFundMe, GoGetFunding and PlumFund. For more help, download Indiegogo’s Crowdfunding Field Guide and Kickstarter’s Basic Video Series on how to start a crowdfunding campaign.

Fundraising Through Social Media Websites

There are even more options now using social network websites that offer personal fundraising for medical expenses, medical emergencies, and particular causes. These include Pet Chance, Pet FundRazr, YouCaring, GoGetFunding, PlumFund, YouCaring, GoFundMe and GiveForward.

There’s More Assistance

You can get assistance with basic cat care and emergency cat care through Red Rover here.

National & State Resources

Here’s a List of national and state resources for cat owners in need (this list includes dogs too).

Some Statistics to Ponder
  • 1 in 3 pets will need unexpected veterinary care this year
  • Every 6 seconds a pet guardian is faced with a vet bill over $1000
  • In 2014, $15.2 billion will be spent on vet costs in the U.S.

Good luck, and remember money is only a tool—it’s what you choose to do with your money that makes all the difference.

Want to look into getting pet health insurance, here’s a list of companies that offer pet health insurance.

Are you looking for a new veterinarian, or don’t already have one? Here are some helpful tips on how to find a great vet.

How to Afford the Cost of Veterinary Care for Cats
Affording the cost of veterinary care for cats

SaveSave

SaveSave

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

Tips for Buying a Pet Health Insurance Plan

Planning ahead for your cat’s health care is no different than planning for our own health care. We never know if or when we’ll get sick and need insurance, but having it gives us peace of mind. Knowing your cat will need medical help at some point is inevitable, so it’s good to plan ahead and be able to provide the care your cat will need. Here are some tips for buying a pet health insurance plan that will meet your needs.

Pet health insurance is just one of the many options available to help pay for emergency or unexpected veterinary bills. If you’re worried about being able to pay for your cat’s chronic illness or life-saving care, an accident, or an emergency—it may be good to know there’s a safety net under you. As with any insurance, you may never need it, but if you worry about affording those one-time emergencies or unexpected expenses that you feel could cripple your finances—having pet insurance may be a good option.

Continue reading Tips for Buying a Pet Health Insurance Plan →

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

Signs of Dehydration in Cats

5 Comments

Your cat’s body is made up of 70-80% water or three-quarters of your cat’s body weight is water, so it’s critical that your cat gets enough fluids daily to maintain good health and prevent dehydration. Water is essential for cat’s urinary and kidney health, circulation, digestion, and waste removal. With hot summer days now upon us, it’s even more important that your cat has access to and drinks enough water, as dehydration can lead to a number of serious medical problems and even death. Here are the signs of dehydration in cats and why it’s so important to treat dehydration immediately.

Why Hydration is So Important

Dehydration happens when your cat loses body fluids faster than he can replace them, and it can happen when your cat is either not drinking enough water or is losing too many fluids. Fluids lost through daily urination, elimination and respiration all need to be replaced to normal levels everyday. But if your cat hasn’t been drinking enough water; has been vomiting or has diarrhea; or has been ill or had a fever; or your cat is old, then rehydration is even more critical as all of these can leave your cat severely dehydrated.

Continue reading Signs of Dehydration in Cats →

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

Preventing and Treating Fleas in Cats – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Summer is a favorite season for picnics in the park, enjoying the seashore, and dining al fresco—but with warm summer temperatures also come the fleas! Fleas can wreak havoc on cats causing discomfort, severe skin conditions, allergic reactions, parasites (tape worms), anemia and even death in the worst cases, if left untreated. So it’s important to protect your cat from fleas, but it’s also important to know the dangers of some flea control products on the market today. In this article, you’ll become knowledgeable about the different flea treatment options, some of the health consequences associated with them, and you’ll learn ways to provide your cat with the safest possible flea treatments and precautions available. Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly on preventing and treating fleas in cats.

Does Your Cat Have Fleas?

To check whether your cat has fleas, you can run a flea comb through your cat’s fur pressing along the skin to check for adult fleas or flea feces and eggs. These will look like little specks of salt and pepper or tiny black and white grains in the fur. The white grains are flea eggs, and the black grains are flea feces. If you have found and removed some grains on your flea comb, rub the grains onto a piece of white paper and if the grains turn a reddish-brown color, you know you have a flea problem.

Continue reading Preventing and Treating Fleas in Cats – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly →

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

Watch Out for Signs of Heat Stoke in Your Cat

WATCH OUT FOR SIGNS OF HEAT STOKE IN YOUR CAT

Heat stroke or heat exhaustion is a very serious, life-threatening condition for cats. It can cause permanent damage to multiple internal organs, and can cause kidneys and the heart to stop functioning or fail. It can be fatal if not treated with urgency by taking your cat to a veterinarian or emergency veterinary hospital. 

Heat stroke can happen anytime throughout the year, but it happens more often during the warm summer months. Cats are no different than people when it comes to tolerating heat. But it is even harder for cats to respond to heat and cool their bodies since they pant and sweat only through the pads of their paws to reduce excess heat. It’s much harder for cats to regulate their body temperature as a result. If they cannot cool themselves fast enough, they will quickly become overheated and suffer from heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can be fatal. Don’t wait until the eleventh hour to seek treatment when it can be late. Watch out for signs of heat stroke and know what to do.

Continue reading Watch Out for Signs of Heat Stoke in Your Cat →
Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

What Are the Warning Signs Your Cat is Sick?

11 Comments

Don’t miss the warning signs your cat is sick and may be in pain. Research shows that cats feel pain just like we do. But they tend to hide their pain—so just because they don’t show you obvious signs of pain, doesn’t mean they aren’t suffering or in distress. It’s up to you to know the signs that something is wrong and advocate for them by getting them the help they need.

When cats aren’t feeling well they give us clues. The clues may be physical or behavioral, or both. Some signs require immediate veterinary attention like respiratory problems or changes in breathing; straining to urinate, defecate or crying in the litter box; dilated pupils, or having any dramatic changes in behavior from normal. Some signs may increase over time with illness and won’t go away until your cat is diagnosed and treated by your veterinarian.

Continue reading What Are the Warning Signs Your Cat is Sick? →

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

The Costs of Cat Ownership – Can You Afford a Cat?

Adopting a new cat or kitten is exciting, but it’s important to understand the initial and long-term costs of cat ownership before you actually bring your kitty home. There are the initial expenses of purchasing supplies to prepare for your new cat, and there are recurring expenses that you’ll incur throughout the year and over the cat’s lifetime. In addition, there are often unanticipated veterinary costs that can happen at any time during the year that need to be factored in to your annual expenses.

INITIAL COSTS

Initial Expenses
Type of Expense Food – Wet & Dry (for 2+ weeks), Cheaper vs. Premium/High Quality Brands/Food $40 – $65
Spay / Neuter (Male vs. Female) $45 – $100+
Any Needed Vaccines, Deworming, Basic Routine Exam with a Veterinarian (Establish Baseline/Check Overall Health) $100
Microchipping $40 – $50
Food & Water Bowls $15 – $25
Litterbox $25 – $50
Litter $20 – $40
Cat Carrier $25 – $65
Scratching Post and/or Board (Tall is best) $25 – $70
Toys, Misc. Cat Supplies (replacing or adding cat beds, scratching posts, etc.) $25 – $40
Initial Total $360 – $600
 Cat Carrier

Cat carriers are needed for trips to the vet, emergencies, disasters, and for travel. It’s important to purchase a sturdy carrier, one that doesn’t collapse or fold, but provides structure and durability so your cat won’t be injured inside the carrier. The cat should have ample room to move and turn around and stand up in case they’re in the carrier for a prolonged period of time. It’s a one-time purchase so buy a quality carrier that will last. Never buy a cardboard carrier, cats can get injured or lost when using them. Good cat carriers will cost between $40 – $65.

Continue reading The Costs of Cat Ownership – Can You Afford a Cat? →

Cat Care Tips, Medical & Health Care

How to Determine Your Cat’s Age in Cat Years

Ever been curious how old your cat is in cat years versus human years? Well, there’s no absolute or reliable scientific calculation for determining exactly how old your cat is in cat years, but there are good calculations that come close to estimating your cat’s approximate age. So here’s how to determine your cat’s age in cat years.

What Factors Determine How a Cat Ages?

There are many factors that go into a cat’s aging and lifespan including how well they have been cared for, whether they are indoor or outdoor cats, their daily diet and quality of food, whether they have received good veterinary care and annual wellness exams, whether chronic diseases and short-term illnesses have been treated in a timely manner, if they have received good dental care, the environmental stresses they have been subjected to, and their genetic predisposition to disease. Continue reading How to Determine Your Cat’s Age in Cat Years →

Cat Care Tips, Elderly Cat Care, Medical & Health Care

How to Provide the Best Care for Your Senior Cat

3 Comments

Getting older is a normal, natural part of life for all of us. Today domestic cats are living longer than they ever did in the past—thanks to improved nutrition and better food, improved medical care, and more people keeping their cats indoors. But advancing age does not necessarily mean automatic degeneration. And aging does not necessarily mean inevitable disease. Many cats do grow old remaining relatively healthy into their geriatric years, while other cats in their senior years develop chronic or degenerative diseases. And know that even cats that do develop chronic diseases can live well into their late geriatric years—or 20+ years old—given excellent care and attention.

Never assume that changes in your older cat are simply due to “old age,” then write it off as normal aging for them. Most likely there is an underlying medical condition that is causing the changes you are observing in your cat’s behavior or physical appearance. That should always be the first consideration. The main thing is to give your cat the healthiest and best quality of life possible—by watching them closely, noticing any changes that take place, then getting them to a veterinarian to get the medical help they need.

Continue reading How to Provide the Best Care for Your Senior Cat →

Holidays, Medical & Health Care

Parade Float Promotes Spaying and Neutering Cats

2 Comments

With so many homeless, abandoned and feral cats living in our communities, our parade float in the Pleasant Hill 4th of July Parade raised awareness in our community about the tremendous need for spaying and neutering cats.

Champions of Spaying and Neutering Cats

Parade float promotes spaying and neutering cats
Our Cat Spay and Neuter Parade Float

The 4th of July is associated with loads of venerable traditions including town parades, barbecues, picnics, fireworks, and events paying tribute to our nation’s independence. For me, this July 4th commemorated my first ever town parade that I participated in and one with a very important message to communicate—the need for spaying and neutering cats!

Our formal float name was the “Champions of Spaying and Neutering our Animals.” Our float was the creative idea of a woman in my cat rescue group who is a luminary in planning and executing events and has a history of participating in town parades. As visionaries do, she saw in her mind exactly how to visually communicate the message of spaying and neutering to a large audience, then took action to fulfill her idea.  Continue reading Parade Float Promotes Spaying and Neutering Cats →