I can't afford my vet bill

[oldmind]

My 9 month old cat isn't well. 2 trips to the vets with anti inflammatory meds and she still isn't right. They've told me to bring her back tomorrow for bloods and possible scans and I could be looking at over £1k for treatment.

I'm a single mum of 3 kids with additional needs. I've just gone back to work but only work 12 hours per weeks as I just cannot do anymore.

I did have insurance for her but I cancelled it as the insurance company I chose were terrible and haven't replaced it yet - I only did this a few weeks ago! A random payment came out of my account and I cancelled the whole thing.

Is there anything I can do?

Please don't tell me to not have pets if I can't afford them.

My cat was my ESA, we supported each other, she was my best friend, so I can understand how your son feels about her.
Hoping that PDSA can help you and your kitten.
xx

I'm pleased to say she is much much better today! I haven't taken her back to the vets as this morning she ate her breakfast absolutely fine. She then has slept most of the day and is now out playing in the garden.

Of course will be keeping a close eye and I have set up insurance for her again. First thing I did this morning (though I am aware I couldn't claim against the current illness she had before anyone starts). I have also registered both my cats at a different vets.

Thank you for all the helpful comments

Just read through this thread for the first time and that really is fantastic news! Hope all is well from here on in.

Vet costs are extortionate, they seem to have become profit making businesses. I remember when they used be genuinely caring places, a couple of vets and nurses who got to know you and them. When I took smaller ones, like hamsters and gerbils they would often waive payment. Ff to last year when my Mum took a hamster she adopted it was over £100 for one visit and medication!

The thing about insurance is that, even when you need to use it, you have to pay a certain percentage of the overall cost and what you've put in doesn't always balance out.

I guess, like any unexpected but necessary expense, credit card but also PDSA, other charities you could help? Xx

The OP says this cat is extremely unwell.

What she can’t afford are the tests which may or may not tell her what is wrong which may or may not be treatable. In that situation 30 years ago nobody would have dreamed of keeping the cat alive. If the OP decides to have it put down, that is a completely reasonable thing to do.

That's excellent news!! What a relief.

They do like to scare us don't they?

Ah that’s great news OP. 😊

Vets do offer payment plans. When my cat needed an operation they just said pay it when you can so I paid about £100 a month until the bill was settled.

THANK YOU for getting a rescue cat. Hope it all goes well. You sound like a nice person.
♥️

I'm so glad she seems better. Is it possible she had cat flu? When I got one of my cats, he did poor thing. He got better

@Onomatofear yes I'm guessing it was something like that. She's really been so poorly the last couple of days so to see her up and about is such a relief!

Sorry your cat has experienced similar - not nice at all and such a worry too!

Ahh I appreciate your kind words, thank you!

A friend put out a 'go fund me' page for exactly this - unexpected huge bill for cat who got mauled by a dog.

I don’t know if this will make any sense or even help but I was once at a big vets in Birmingham in the waiting room. There was a man at the counter and I could hear what they were saying (I wasn’t being nosy, it was just very quiet in there). The bill for the cat which was in a carrier was £7000 - (I’d heard the receptionist tell him this. He said something to her and the receptionist went “ahh, is this a compassion case?” anyway he didn’t put his card in the machine or anything and no cash either.

I'm glad she's feeling better.

That, I was wondering the same thing. Call them back, say exactly what you said and that you panicked because of a amount taken from account unwarned so you thought there was a problem.

Oh... Ours does.

Genius 🙄

Don’t try to patronise me