To ask for help regarding what's best for my cat

[Lookingforadvice4561]

I have previously posted about him but the title was more regarding vet bills.

I have had a 12 year old cat from a friend of a friend for almost a fortnight. My first mistake was not adopting from a shelter, and a mistake I will not be making again.

I was told he had no health issues, chipped, neutered etc. (I naively assumed he'd had a recent check up in order for her to state this)

He was a bit thin, and she told me that this was because he'd gone off his food due to being stressed (busy house with 2 big dogs and small children) but that he'd likely settle with me and put the weight back on.

I took out an insurance policy for his age around 3 days after I got him. I additionally have a monthly pet health club plan, and he went to the vets yesterday for his initial check up.

The vet of course wanted previous medical records, so I asked her. It turns out in the 6 or 7 years she had him he never saw a vet once and therefore hasn't had any vaccinations or treatments in that time, thankfully he was neutered with the owner before.

He has several health problems confirmed and suspected. The bills are high, I won't get into all that, but the bills are high and with them being pre existing, I can't claim.
One of them is a long term condition too.
Sadly, I just cannot afford what could be over a thousand pounds or more. I can afford pet food, litter, insurance and excess to a certain amount.
I am not willing to take out credit cards or loans, I honestly think that is irresponsible. I could save up say £100 a month extra towards his costs, but evidently it's not in the cat's best interests to wait so long.

I've told the last owner and she claims she had no idea about any of this and is really sorry. She offered some finances but says she can't afford those bills either. I have another cat but she had no pre existing conditions and was insured from day one.

It's heartbreaking and I feel like I've let him down. I didn't expect this and I want to give him a good home. Has anyone got any advice?
I will definitely not be advertising on classifieds, I have emailed rescue centres, understandably some are full.
I wanted to give an older cat a home, he's a black cat too at that. I know they are often overlooked and I don't want him passed from home to home.
I've said to rescues that I'm more than happy to foster other cats on a short-term basis if they need.
Please, no judgement. It's very unfortunate.

Have you contacted the PDSA to see if they can cover his ongoing treatment? Our neighbour used them when the vet's proposed bill for his dog's operation was too high, & he was on a fairly low income so simply couldn't afford it. The PDSA performed the operation, dealt with aftercare & meds, & he still has the dog.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've looked into it, but sadly I'm not eligible as it's only for people receiving UC or other benefits.

Sadly as an older cat with health issues he's unlikely to find a home whether you try directly or through a rescue. There are many young healthy cats in shelters struggling to find homes and rescues may well want to help multiple cats rather than one expensive one.

What's his quality of life like at the moment and what's likely to happen in the next few months? If he would be in discomfort or getting worse while you save for his treatment then I think it would be kinder to PTS rather than let him deteriorate to the point that he's in pain or have him go into the rescue system long term if he's used to being a family cat.

Pre-existing conditions means ones that you know about surely? Are they shown on the previous vets records?

Sadly there are no previous vets records as he never went to the vet in 6 years.
There's something on the insurance about anything under 14 days not being covered, so I assume that even if blood tests and further treatment are after the 14 days then they won't be covered as they're related?

Yes it sounds like it's the case sadly.
Atm his quality of life is fine, he's just very hungry all the time but he's still quite energetic.
It's hard to know what will happen from here on, it could be that he's stable for a while or that he deteriorates, really not sure what will happen.
You are right though, thanks.

I would check with the insurance as these are not pre existing is they've only just been diagnosed.

Thanks, it's just because his initial appointment was within the 14 days, so even if further treatment is after the 14 days they might not pay out as it's related to the initial consultation?

Oh how annoying.

One suggestion regarding rescues is whether any of them would offer to fund raise for his treatment on your behalf. That would be better for them than having to find him a home because he would be difficult to rehome with medical conditions.

Ultimately, if you can't afford treatment and he is going to suffer without treatment, then you have no option but to have him put to sleep. What are his medical issues? How long is he likely to survive with a decent quality of life with no treatment? It is very sad but you haven't done anything wrong.

All I can suggest is to contact the insurance company and say these conditions have just been diagnosed, where do you stand. It's worth a try. I'm going to guess, given the cat's age, that he potentially has kidney/thyroid issues? Both can be managed. Dental treatment? Unfortunately, this is horrendously expensive. The previous owner lied to you, stating the cat had been vaccinated, vet checked etc. Probably knew the cat was likely unwell, and passed the issue onto you. Try as many local cat rescues as you can, not just national ones.

He has hyperthyroidism? I don’t know where you’re getting £1000’s of pounds from? My cat has it. She has blood tests every 6 months or so and tablets which cost me about £60 every 3-4 months. You cannot leave it untreated. If you can’t afford it then you need to have him put down and don’t get another pet you can’t afford

Thank you.
It's hyperthyroidism, dental disease and irregular heartbeat (not sure what's caused that)

I was expecting to get bashed because I'm sure there are people who would happily shell out hundreds and thousands or take out debt etc. But I'm just not able to do that sadly.
It's not a case of being able to afford a pet. It's that I was unaware I was taking on a cat with pre existing health issues that I may not be able to claim on.
I have another cat who i am able to afford. It's not as easy as saying don't get a pet next time.
The blood tests are a few hundred pounds as is dental work.

His initial consultation was within the 14 day period but that's included on my monthly health plan.
I'm going to give them a call tomorrow.

I would talk to the vet about what needs to be addressed right now for his welfare and what can wait while you save up.

Is it tests now and then monthly medication?

Or teeth now and then monthly medication?

We took in a cat off the street and he needed a few things done at the beginning and then it was just his thyroid meds annual blood tests and check ups, until he was put to sleep many years later.

It was a cost but apart from at the beginning never a lot in one go.

I will add, it may be worth shopping around different vets. There was a MN thread a few months back talking about cat dental costs and prices varied massively.

Our most recent quote was £35 for pre general anaesthetic bloods (recommended because of our cat's age and slight heart murmur) and £360 for GA and dental clean, with an extra fee for each extraction.

It's so tempting to say if he's got a decent quality of life now to keep him for a few months but the longer you keep him the more attached you'll become and the harder it will be to make a rational decision. We've spent thousands on our very beloved but rickety older cat in the last few years (dental extractions / stomatitis/ IBD) because, while he's got an excellent quality of life in between some pretty horrible flare ups, we can't bear to let him go.

The irregular heart beat is caused by the hyperthyroidism. The dental disease if the cat is eating can wait until you save up. My own cat has needed a dental for
about a year now but he’s still eating well so I’ve been saving for it. The hyperthyroidism is the thing that needs treating straight away and it’s not hundreds of thousands. It’s a tablet or liquid that you give once or twice a day. You can buy it online for cheaper that at your vets too

The reality is older animals cost more money. My cats are 15 and 17. Never spent a penny on them until the last 2-3 years and now I’m spending money every month because, like people, older animals get more ailments. This should have been considered before taking on an older cat

It was considered, however as I said I was informed the cat did not have any health issues. That's why I took him.
If I'd known then I would not have taken one with pre existing issues.

The tablets etc are no issue i can afford that. It's the £255 blood test, then another if tests are inconclusive, then another after 6 weeks, and so on.
That is a lot of money for most people and it's not a case of being able to afford a pet. Many, many people could not afford that without insurance.

I will speak to the insurers tomorrow anyway.

Is the original owner receiving benefits and could go to pdsa?

I got a cat from cats protection with a bunch of stuff wrong that I couldn't claim for as they were either pre-existing conditions that they played down/didn't tell me about but the vet noticed, as I took the cat right away for a check up and to get registered.

So don't think that big charities are any better. They didn't reply to my email asking for financial help.

I'm now thousands down on my credit card. I couldn't say no. The wee soul deserved a better life. But I will be paying off that better life for years to come as its thousands.

One tooth extraction can cost from £350 to £650. A drip for older cats undergoing it can be £100. So shop around first. Local vets that are not part of a money grabbing chain have lower costs. Or a local vet university if you have one.

I don't have advice re the vet bill question, just wanted to say that we adopted a 10 year old senior boy from a rescue and found out within months that he had cancer. Some cancers don't show up on blood tests until quite advanced, so don't be hard on yourself for not going to a rescue/shelter, as mentioned by someone else, sadly with older pets they are more prone to health conditions. Our boy lived for another 2 1/2 years and once the insurance ran out, we were able to carry on paying for his treatment until nothing else could be done.
Now, we've adopted two kittens, due to the fact that hopefully we'll not have to go through the emotional and financial stress of illnesses in the senior years too soon, but the downside is my senior boy was such a lovely, cuddly boy and these kittens are more independent and not the lap cat that I'm used to x

That is a lot of money for a blood test - both if my cats had thyroid issues when there were 16 plus for their last years (both died about age 18/19) and wasn't that expensive until the last few months. That said, I would be wary that you're ultimately going to be spending a lot on a cat who at best may not have more than 3 years left at the outside given that they've developed it relatively young.

What kind of life expectancy does the cat have with treatment?

It's very hard, you've been very unlucky i'd have expected several more healthy years.

Yes, I'm looking for new cats and after the last 5 years of nursing geriatric pets through ill health and losing them I'm not ready to take on a cat that's not at least young - i feel bad about it but it's emotionally awful nursing for years them and losing them.

Thanks for all replies.
The woman is in receipt of child benefit im assuming so I've mentioned the PDSA to her. A couple of shelters have replied saying they're full, but will keep looking.
It's so hard to know since he's not been to a vet in 6 years.