cat broke his pelvis, no insurance.

[charlietangoteakettlebarbeque]

Just back from vets.

We don't have insurance. I know, we are stupid idiots. We never got round to it

Anyway, the op is going to cost around 1500. We don't have anywhere near that kind of money

The vet said we could leave the cat in a cage for 6 weeks and let the pelvis heal by itself

The only repercussions in doing this is that he may have problems with constipation when he gets older.

I don't know what to do. The op is booked in for Monday but we won't be able to pay. The vet won't accept a payment plan. No one we know would have that money to lend

Does anyone have any advice? Is there any institution that could help us?

Would it be so bad to leave the pelvis to heal by itself?

When our cat broke her pelvis the vet told us to give her sardines- irrisistible if they don't want to eat, the oil helps with any possible constipation and they are full of calcium.

She was a spoiled madam before the accident, but after 6 weeks lying on a bean bag eating sardines she was intolerable!!

Could you turn the travel cot inside down?

I'm not a cat owner, so I'm sorry if that's a stupid idea

Thank you for your replies, means a lot.

I will try freecycle now.

The vet loaned us the cage we have him in now. We still owe them money so I doubt they will oblige!!

Will stop by and get some sardines before I get home from work tonight - lucky kitty! She is going to be spoiled rotten!

WeeClype - that's exactly what we did this morning!! It seems like a good idea, and everything fit in there, but he's been on his own all day and I just wonder what we'll come home to (imagines slashes on the side of the cot and an escaped kitty)

Freecycle saved the day! Thank you! Kitty is now comfortable in his new luxurious cage, being waited on paw and foot. And seems to be on the mend. Just thought I'd update you. :)

Excellent news!

I'm glad you've got it sorted charlie our kitten broke her leg and had to be kept in a cage while it healed.

She was only abut 9 weeks old and I had luckily got the insurance sorted two weeks before, we had just come out of the qualifying period where they don't pay. We were so lucky as it was an afterthought of mine and her operation cost over £1500 which we didn't have.

She got used to it quickly and it proved vital as the first time we let her out with her pot on she managed wiggle under the tv cabinet and pull it off!

Cats are great healers.Strict confinement for 6 weeks and you would be amazed at how well the vast majority do.
We very rarely operate on broken pelvis's in my practice as few people have insurance over here.(Ireland)

Our kitty is doing really well. Getting better every day. Thank goodness. Thank you all for your support and messages xx

Charlietangoteakettlebbq...did your cat recover totally, on 6weeks in a cage, after a broken pelvis? My cat also with same...vet bill mounting horrendously!

Sorry to hear about your cat Polly. In the 80's we had a cat who was hit by a car when he was about 5 and fractured his pelvis. He didn't have an operation, wasn't cage restricted - only advised he shouldn't be allowed to jump up. He lived to 15 (hit by another car ) but had no significant lasting effects. Obviously it depends on the severity, which your vet can advise on, but there can be good long term outcomes in certain cases.

Good luck

Getting a cage would be more controlled than just being told "don't let him jump up"!

Polly my cat broke her hip last year, had to have an op and steel pins inserted and then subsequently removed. The whole thing cost £3500 and because she is an indoor cat, I'd only taken out a medium level of cover, thinking it was unlikely I'd have to worry about her being hit by a car etc. So insurance only covered £1900.

She still walks with a bit of a limp; I don't think she's in pain. The cage rest was awful though - she hated every minute of it.