Cats come home injured, can't afford vets fees!

[Ohb0llocks]

DCat has just come home from being out, and will not weight bear on his front right leg ☹️ he also seems to have cut between his claw and skin on another foot, however this isn’t bothering him much.

Obviously I’m going to call the vets when they open in 15 min, but at the minute we haven’t a pot to piss in. New baby due in a few weeks, DP hasn’t been working as much due to weather (self employed outside job).

I’m in bits. We don’t live in an area where PDSA etc can help. What are the chances of the vets allowing a payment plan without a huge deposit? We can probably afford around £30 at the most.

And please please no one lecture me re insurance. Bloody stupid mistake on my part and I feel bad enough already.

I'd definitely be leaving this for a couple of days. It's more than likely a sprain. I've done the whole rushing off to vets thing only to have the cat right as rain the next day

Unless obviously injured and in pain, adopt a watch and see for now

He’s not yowling unless you touch the leg and move it, which I obviously don’t want to do.

Cats purr when they are in pain, it is not a sign that a cat is pain-free, sorry

You need to get him checked by a vet.

I agree that you need a vet to check him over. And then take it from there. But you can't just leave it.

Of course you can leave it for a day.

The vet will probably give him a shot of painkillers and keep him a cage overnight anyway. Unless its broken and he operates straight away I can't see what the OP is doing wrong to keep an eye on it for a day or so.

In my cat's case it was dislocated but he was obviously in a lot of pain.

The vet will probably do an X ray to rule out a break or dislocation. I would take your cat in for a check over today just in case.

I don’t really want him being shit in anywhere if we can avoid it, he will end up doing more damage thrashing about he hates anything like that.

I hate vets
I think they are greedy money grabbing scum....
Makes me sick!
Hope you get your cat sorted!

Our local vets4pets have agreed to see him for nothing to see what the issue is and go from there so that’s something. They’ve been super helpful actually.

He’s just come downstairs and eaten an entire tin of cat food so nothing wrong with his appetite at least.

That's great. Wish more vets were like that. All small animal vets near me seem to be money grabbing bastards, unlike the equine vets who are lovely.

Tell me about it Hayes. It’s absolutely ridiculous.

What’s frustrated me more is the vets I use regularly won’t even bother with him, and he goes for his boosters on time every year, check ups for his dicky heart, I get his flea and worm treatment from there etc. He won’t be going there again when this is sorted that’s for sure.

My horse vet comes out even on a sunday. Has a look, recommends a course of treatment. Theres usually an expensive way (insurance claim) and a cheaper way. Sometimes I just text him a picture and he'll say rest or I need to come out now or whatever. Its just good, normal, human common sense. Also you can pay in instalments.

Everytime I've taken the dog in for anything its needed an overnight stay but the actual treatment is usually just a pill or a cream! Robbing bastard.

Your vets attitude is shocking. My cat got hit by a car, I rushed him in straight away and they didn't even mention money. After realising it was serious I got an idea of cost and explained I didn't have it all at once and they said don't worry, we'll treat him and worry about money later. It cost £1k in the end and they let me pay it over 6 months (cat is now insured!)

Hope you get on ok with vets4pets

They even let me take my own children home from the hospital with instructions on how to give antibiotics. Dogs seem a special case

Might be an abscess. In which case it would need bursting and cleaning out plus shot of antibiotics. Good luck OP

user vets DO NOT go into the job to make money...many struggle to make ends meet when they take into account costs of premises, equipment, stock etc...their profession features highly in suicide statistics and it pisses me off to see people generalising.

Vets generally have an obligation to treat an animal who is in pain regardless of money. You can google this....they are not supposed to turn away an animal in pain.

As the OP has discovered it is worth phoning around as many vets WILL see an animal free of change for assessment.

Glad you've found someone to help as I don't think it would be fair to leave him if he's in enough pain to bite.

it pisses me off to see people generalising.

I am not 'generalising' I am telling you what my own vet is like. I am happy to hear there are vets out there who are more sensible and less money grabbing. Not sure why suicide rates are high?? Its no worse paid than a lot of other jobs?

I know it's no help at the minute, but do you have credit union in your area?My old vet recommend that I join it, as you're not giving your money away, but saving it for emergencies, such as this. If I needed an emergency treatment for my pet, the local CU are very good at loaning the money with very short notice. Many insurance companies have get out clauses and you have to pay a lump sum out anyway. Hope your poor kitty isn't too badly injured.

Actually I think the pet insurers are the biggest filthiest scammiest rip-off artists. OP if you do get insurance, choose carefully.

Hope cat recovers :(

Btw, if you do get insurance in future, be aware that they are unlikely to lay out, if your cat injures that leg again. They're liable to say it's affected by a pre existing condition. Stop generalising about vets. Some are crap and some are great. My old vet used to keep animals that people wanted put down, simply because they didn't want them any more. He ended up with 12 cats, at one stage.

@MsMims the biting hasn’t worried me too much. It’s generally how he shows his annoyance, it wasn’t a vicious bite, more a ‘your hand is in my mouth, you’re pissing me off human’ bite.

He’s sat on the bed now looking majestic. He’s at the vets at 4.

@PovertyPain bless them ❤️ do some vets put down animals just because they’re unwanted?

I can’t wait to get him seen, hoping it’s something and nothing. He did have a little try to walk on it earlier but he’s moped back off upstairs now.