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Original poster

How much would you spend to save a pet's life?

33 replies

Cerulean60 · 28/04/2019 20:03

Our family cat is 8 years old. She's technically my sister's cat, but when my sister grew up and left home the case stayed with my mum (as she has a garden), and really we all see her as our family cat.

Our cat is poorly. The likely cost of specialist treatment is £3-4,000, but the vet says she could well lead a normal life after that. Without treatment, she would need to be put down.

We are hoping to claim £2,000 on pet insurance so that leaves potentially another £2,000 to find ourselves.

My mum can't afford to contribute at all. My sisters and I have some savings but I'm saving for a wedding, my sister is looking to buy a flat... we're not wealthy but not living in poverty either.

Some of our friends are saying we should just have our cat put down, because it's too much to spend, whether you have the money or not. I do understand some people literally do not have access to the money and would have no choice. In our case, it's more that it might mean a cheaper wedding. If we all put in a few hundred pounds each then with the insurance money too we could save our cat and she could have another 10 years of life!

It IS a huge amount of money, but I believe we have a moral obligation to use the money we do have to help our pet - I keep crying about it, I can't imagine one of us driving her to the vets and coming back without her simply because we're not prepared to spend the money. The attitudes and comments of some people (who would happily spend the same amount on a holiday) have made me feel quite sad about the world. Would be interested to know others' views - is it just my social circle or is the general consensus that other things are more important?

OP posts:

sempereadem1 · 28/04/2019 20:08

Ah, sorry to hear about your kitty.

I agree with you.

My cat recently came home with an injury. Options were leg off or surgery costing £3500. He is insured up to £3,000 so we took the option of surgery. Some people thought we were mad and should have had his leg off as cheaper.

But he's 5. I know he would manage perfectly well on 3 but I felt we should try. It could not have come at a worse time for us financially but we've just had to find the additional £500.

I know it's not quite the same but I definitely would attempt to save a life.

GOODCAT · 28/04/2019 20:10

I would save the cat if the cat would likely have a good quality life afterwards.

Life, people and pets are more important than a wedding day or waiting a bit longer for a property deposit, which are just stuff rather than that living breathing funny little creature that gives you so much pleasure.

Minkies11 · 28/04/2019 20:12

I would spend whatever it took for mine. I can't believe you are being told to put your cat down - awful. Especially if she can have a better quality of life after the treatment. She's part of your family - don't give up on her.
Ignore the negative comments from your friends - you are the one living with her and loving her. Hope she gets better

Floralnomad · 28/04/2019 20:13

I’d easily spend that , particularly if there was a reasonable expectation of a good outcome . We had horses as teenagers and by the time my first horse died (27) I reckon we’d bought our vet a new Land Rover with the amount she had spent on her .

Moominfan · 28/04/2019 20:14

As long as they would have a good quality of life I would. Sorry your in this situation op. I'd hate to have to choose and I'm only answering hypothetically. If I was in your shoes my answer might be different.

bengalcat · 28/04/2019 20:14

If I could somehow scrape the funds and there was a good chance of a full recovery and normal lifespan then I’d get the treatment

GetOffTheRoof · 28/04/2019 20:16

What will the cat's life be like after the medical treatment?

What sort of care does it need?

Will there be ongoing care afterwards? Medication? Longterm intervention required? What effet will it have on the family in terms of the cat's needs? Any extra issues if you are all away and need cat care or to pop her into a cattery?

englishdictionary · 28/04/2019 20:16

I couldn't justify spending £2k on a cat. I know it's an unpopular opinion, but it is the reason I don't have a cat.

MIA12 · 28/04/2019 20:17

We have spent many thousands on vet bills. It is a moral obligation when you take an animal on IMO. I would struggle to remain friends with anyone who suggested PTS in this situation. Money can always be replaced, a life of a much loved pet cannot.

Xiaoxiong · 28/04/2019 20:18

What matters to me is how my pet would handle the procedures and stuff. If expensive means lots of appointments, jabs, pain, traumatic fear of the vet etc. I wouldn't do it. A human can rationalise going through hell with the promise of health at the end of it, I don't think my dog would understand that she had to suffer through misery to (possibly/probably) have a better quality of life afterwards. So for instance, an amputation I would probably pay for because it's wake up after the GA, pain has stopped, get used to three legs but at home and with loving family around. Whereas I don't know if I could put a dog through chemo and radiation though even if it didn't cost much or was covered by insurance. But I'll cross that bridge if I ever come to it and may decide otherwise. Who knows.

Ignore what friends tell you. You know what your priorities are, you do what is right for your pet. I find my vet is so good at helping us work through what to do, they are never in it for the money but to help animals. I'm so sorry you're faced with a tough decision and hope your kitty is not in pain

stucknoue · 28/04/2019 20:19

Have you shopped around for prices, vets do differ in prices, and if you pay them direct (and the insurance pay you) they may offer a discount. Then other thing is whether a low income clinic could help, you can offer your insurance money. Whether it's fair to treat is different, without knowing the details we can't say but what is the success rate, how is the cat otherwise etc.

FabulouslyFab · 28/04/2019 20:20

I think about how you can’t explain to your pet that although you are handing them over to strangers to have scary things done to them that will hurt and then they won’t be able to move about normally for a while, but they will be fine afterwards. They must be so distressed while it’s all happening.
I am ‘lucky’ that my pets only suffered from old age in the end. I had the vet come to my home every time to PTS so that it was peaceful and they weren’t frightened.
It’s a very difficult decision

stucknoue · 28/04/2019 20:21

Ps to everyone else, check your insurance! We have £10K lifetime for our dog and in thinking of increasing because vets are getting so expensive

Teaandtoastie · 28/04/2019 20:22

If I had the money I would pay it for one of mine, or (most likely) stick it on a credit card.

But then I did once pay over £100 for my DD’s gerbil to have a lump removed ( I declined to pay the extra for a biopsy though!)

JaneEyre07 · 28/04/2019 20:25

I'd say you have a moral obligation to do whatever you can.

BiteyShark · 28/04/2019 20:29

Yes I would pay thousands if it was to improve my dogs life.

However, I am in a position that whilst we have insurance for 4K per year I also have the money to pay anything on top of that. I realise that lots of people don't have the money so they have to make a different choice.

Tinyteatime · 28/04/2019 20:31

No there is absolutely no way I’d spend that on a cat, let alone an 8 year old one. I’ve never known any cats live more than 15 years. I think it will most likely be a slippery slope to spending even more on medications/other treatments.

LadyKylieShagworthy · 28/04/2019 20:32

It's a difficult one. We have had a few cats and were very attached to them and you have to make this decision as a family.
We had a cat we spent a lot of money on only for it to get run over a few months later.
Our current cat had an expensive operation for a ruptured hamstring when he was 10 and is happy and healthy 7 years later 🤷‍♀️

Herja · 28/04/2019 20:34

As much as I had or could borrow from my family. I don't know how much but certainly many thousands. My cat is part of my family.

Original poster

Cerulean60 · 28/04/2019 20:35

Thanks all - you have restored my faith in humanity and stopped me second guessing myself.

The cat is having a CT scan tomorrow to confirm diagnosis and treatment options (which is likely to be surgery). We definitely need to find out exactly what 'she could live a normal life afterwards' means, the risks involved etc. None of us want her to suffer, so that's definitely a consideration before making a final decision, but it's just to what extent money should be a factor.

OP posts:

Beachbodynowayready · 28/04/2019 20:37

Just spent around £1300 on ddog, having a cancerous tumour removed. Thankfully they got it all out successfully.
If she had needed chemo then unfortunately she would have received palliative care only.
Knew £5000 was well above what I could afford.
I know a woman who has just spent £10 k on 2 dcats aged 17, 1 was pts and the other has a long road to recovery with no life long sibling for comfort.
Very personal choice.

NannaNoodleman · 28/04/2019 20:43

We've spent thousands on our old girl due to a throat tumour and various injuries because she's a feckless little bugger! We spent thousands shipping both our girls to the UK when we moved home.

I don't regret a penny of it. I wish I could buy them a pill that would increase their life span. It breaks my heart when I think they won't see our kids into their teenage years.

Snog · 28/04/2019 20:45

Cat is only 8 and would have good quality of life afterwards so I'd spend the money.

If the cat was 16 I'm not sure that I would, I hope it doesn't happen though as it would be heart breaking to have to make that kind of decision.

Hiddenaspie1973 · 28/04/2019 20:46

No. I couldn't afford to spend thousands on my cat. I've got a poorly child who would benefit hugely from quick, private healthcare, who I cannot even spend thousands on.

BiteyShark · 28/04/2019 20:48

I think the important thing for me is that because I have the money and am prepared to spend that on my dog I hope I can then make any decisions based on whether it's in the best interest for him.

I would hate to be in a position where the answer is no simply because I can't or won't spend money on him because he's 'just a pet' as he is worth much more than that.

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