Prepared to be flamed - advice please

[watermelonpie]

My cat was hit by a car a few weeks ago and I hastily adopted a new cat from a reputable rescue. This rescue seemed to want to get rid of this cat fairly quickly and didn't insist on doing a home check.

Anyway 2 weeks later the cat started with a limp. I took him to the vets and she said it looked like he'd previously been in an accident as his pelvis wasn't in the usual place and was on a slant. His hip had popped out of place. X-ray and a few other checks (and £400) later and now I'm seriously regretting my decision to adopt this cat. Luckily I was insured but it's still money I haven't got to spend when paying up front for vets bills.

I've contacted the rescue and asked to return him and they keep fobbing me off and are ignoring my calls and voicemails. I can't afford to keep this cat what do I do?

I understand what you're saying Wolfie but I don't feel like I'm giving up on the cat. I feel like I've been strongly misled by the rescue I got him from. I don't think it's a coincidence that they were in such a hurry to rehome him without checking who I actually was first.

In previous years as a vet nurse if surgery to repair the hip wasn't financially doable we sometimes used to amputate the limb. Has this been considered as an option (rather than pts suggestions) or is it not viable due to previous injury making the pelvis unstable?

If they did know about the issue then they are a very disreputable set up and I would be looking to challenge them. Legally or otherwise. I would also want to make people aware of their shoddy practices.
But that doesn't help the cat. My fear is that if you return it this animal will be PTS. I would struggle with that.

OK, before everyone blames the rescue and the OP here - is it possible the rescue didn't know about his issue? You say the limp started a few weeks after you adopted him, so it wasn't obvious to begin with? Do you know what his history was i.e. was he previously a stray or surrendered by previous owners?

I would be going to a different vet for a 2nd opinion, just in case.

Would your insurance cover the operation, or do they consider this a pre-existing condition they wouldn't cover?

To those asking about charities and insurance - it is not possible for charities to insure cat's in their care; only owners can insure a cat. There is obviously no limitless pool of money; when health issues crop up, we usually fundraise specifically. Vet's do give charity discounts but only the biggest charities have their own vet clinics for the most cost-effective vet care.

The thing is, it’s now a pre-existing condition and would be excluded from any future insurance policies. Ideally a home would need to be found for him to be transferred to directly, with the hopes that the insurance company will simply transfer the policy from one owner to another. Would need to check their T&Cs.

Although really tricky for you, you did make the commitment to take him on and it’s better that the cost is covered by an insurance company than a rescue centre who could use those funds to save many, many other cats. Maybe once he’s had the surgery he will have a good outcome and he could be rehomed then.

Please don’t get another cat after him if the vet bills are putting you off. While expensive, they’re part and parcel of pet ownership and could happen to any cat at any age.

What does your insurance say? Is it petplan who give a free month in the beginning. Its £90 excess. I dont understand if you have insurance have you checked that they dont pay direct to the vet? If they are paying up the £400 for the xrays etc wont they continue to pay up until you reach your limit?

Can yiu not tap into charity vets are you in London? Or check out the PDSA

I think people are being unfair to the OP. The OP is being responsible having sought veterinary help and the charity are the people to blame in all of this. An animal with a medical condition needs to either be looked after or PTS. It's very unfair to keep an animal alive which is in pain.

Friends of ours just had a major surgery for their dog (cruicate ligament in his hind leg) and it cost a fortune (USD6k) and they didn't have the money to pay for it. The local vetinary hospital has a fund for cases like yours and our friends which pays in full or partially for treatment depending on financial circumstances. You could also try one of the universities. They might be able to perform the procedure for less. We had our dog operated on by a vet school in upstate New York when he was hit by a car. The bill was $3500 instead of $8k.

Animal shelters used to have a lot of animals PTS but that's now considered unacceptable. The result is that you have shelters full of animals unsuitable for domestic life. It also depletes resources available for the animals that need one off medical help. What we have found is that some shelters are now trying to pass on high maintenance animals to unsuspecting people. These days I wouldn't get a shelter pet without an independent examination (obviously paid for by you) completed by a vet. We wanted a dog and going to the shelter was a horrible joke. We just got cats and I got them from a family returning to Ireland because three shelters had tried to give us sick cats that should have been PTS a long time ago.

Thanks for the responses.

Insurance is with petplan - the 4 week free trial. Cat is still limping . The rescue I got him from said they should have a space to take him back this week, but when I tell them about what's happened do far what if they refuse?

Don’t they pay up to £4000? Have you got a Medivet near you I know they work together so you don’t pay anything appart crime the £95. I’m sorry if I’m reading this wrong I just think if you have insurance already and you’ve registered it will you not beable to get the cat treated?

Appart from the excell of £95

My MIL adopted a beautiful cat from CPL a few years back, and within three weeks she took really ill and had to be put to sleep. It was horrendous, as MIL had taken such a long time to reach the decision to get another cat after her previous two were PTS (elderly, kidney and liver problems) and was heartbroken. The CPL - who did do the home check - admitted that their vet had been concerned that the cat actually did have a medical condition. MIL was reimbursed her vet costs and given priority to adopt a kitten - she actually ended up with a kitten and his mother - as the CPL staff/volunteers were so sorry that both she and the poor cat were placed in this position. I hope Things work out for you and your cat, OP.

Hi OP, I’m with petplan and and my first cat got poorly as kitten shortly after adoption (eye related). I’ve only had to pay excess once in nearly 3 years as all claims just go through as one, if they’re related to the same health problem. The vets claim directly, the only payment we have to make is £10 admin when we see a specialist.

I agree with pp, they may not have known. I also didn’t have a home visit, I’d literally just walked in off the street and asked if they had any cats available (obviously I planned beforehand but the shelter wouldn’t have known either way). I think shelters must just be desperate to rehome cats in general.

Any cat can get health problems though. My first came as a healthy kitten, but you should see some of the vet bills. One specialist appointment, an eye clean plus medication was £900 once! I almost didn’t continue with insurance at first, I thought we’ll never use it.

Petplan are brilliant. OP now youve been to the vet you really shouldnt have to pay out anymore as long as you continue the insurance. Can you not wait and see?