Seriously, £10k for a cat?

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I suppose I'm deliberately putting myself out there for a pummelling. Feel free.

Cat was hit by something yesterday (presumably a car but the injury is very localised). Currently at the vet's. Serious situation but probably a treatable injury with surgery, maybe a couple of weeks to heal. Some quite technically complex care in the meantime and they will want him to come home for that, quite reasonably.

Right now, he's suffering. Not in pain I hope, but broken bones, unable to do what cats should do, not at home etc. Realistically it will be a couple of weeks minimum before he feels good again. But he's a young cat, only 6, every prospect of a good future.

He's not insured. And the reason I took that chance is because I know that I don't have a problem with asking a vet to put a cat that needs major treatment or is suffering in any way to sleep. To me, a short healthy life is as good as a long life. Animals live in the present. And also, I think it is incredibly self indulgent to spend what will probably be the thick end of £10k on a cat. I don't really agree with pet insurance which has hugely inflated what we do to pet animals (this is the opinion of a vet friend of mine as well so it's not purely my bee in bonnet).

Complicating this is the fact I am surrounded by sentimental family members who won't contemplate what to me seems not a very hard decision. I'm going to be the one paying the bill. It's going to mean not doing a lot of other things, holidays etc. I am confronted with the reality that I am a hard bitch.

This kind of scenario is one of the reasons I won’t have pets!

It’s sad but if costs could really be that high understandable.

Do the upset ‘family members’ include any DC still living at home? If so that makes it harder in terms of the emotional fallout but doesn’t seem good reason to change your mind.

I agree OP. We had our dog put to sleep this week because he needed surgery that was going to cost £7000. Then he'd have a long, hard recovery with more unknown costs and he'd never be able to behave like a normal dog again. It was so hard but definitely the right decision. It sucks though, sorry you're going through this.

The thing is that vet fees can cost thousands in a short space of time without it being a cat that ‘needs major treatment or is suffering’. I say this as someone who has had cats for many years. They get bitten and get abscesses, or develop minor conditions that require surgery or long term medication. You couldn’t ask a vet to put them down for these. Overnight stays and anaesthesia increase the bill dramatically. We’ve always had insurance for our cats up until the age of 12 or so and it has saved us thousands. Yes, some cats never need it but it’s the same with house insurance and most people wouldn’t be without that. Once cats reach an older age then premiums go up massively and then for us it’s a choice between paying the premium or putting the same amount aside.

Short healthy lives, famously as good as long lives eh?

For an animal without the capacity to philosophise, yes. Emphatically, yes.

I have twice been in the position when family would not allow me to have a pet put down, and instead fought to keep the pet alive because they were so distressed at the idea of the pet dying. IMO that is selfish.

You may have a pet to give you pleasure, but you have duties towards it. Yes, a short, healthy life is far better than incomprehensible distress that might lead to recovery.

To a cat a short healthy life is as good as a long one. Cats live completely in the moment. Subjecting a cat to a long convalescence from injury isn't the same as a human. A human knows why they're in pain, have to have dressings on, can't go outside, etc. A cat doesn't know it. It just knows that it feels ill in the moment. A cat that lives a long life will get diseases, arthritis, deafness and blindness. I have two cats and I dread being faced by ops situation but I'd put the cat to sleep.

My dog had a foreign object removed from his bowel (5th time) this leaked causing infection, then a bowel resection 3 months after which failed.
Vet offered to operate every week for 3 months, estimated cost £10k & he could have died at any of the estimated 12 operations & would have had an open wound for 12 weeks minimum.
I said no, there were no guarantees & what quality of life would he have had during & possibly after.
Maybe question the Vet more about recovery & quality of life during after - but Op sometimes we just have to make tough decisions

I've always had cats. A few dogs. Now, I am changing my views on animal ownership. I think it has gone too far and impacts on the environment and animal welfare with breeding. Yes, pets are good for many but I think it needs looking at.
I agree, they live in the present and agree with your decision.
I think insurance is a must, however. Or no pet.

I’ve got two dogs and they ARE insured. I generally have my pets insured for the first couple of years in case of any congenital issues. One of my dogs is 40kg and known by all as a complete plonker (vets words) so an element of public liability is necessary.

cats id struggle to justify insurance to be honest and I agree that £10K is an obscene amount of money to spend

in short I don’t think you’re a hard bitch, you have to do what’s right for your family.

I think your position is valid if it is just your cat

If the sentimental family members are your kids you are in deep trouble and should have got insurance

It’s hard to answer your question because you don’t give enough details about the injury. You say localised, broken bones, 6 year old cat, would not be able to live a normal cat life for a few weeks. From that information I would accept treatment, unless the vet advised it was complicated and unlikely to succeed. I have insurance because I don’t want to be in the position of not being able to afford it.

Why do you think it will be the thick end of £10k, has the vet actually given you an estimate? It may be possible to discuss less expensive options e.g. amputation vs saving a leg. Cats get on fine with 3 legs.

Over the years I’ve had three young cats who had serious injuries due to either road accidents or dog attacks. They all had treatment and within weeks had recovered and went on to live happily for many years.

There are treatments I would certainly refuse - older cats, illnesses where success is limited. I agree re a short and happy life, but for me that does not exclude giving treatment which can restore the cat to a good quality of life.

Best of luck with your decision.

I think we do humanise animals but there’s also a difference between treatment that would mean your cat can’t “cat” for a few weeks before making a full recovery vs endless treatment delaying the inevitable.

I'm with you OP. I'm sorry to hear about your little cat.

It's actually a braver thing to not be selfish, and instead think of their best interest. The most important thing is not to leave the cat in pain and make sure you're there when he's put to sleep. He won't know any different but he will be in pain the longer you leave it undecided. I would put him to sleep if in your position - don't give yourself a hard time.

I'm not a keen believer of surgery to 'cure' ailments or injuries. It may well have a good outcome but the cat will be put through a LOT of discomfort and pain through this surgery and even if it was free, I'm not sure I'd put them through it. They're not the same as humans and don't understand the meaning or purpose of surgery and can't be reassured by an 'end result'. Vets will encourage surgery because it means £££ for them.

Hope you're ok x

So would you pay £50k to treat your cat if that is what the vet told you? £100k, £500k?

These decisions are never absolute, don't pretend that they are.

My cat was run over and left on the street with horrible injuries, until he made his way home. Took him to the vet, and I was also uninsured and the cost was £5k to MAYBE give him another chance but he would be in pain and may never fully recover. Unfortunately I had to make the decision to put him to sleep, which I did grief over but I didn't have insurance either and it didn't feel fair.

i’m so sorry about your cat. I don’t think you’re evil either. and I think treatment is sometimes pursued that isn’t really in the best interests of the pet.

Friend’s insurance didn’t cover the full cost of care and repair following a RTA and their cat. They in hindsight were not properly advised/guided through the process which left them in significant credit card debt, and financially extremely vulnerable if they incur a further unforeseen domestic cost. It’s left me questioning the ethics of veterinary practice when this was considered best practice.

I do ensure my pets and wouldn’t PTS to avoid “major treatment”. What I would (and have done) is weigh up the pain and distress any treatment would cause against the likely outcome. A young cat that could be “fixed” I couldn’t pts unless the treatment was truly awful. And we have operated on a middle aged cat with an abdominal lump. The outcome was likely to be she wouldn’t survive the surgery or she would be fine. It was that or PTS. Luckily she was fine and lived years longer.
We have a duty to do the best for our animals. That’s not about money. It’s about quality of life and weighing up the best options for them.

I have 2 cats at home, one insured, one not, the one that isn't is due to a few factors, the cost of the insurance every month plus I have a large excess and the 20% of all fees I'd have to pay. So for small bills it's really not worth it and large ones I'm not sure I'd put him through it, he's terrible at the vets, has had to be sedated for blood tests before so not sure I'd put him through it, he's 12 now so depending on what treatment he would need euthanasia would be an option.
Keeping a pet alive at all costs is usually not for the benefit of the pet.

According to Petplan around 630 cats are run over every single day in the UK.

How can that be acceptable to people? Why are cats just allowed to roam around at so much risk and people just keep on getting them and letting them out anyway? I know of 2 that have been killed recently just along my road but it doesn't seem to deter anyone. I guess they're cheap and easy to replace and exercise themselves - and people don't really think beyond that.

I stopped insuring my cats at about 10. They had never used it and one of them had it mentioned he may have a heart murmur. I didn't take it any further as no issues and it didn't come up in follow up vaccinations.

I knew that meant I could never move him away from that insurer as they would say pre existing.

I put the money away every month in a savings account.

The oldest car developed thyroid issues - medication every month. However I get prescription and buy online - net cost about £20 a month. If I had insurance it would have been hiked up by more than that. Then occasional blood tests.

Last month she did need a ct scan and fluid drained. I spent about £1200 and then PTS. Vets were clear that it was a poor prognosis, maybe if I had been insured it would have been a different conversation and they would have pressed for more treatment just because she was insured.

Other cat had a couple of abscesses from bites that needed draining and antibiotics.

So with all of that treatment (excluding the regular meds) I am currently about £600 down in my vet 'pot' against what I have put away. As insurance would have gone up every year I am probably up compared to what I would have spent on that, it was about 4 years ago I stopped insuring.

Oof, that’s really difficult OP. I don’t blame you at all - the money is eye-watering and as PPs have said, just because you can treat an injury doesn’t necessarily mean you should, especially if it means potentially months of recovery stress and pain for the poor animal.

DH and I have talked about what we might do with our dog in similar circumstances. Friends of ours just got hit with an £18k bill for theirs (most of it excluded from their insurance, predictably enough) and have had to take on debt to cover it.

DH said at the time, “well there was a hell of a lot simpler and cheaper way of dealing with that” - but I know for sure we’d probably make exactly the same choice if our dog was in a similar situation. I can’t imagine just saying “oh well, we’ll let him go then”, even if it was the most obvious and sensible thing to do. I know it’s stupidly sentimental but he’s part of the family. Having said that I definitely don’t judge anyone for making a different decision under those circumstances.

Insurance is often not helpful,

We had a cat that was run over. Fractured pelvis.

The vet was clear that although she was insured the insurance would not cover anywhere near the cost of the surgeries she needed.

I actually don't insure my cats any more after that because the insurance is expensive and just doesn't cover so much.

At the time ExH was a high earner and we paid for the surgeries (plural, as she needed three.). She was the most expensive cat we ever owned.

If we couldn't have afforded it we would have had her put down.

OP at this stage you haven't insured your cat. No point in kicking you when you don't have the money. After all this isn't AIBU.

However I think your logic is flawed , expensive treatment that means a short time of discomfort leading to a full recovery is worth it.

What unfair is a prolonged period of treatment with a poor prognosis.

Don't get another cat without some form of insurance/savings...Of course looking into how much said insurance actually covers

I live in a country where pet insurance isn’t really a thing and vet fees seem much lower than in the UK, even though general cost of living absolutely isn’t. I don’t know if there’s a link.

As an example, my cat had a UTI and needed to stay at the vet’s for 3 days including a bank holiday, had a catheter fitted, etc. The total cost was about 400€, which seems low compared to what I’ve heard from UK friends.

After a few animal accidents and expensive vets bills even after insurance paid there bit, I decided my limit is my entire savings plus max out credit card. Only if there is a fair to good chance of survival. If it's a limited chance of survival or good chance but then many complications years down the line then pts it is.

I feel better in myself knowing what I will spend and when I will spend it. I feel like the animal has had a good life already with me, so if I must cut it short, I wont feel so guilty.
I have cats and dogs, my biggest fear is using all my money on one who had an accident, then another having an accident and no money left.

Same with something that requires daily injections or monthly tablets or similar. I'll work out how much I need to find each month, how long will my savings provide it, if its worthwhile for the animal.

Somewhere there has to be a limit, or really really excellent insurance. Insurance that covers previous things, not like now, where any previous events, are no longer covered by insurance.
So my cats broken leg, is now never covered by insurance, any future problems like say arthritis in that leg will be my problem. Which is fine in theory but expensive in reality.

So OP do what feels right for you. And 10k in many places is a whopping house deposit.