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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Vet bills: when is it too much?

41 replies

CanadianJohn · 10/03/2025 03:24

I'm taking Mixie to the vet tomorrow, he's drooling and doesn't want to chew. Won't take any hard food, even treats, and desperately licks at his wet food, pushing it across the plate, so half of it ends on the floor. I think he needs the dentist. Last time I had a cat with dental problems, 20 years ago, the vet bills were unreal. The problem is that the cat will not "open wide" on command, and so has to sedated for every procedure.

Mixie is about 13, a rescue. I don't even particularly like him. His name is short for "Mixed Blessing".

OP posts:

HappiestSleeping · 10/03/2025 03:45

If you think very build were unreal 20 years ago, I'm afraid you are in for a shock as they are much worse now.

Do you have insurance? I'm guessing not. I'd get the vet to give an indication of cost in advance if you don't, otherwise you may end up with a bill higher than you expect.

If what you're asking is whether now is the time for the big injection, that's a decision only you can make. I feel your pain though as many of us will be in that position at some point due to affordability. Speak to the vet and see what they say, there may be other options available.

flutterby1 · 10/03/2025 04:02

I have a cat I don't like too. He's bitey, scratchy and scary. I got him from a cat sanctuary who said he was good with families, I've had him 9 years and he costs me about £600 a year on food. Plus money for standard vet treatment I should have got insurance but didn't and I dread when he needs mor substantial vet care. I once paid £1 k for a cat who died on the operating table but still had to pay! I feel for you x

Gingerkittykat · 10/03/2025 05:36

I know dentals are expensive, but would you put your cat to sleep for a problem that can be easily fixed?

I don't know where the line is between spending too much, probably when it would cause you and your family hardship.

I was quoted about £600 for a dental with tooth removal a couple of years back but lucckly it was not an emergency and my boy lived the last couple of years of his life with dodgy teeth that didn't cause him any pain.

emanresu24 · 10/03/2025 05:46

Our cat had 4 teeth extracted last year, it was £450. I'd never kill them for something that can be fixed, especially not a cat that young. Maybe someone else would love them. Our cat recovered from the extractions and is almost 20.5 years old now.

My other cat costs me £52 a month in insurance and now has an illness that will cost even more. As she's also a senior I have to pay a significant percentage even after the insurance. I love her dearly, but she's in pain and it's affecting her mobility so if this treatment doesn't work, then I'll have to consider the big injection. The big one is for problems that can't be fixed when their quality of life is poor. I put a bit of cash aside every month for vets bills for our uninsured animals, every few years it wipes out and i'm glad I did it. £10 a month feels like nothing at the time so I don't resent that.

abracadabra1980 · 10/03/2025 06:23

Yes it's expensive but sore teeth /gums /possible abscesses are incredibly painful and your poor cat is suffering. Either put the vet bill on a credit card or go to the PDSA. Your cat still has many more years to live.

Partybaggage · 10/03/2025 06:33

13 isn't particularly young for a cat.

A problem that's "easily fixed" by the vet could still cost hundreds of pounds. If she doesn't have hundreds of pounds then it's not an easy fix. Not everyone's got £52 a month to spend on cat insurance. If you do have that kind of money sloshing around then great for you.

As for rehoming the cat, who will re-home an old, unfriendly cat that needs potentially hundreds of pounds of dental work? Why distress the cat by rehoming it at 13?

Pts isn't the worst thing that can happen to an animal. I would see what the vet says but if the cat needs a lot of very expensive work that you really, genuinely can't afford and their quality of life would be affected then pts is an option to consider.

biscuitsandbooks · 10/03/2025 07:57

Thirteen isn't particular old for a cat - they can easily live until very late teens and early twenties, if not older.

I would get dental issues sorted - likely it will mean teeth getting removed but once they're out, the cat will be a hell of a lot happier.

Itsfiiiine · 10/03/2025 08:05

Might just be needing a dental or could have an oral tumour or something which wouldn't really be treatable. Only way to know is to take him to the vet. But yes a major dental will be around 600-1k. Less than my single tooth is going to cost me!
13 is not old for a cat.

Toddlerteaplease · 10/03/2025 09:21

Poor Mixie, his human doesn't love him. 😰

Toddlerteaplease · 10/03/2025 09:22

My girl had 6 teeth out. It cost £900

TY78910 · 10/03/2025 09:25

I don't even particularly like him

So are you asking strangers on the internet to give you their blessing to ignore his suffering? 🤔

biscuitsandbooks · 10/03/2025 11:39

Toddlerteaplease · 10/03/2025 09:21

Poor Mixie, his human doesn't love him. 😰

If I remember rightly, Mixie is/was OP's wife's cat who was very unwell.

whirlyhead · 10/03/2025 11:43

My 2 who are now 6 have run up £20k between them in surgery during their short lives. Which was fine whilst they were insured but they aren’t any more as I moved country!

it is a tough one. I would just pay as I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t. I’d ask the vet for a quote and see what your options are. PTS isn’t cheap either nowadays thinking about it…

BarneyRonson · 10/03/2025 11:45

If you don’t like him…does anyone in your household like him? Is he having a nice life and important to someone?is he a happy cat who likes being here?

if he’s just being tolerated and is basically alone, then I’d say go ahead and pts. It’s sad but it’s not the end of the world.

Original poster

CanadianJohn · 10/03/2025 13:44

Thanks for all your comments. Mixie was eating better this morning, had 3 small helpings of wet food, mixed with a little water.

I think I may just be too absorbed with myself these days. As the song says, I have no love to give..

Going to the vet today, we'll see.

OP posts:

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 10/03/2025 13:59

Our girl had six teeth removed about five years ago and it was around £900 - a lot of the cost is the general anaesthetic. It wasn't covered by our insurance so we stuck it on a credit card then cleared it over the next few months.

Last year she was diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma and we did PTS because even with thousands of pounds of treatment (chemo) it would only have bought us months with her. That would have been covered by insurance, but we didn't want to put her through invasive and distressing treatment when things were only going one way.

BarneyRonson · 10/03/2025 14:02

CanadianJohn · 10/03/2025 13:44

Thanks for all your comments. Mixie was eating better this morning, had 3 small helpings of wet food, mixed with a little water.

I think I may just be too absorbed with myself these days. As the song says, I have no love to give..

Going to the vet today, we'll see.

Good luck at the Vets! Hope it goes well.

I mash a lot of water into my cats food, so it’s essentially a thick soup. I buy only mousse or pate food nowadays so no lumps for her to negotiate. There are anti plaque supplements that can be added to water that help keep the cats teeth clean I add this to my cats water, bought it on amazon. I don’t know if mixie can still eat dry food, but there are dental treats that help clean the teeth too. I bought some cat nip twigs that are frayed at the end, she kicks them and chews them and this also cleans her teeth.

Breadcat24 · 10/03/2025 15:16

I think I would pay until out of pain, unless terminal and likely to suffer.
To be honest I love my cat dearly, but would probably do this for a found stray if the cat was suffering.
But I adore cats and can (within reason ) afford it

Original poster

CanadianJohn · 10/03/2025 20:35

Just back from the vet, £105 for the examination (5 mins) and a shot of antibiotic. In my opinion, Mixie's gums look very ugly, but what do I know. Two teeth have to come out, scheduled for Mar 28 at 10.00 am.

No breakfast for Mixie on that day, try to explain that to the pussycat. I didn't ask what the cost would be..

OP posts:

Breadcat24 · 10/03/2025 20:50

you can probably feed her up to midnight- try lik-e-lix if her mouth is sore

Original poster

CanadianJohn · 10/03/2025 20:57

Breadcat24 · 10/03/2025 20:50

you can probably feed her up to midnight- try lik-e-lix if her mouth is sore

Nope, 7.00 pm the night before. Poor starving pussycat.

OP posts:

BarneyRonson · 11/03/2025 11:20

CanadianJohn · 10/03/2025 20:35

No breakfast for Mixie on that day, try to explain that to the pussycat. I didn't ask what the cost would be..

I’ve been wondering how it was going with Mixie. I hope the antibiotic helps. Goodness knows how much two teeth removing is going to cost! But maybe this will bond you a bit more to the little animal. Might as well enjoy what you are paying for!

Original poster

CanadianJohn · 11/03/2025 17:02

I gotta say, I don't actually dislike the cat. I'm afraid His Majesty doesn't believe in fraternising with the staff, and spends most of his time in the spare bedroom. He emerges to eat and use the litter. He spends about as much time with me as King Charles spends with his kitchen and cleaning staff.

During the winter, His Majesty would occasionally watch TV with me in the evening. The spare room is on the chilly side, and I would turn the gas fire on in the evening, and he would sit on the mantlepiece.

OP posts:

Original poster

CanadianJohn · 11/03/2025 17:28

I used to have a clock on the mantlepiece... I forgot to mention, His Majesty sometimes looks after the laptop for me while I'm opening a new can of food...

OP posts:

Puppylucky · 12/03/2025 09:37

You love him really! And Mixie is such a cool name :-)

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