Part 0800.0005

[squiffs]

I stopped my 3 cats insurance when it was costing more than our house insurance! I think our last quote was £550 and they're not that elderly! My Kirby cat had a bladder blockage when he was 12 months old, emergency vet trip and op (he was insured then!) and afterwards I was buying special food for about six months, but as we had other cats as well he was eating their food with no side effects so I stopped buying it. He always has access to dry food and water (no wet food at all) and he's now 9 years old with no further problems. Oh and I only buy Aldi's dry cat food.

 

 

I've always been told cats need access to wet food - because a diet of just dry food can cause kidney problems etc later in life. Dogs can have a biscuit only diet pretty easily but cats need meat.

 

I would buy aldi, but i live nowhere near any supermarkets, don't have a car, and commute to work every day so I get asda home delivery, I'd rather shop at aldi though, I lived in there when I was at university!

[migsy]

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I've always been told cats need access to wet food - because a diet of just dry food can cause kidney problems etc later in life. Dogs can have a biscuit only diet pretty easily but cats need meat.

 

Interesting. My vet always told me to feed dry food as it is better for their teeth and gums. Hey ho.

 

I've worked out that it is probably cost effective to keep my kidney prob cat insured. (Unless I can get some illegal Fortecor drugs online).

 

Good idea CM to get the cats checked out before stopping insurance

[squiffs]

Interesting. My vet always told me to feed dry food as it is better for their teeth and gums. Hey ho.

 

and it probably is, which is why my cat has 2 bowls, one for biscuit and one for meat

[Woodcat]

hey

 

One of ours had a problem with recurring urinary infections to the point where he had to have an operation because the crystals were just continually blocking him up. He then had the food for 4 months we stopped it because he just would not eat it and the approach of giving him nothing else just wasn't working he was too good as a hunter. He then managed until he died without a flare up and that was 7 years later.

[migsy]

hey

 

One of ours had a problem with recurring urinary infections to the point where he had to have an operation because the crystals were just continually blocking him up. He then had the food for 4 months we stopped it because he just would not eat it and the approach of giving him nothing else just wasn't working he was too good as a hunter. He then managed until he died without a flare up and that was 7 years later.

 

That is interesting, you are the second person to say something like this. The special diet is expensive and it is also high in fat which is a problem as my cat who is on it is really huge! He is 14 and has a great quality of life and can still jump up on fences etc. I mainly give him the Urinary SO but when I run out he gets normal food for a week or 2 until I can muster up enough guilt to buy him his super expensive stuff.

 

On another matter, my cats are 14 and 15 and this year is the first year that I did not have them vaccinated. It is just so expensive. Does anyone else not vaccinate, and if so, have your cats ever got cat flu or feline leukemia/HIV?

[Woodcat]

Ours had the first batch but have never had the top ups. It's so expensive we just can't do it year after year.None of ours have ever caught anything like that (touch wood) so i just hope for the best really.

[squiffs]

 

 

On another matter, my cats are 14 and 15 and this year is the first year that I did not have them vaccinated. It is just so expensive. Does anyone else not vaccinate, and if so, have your cats ever got cat flu or feline leukemia/HIV?

 

 

I still vaccinate Jelly - he turned 12 on Sunday, I don't think £29 a year is too much to avoid the lurgies. I really never could forgive myself if he got sick because I chose not to put preventative measures in place especially if it was preventable

[migsy]

 

 

On another matter, my cats are 14 and 15 and this year is the first year that I did not have them vaccinated. It is just so expensive. Does anyone else not vaccinate, and if so, have your cats ever got cat flu or feline leukemia/HIV?

 

 

I still vaccinate Jelly - he turned 12 on Sunday, I don't think £29 a year is too much to avoid the lurgies. I really never could forgive myself if he got sick because I chose not to put preventative measures in place especially if it was preventable

 

Here in Manchester it costs over £40 each and I have 2. Children have died in this country of swine flu yet I didn't pay for mine to be vaccinated at Boots. That thought put it into perspective for me.

[squiffs]

 

 

On another matter, my cats are 14 and 15 and this year is the first year that I did not have them vaccinated. It is just so expensive. Does anyone else not vaccinate, and if so, have your cats ever got cat flu or feline leukemia/HIV?

 

 

I still vaccinate Jelly - he turned 12 on Sunday, I don't think £29 a year is too much to avoid the lurgies. I really never could forgive myself if he got sick because I chose not to put preventative measures in place especially if it was preventable

 

Here in Manchester it costs over £40 each and I have 2.

 

That's a lot. I thought it was supposed to be more expensive in the south east to live have you looked into perhaps another vet? Or... my vet offers a scheme where you pay it in installments called the VIP scheme if you set it up in advance? It's like a credit account for vets.

 

 

with reference to swine flu - I got it, and I'm still here - swine flu isn't necessarily fatal, anyone who it could be fatal for was offered a free vaccination. whereas leukaemia and other nasties do actually kill cats (or at the very least lead to expensive vets bills), and animals don't have the NHS to fall back on if they get sick - so treatment for sick animals is costly - treatment for children is free.