The importance of setting $ aside...

[Pandora]

...For your pets every month. Cat got sick last week - $600 vet bill, sent home with meds. This morning... he's on his death bed, back to the vet, another $800 thus far, but will allow me to make payments over the course of 4 weeks on the new bill.

my poor kitty - at least the vet was willing to work with me on this current bill, so for that I'm eternally grateful.

Please do not underestimate setting that $20-$40 aside each month while in a Ch. 13 if you have pets. If you havent budgeted it in yet, do it - your pets life could depend on it - as many vets now are not about saving the animal (as it should be) and working with the people to pay the bill; they're about the almighty dollar.

I'm so grateful our pet has been given the chance to live and that I budgeted for him in our plan.

prayers are definitely needed for him thats for sure.

[tobee43]

ahhhhhhhh pandora...my heart so goes out to you. we so understand what your going though as we lost our baby..( our cat...or better said my dh's beloved cat) in the move. so we so know how hard this is for you.

both of us..(dh and me) are sending you the best and hope your kitty will recover...we will be praying!!!

[Lissy]

Prayers sent! I hope your kitty gets better soon. I couldn't agree more and it's one of the biggest reasons I hoard my cash now. I have 2 dogs that will be 6 & 7 years old this year and I still have 4 more years left on my CH 13. They will be 10 & 11 before I'm out of it and I owe it to them to prepare for potential age-related health issues. I also have 2 10-year-old cats.

[Pandora]

Thanks for the prayers and thoughts - definitely can use them. (hugs all the way around).

Tobee - thanks. Yep, my kitty is my heart.... he's definitely the most expensive pet I've ever owned thats for sure. I think in the years we've had him, including this go-round, we're in about $10K. He didnt ask to be sick - we chose him.. so he's our responsibility, ya know? *sighs* Sure is quiet around here without him.

Lissy - I hear ya. March will be 1 year we've been in our plan (where does the time go?!) and thankfully we set aside $ every month for him. Didnt expect him to be so ill - it was very sudden - he was fine and healthy; then suddenly took a bad turn, and he's only 6. They're keeping him for a few days to keep him hooked up to the IV and copious amounts of antibiotics / pain meds, as long as I get him back healthy, thats all that matters.

Word of caution to cat owners: if your cat suddenly stops eating and drinking - and then begins to throw up white foam and yellow/green foam - make sure the vet checks the pancreas and liver. Infections in these areas can kill a cat pretty fast if the dehydration doesnt get them first. No idea how or why - he's indoors, no plants, no chemicals, nothing - but he sure crashed yesterday - and he wasnt even being treated for those things; he was being treated for arthritis and allergies.

[AngelinaCat]

Hi Pandora: I am so sorry to hear about your beloved kitty. Prayers are on their way on your behalf.

Tobee: So sorry to hear about your loss. Prayers are headed your way, too.

Pandora, since this is an indoor cat, have you considered his food might be the culprit? There was a recall a few months back. I don't remember the brand names but I'll see if I can find it. This is a different recall than that for the tainted Chinese made food a few years back. We lost one of our cats to that fiasco...

ETA: I am being called away from the computer, so it will be later before I can get back with cat food recall findings...

[ValleYum]

Pandora~

Sending some good kitty karma & prayers your way. <3

[AngelinaCat]

Here is what I found about the latest recall:

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/newpetfoodrecalls/

[chicagoannie]

Pandora - I am so sorry your kitty is so ill. We lost our other beloved cat last year and it was agonizing because he was so sick. You are quite right about budgeting for pet emergencies. When you love them it is no different then setting aside money for a human emergency. I wish you kitty comfort and peace.

[Freddy03]

I'm sorry about your cat. I feel the same way about my dogs.

Hope he starts feeling better soon!!

[lillymarlene]

Pandora, So sorry to hear about your cat, hope he gets well soon.

You are right about keeping a little aside for vet emergencies. I have 2 cats and last year one had a problem that ended up costing me $600. Luckily my vet let me pay it over 3 months. My cats are very important, my boyfriend and I consider them part of our family.

[13for60]

We're a dog family. Point well taken.

--13for60

[Pandora]

Thank you everyone....cant tell you how touched I am at all the sentiments

AngelinaCat - thanks for the list - thats the very first thing I did yesterday morning after dropping him off as I thought maybe it was the food as well. Luckily Fancy Feast isnt on that list (Thank God!) and never has been. Thats my biggest fear is that poisoned food will get him - we've tried dozens of brands and he's so picky, he wont eat any of it Frustrating to say the least - and trying to find a good quality brand that hasnt been recalled is hard. Guess we'll go back to Wellness brand, but again, he's so damn picky its impossible. He's that stubborn

Waiting to hear lab results now - and have had a terrible feeling since dropping him off. Dr. gets in at 10, so hopefully I'll get some sort of positive news, although he still hasnt eaten or drank on his own - still hooked up to the IV.

I feel sick...

Thanks again everyone - its amazing how these little boogers just take over your heart and soul isnt it? HUGS to all and if you have a pet, go snuggle with them and give 'em lots of love.

[tobee43]

pandora...make sure you keep us updated...

also i did want to make a suggestion to you about your picky eater....our cat...all he would eat was the darn gravy!! so i started making my own cat food...i had a recipe somewhere for it...(he hasn't been with us for a while now...) but i would make his food...plenty of gravy, and put little ice cube trays in the freezer remove them and put them in little plastic zip baggies...take them out as i needed them. he HATED fish, so usually they were chicken, turkey or beef based. he loved them...

i hope all goes well!!!

[Pandora]

Tobee - yeah, we've tried that - he wont eat homemade cat food; even the expensive all natural cat food based on the raw and cooked diets of cats he wont touch. He's kind of like Garfield LOL Went and saw him yesterday to drop babyfood off for him (its the blandest thing when they're sick) and they had accupuncture needles in him to try to stimulate his appetite and help with the pain. Oddest thing ever to see a cat with needles in their head and nose, but he seems to respond to it. Just called this morning and he's actually eaten a little babyfood so thats great news!

Hopefully he'll be home by this weekend but we're not out of the woods yet by any means, but its a start

[tobee43]

i hope so...you are just the sweetest person ever...can't hide that heart of yours missy...LOL!!!

(there are few that will give their cats acupuncture...) ...i would! i actually saw my dh...and don't tell ANYONE ok..PLEASE...but he gave a kitten cpr and mouth to mouth...true story.......AND he saved the baby kitty.

i'm hoping you can take him home soon!