Why Can't My Cat Be Treated on the NHS

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My cat is going to die young because I can't afford to have her treated or tested.

Why do we waste billions on poxy schools and roads and police if my cat has to die?

This country is fucked.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

awww poor kitty :-(

― battlingspacemonkey (battlingspacemonkey), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

outwardly, she's fine, amazing for a 15-year-old. but the vet says she has everything from aneamia to thyroid issues to leukemia.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

I don't want to sound harsh, since I am a huge cat lover, but isn't 15 getting up there in age for a cat?

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

yeah, it is old, definitely. still, my gran's 90, and i'd hope they'd treat her despite her proximity to the grave.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:07 (twenty years ago)

Because there is no such thing as an NHS vet. It may be worth contacting one of the various animal charities though. RSPCA, Cats Protection League etc

― PinXorchiXoR (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:10 (twenty years ago)

i think there are younger cats in greater need, but there *should* be a cat nhs. labout in 1945 obviously had bigger things on its mind, but if we can pay for the stratford velodrome...

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

It's kind of an interesting one. Of course cats don't pay taxes and never will, so they can be said not to contribute directly to the economy and therefore the NHS can disregard them. But you pay taxes on the things you buy for your cat, and having a cat keeps people who make cat food and other cat-related items in work. On the other other hand, there are plenty of other cats out there to take your cat's place eventually.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

15 is a respectable old age for a cat. Anemia should be treatable with supplements. Thyroid is treatable with little half pills which aren't that expensive. Feline leukemia doesn't sound too good, though, and personally (and I say this as someone who has lost or had to put down several cats through the years) I wouldn't make a cat go through chemo. There's no real way to make them understand that all the nasty medical stuff is for their own good and if they go along out of a sense of loyalty and still suffer and die, you'll feel bad. I kept my childhood cat alive for months and months after her kidneys had really begun to shut down. She lived in and under the bathtub, taking little sips from the faucet, and allowed me to feed her protein paste but she was stiff, in pain, going blind, and so extremely lethargic that I had to move her about, for otherwise she couldn't have cared less. Afterwards I realized that I had not put her down for my sake and not hers.

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

Feline leukemia does indeed sound worrying. I'm an advocate for kitten vaccination, although, that's not really relevant at this point.

― PinXorchiXoR (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

You should have taken out private health insurance with MEWPA.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:22 (twenty years ago)

i have never posted to a cat thread, but stories like that destroy me.

hahaha!

leukimea sounds fucked. if it's thyroid/anaemia (test: £250, just about do-able) that's ok. if it isn't that, then she'll need more, more pricey tests for cancer, and the treatments would be worse, and she is old.

this is my first pet, in a way.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

I'm still trying to reconcile My cat is going to die young with outwardly, she's fine, amazing for a 15-year-old.

Do cats actually bounce back after feline leukemia?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

I'm really sorry to hear this, but of course if you'd had pet insurance then these bills would be covered.

― C J (C J), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

yeah, i know, there're complex reasons why i don't -- we've had her for a few years but until relatively recently we were "looking after her" for someone else...

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:33 (twenty years ago)

Can that "someone else" help out with the medical bills?

― C J (C J), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

nah, the whole 'looking after' fiction broke down for this exact (well, similar) reason. anyway, because i'm insane, and even though my job ends in a month, and because my g/f is equally insane, we're going to be insane and keep up with this. until the next test...

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

just eat the cat.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:47 (twenty years ago)

this way he'll be part of you forever

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

yeah, good one, we probably will eventually.

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

but if we can pay for the stratford velodrome...

Is this the new "but think about the starving children in Africa"?

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:49 (twenty years ago)

The answer to your question is "because people are stupid heartless assholes."

― Je4nne ƒur¥ (Je4nne Fury), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:50 (twenty years ago)

Is this the new "but think about the starving children in Africa"?
-- Markelby (boyincorduro...), July 6th, 2005 3:49 PM. (Mark C) (later)

feed the cat to africa? FELINE-AID?

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

no markelby it's the new 'we spend so much on nuclear weapons/killing iraqi kids/the monarchy'

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

we should kill iraqi cats instead. that'd teach 'em.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

PDSA (www.pdsa.org.uk) can help you out if you're on the dole or income support.

― Mog, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)

thanks! (i will be soon!)

― N_RQ, Wednesday, 6 July 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

poor you, poor kitty. Do you have another pet? If not, perhaps if you get one now, your kitty will have companionship in the end (assuming you're not home 24/7 to be with him/her) as will you. No other pet will "replace" your 15 year old; but it may make the transition a bit easier to deal with. Good luck and heartfelt sympathy! And, do get pet insurance with any future pet - it is SO worth the peace of mind for a few bucks a year. Also, don't put kitty thru chemo - too hard on kitty and too hard on you watching the horror of REALLY sick chemo kitty.

― Wiggy (Wiggy), Wednesday, 6 July 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

five years pass...

just had a major row with nurse at nhs clinic. apparently you can't see a dr on the day you call with my local clinic, it has to be the next day "unless it's an emergency". surely 999 is for an emergency and that's what i'd call if i was in an emergency, and secondly i wouldn't fucking bother asking to see a doc today if i'd had a mild pain in my ankle or a few sniffles, it's like no it's not an emergency but i'm fucked with what seems like chest infection or flu and the sooner someone sees it the sooner i can get better.

― I see what this is (Local Garda), Monday, 1 November 2010 10:45 (fifteen years ago)

They say "emergency" so's they can clock it against you.

Eventually they will go "you have had x emergencies, you. Get tae."

Also, to scare off people with a 'bad finger' or whatever.

Go for it, if you feel the need to.

― Mark G, Monday, 1 November 2010 10:47 (fifteen years ago)

i already agreed to tomorrow's appointment, she was pretty formidable. such bullshit, no attempt made to ask what was wrong or whatever, i live with chronic illness every day, i know full well when i need to see a doc.

― I see what this is (Local Garda), Monday, 1 November 2010 10:55 (fifteen years ago)

As I say, I'm sure it's to scare off the grannies, who are usually the "oh no, it's all right, I don't need an appointment"

― Mark G, Monday, 1 November 2010 10:58 (fifteen years ago)

yeah i think i wasn't prepared enough to argue my case properly. i've called other times and they give you an appointment without any hassle, i guess it's busy this time of year.

― I see what this is (Local Garda), Monday, 1 November 2010 11:00 (fifteen years ago)

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