Re: What concerns me is...


"Yowie" <yowie9644.DIESPAMDIE@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:642v4eF29ne72U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
~*LiveLoveLaugh*~ wrote:
I know some of us have little money in here and have to stick to a
tight budget. But I just wondered, how can you "afford" a cat?? I
mean, at any given illness/problem, the vet bill can be thousands of
dollars! (Thinking of Felix and his ongoing problems w/his ears and
spending well over $3,000.00 so far).

I have seen the good folks of RPCA help each other with sick kitty
issues, however I just don't understand how someone can own a cat... but
can't afford it. Frankly, it worries me. :-(

Its exactly the same question of 'how can people afford (human) children?'
Some people plan their children (I did) but some don't (like my sister).
Some people voluntarily aquire their pets, some pets just sort of turn up.
Some people can barely afford to feed, clothe and educate their children,
but do what they can. Some people have far too much money and go to
ridiculous extremes with their children (Paris Hilton comes immediatly to
mind). Some kids get a very boring diet of cheap meat, lentils & rice and
go without pretty much any luxury - and their parents *pray* that nothing
happens to the children they can't afford, whilst other parents know that
they can cover any expenses necessary. The same with pets - some are fed
generic pet food and their owners pray that nothing untoward will happen
to them, and some spoil their pets stupid. Most of us are somewhere in
between. However, does different economic circumstances mean that the rich
people love hteir kids & their pets more than the poor people? Or deserve
to have kids & pets more than poor people? Indeed, which children are
happier, which pets are happier?

If a person genuinely can't afford medical treatment for the souls that
they are responsible for, I cannot judge them them harshly. They love
their wards, and try to do the best for them within their limited means. I
would prefer a child (or pet) to be in a loving caring dirt poor family
that is genuinely concerned about the child (or pet's) welfare than a
being in a family that will take care of every physical need the child (or
pet) has with the absolute best of everything, but be treated simply as an
accesory rather than genuinely loved.

Shmoggleberry turned up when I was struggling dirt poor student. I fed
him generic cat food. We both lived with fleas for a long time because I
was violently allergic to most of the cheap flea treatments and couldn't
afford the expensve stuff. After a year or so, he got really sick and I
had to take him to the vet. When I went in the next day (I didn't even
have a phone, so had to walk to the vet) was when I found out that said
vet didn't take part payments and thought that Shmogg would need at least
$1000 of treatment. There was *no way* I could raise that sort of money in
just a few days. I had to refuse consent to operate, and just give him
another day of observation with IV fluids. The only thing i could do was
pray, and I did. Alot. As it turned out, my prayers were answered, the vet
was wrong, and the IV fluids did the trick. I owed $120 instead. Which
meant I walked ot Uni that fortnight, fare evaded on the train to get to
work, and ate weetbix pretty much exclusively.

Would anyone care to tell me that I should not have kept Shmoggleberry
when I was a poor struggling student because I couldn't afford the
potential $1000 vet bill?

You say it all much better than me, Yowie.
It's easy for someone to be judgmental about others when they have an ample
income. Circumstances can change suddenly like mine did. I did not expect
to get sight problems and cancer. Should I have denied myself the pleasure
of my dogs and cats just in case that happened 10 years in the future? I
think not.
I have a vet fund similar to Mary L and there is enough in it to cover major
vet bills for KFC or Boyfriend. It is not to be touched for anything else,
even if I have to live on potatoes.
However, for those who never thought to set up a kitty bank account because
they always thought they would be healthy and earning, don't feel bad. I
suggest you all do, if you are in work, and just put a few dollars or pounds
a month in there. It soon mounts up for a vet fund. May you never have to
use it but you will be glad of it if you do.

Tweed





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Relevant Pages

  • Re: What concerns me is...
    ... how can you "afford" a cat?? ... Some people voluntarily aquire their pets, some pets just sort of turn up. ... love hteir kids & their pets more than the poor people? ... him to the vet. ...
    (rec.pets.cats.anecdotes)
  • Re: Very OT: Letter from that unwanted dog... (long)
    ... I have personally taken ALL my pets and stayed with them when it was ... For our cat we had a vet that made house calls. ...
    (rec.food.cooking)
  • Re: What concerns me is...
    ... how can you "afford" a cat?? ... I have seen the good folks of RPCA help each other with sick kitty issues, however I just don't understand how someone can own a cat... ... In fact, my cat needed medical treatment and surgery shortly after I adopted him, and I had to make arrangements with the vet to make monthly payments. ... It took several years to pay the entire bill. ...
    (rec.pets.cats.anecdotes)
  • Re: Very OT: Letter from that unwanted dog... (long)
    ... I have personally taken ALL my pets and stayed with them when it was ... For our cat we had a vet that made house calls. ...
    (rec.food.cooking)
  • Re: Very OT: Letter from that unwanted dog... (long)
    ... I have personally taken ALL my pets and stayed with them when it was ... For our cat we had a vet that made house calls. ...
    (rec.food.cooking)