Introducing Betty White

[daftcat75]

Quite the picture here! My three cats past and present.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Quite the picture here! My three cats past and present.
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...as well as a cat with, uh, quite elongated ears!

 

[daftcat75]

Betty is now insured with Embrace. For a 5 year old domestic short hair residing in an expensive California zip code, I am paying $217 per year with a $1000 deductible. The plan reimburses accident and illness expenses at 90% after deductible and includes $1000 worth of dental illness coverage. Dental accidents are covered under the regular plan. There is a $30,000 annual maximum. This plan does not cover routine exams but few do. Those are often lumped into a wellness product which is more a budgeting tool than an insurance product. Wellness plans usually aren't worth it unless you can afford that higher monthly payment and you use the included services each year. Otherwise, you're better off saving it yourself in a separate kitty wellness bank account. At least this way, you will keep what you don't use if you choose not to use all the packaged services in a year.

And now we wait 15 days until I can get her a dental and see if there's something going on in there.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Betty is now insured with Embrace. For a 5 year old domestic short hair residing in an expensive California zip code, I am paying $217 per year with a $1000 deductible. The plan reimburses accident and illness expenses at 90% after deductible and includes $1000 worth of dental illness coverage. Dental accidents are covered under the regular plan. There is a $15,000 annual maximum. This plan does not cover routine exams but few do. Those are often lumped into a wellness product which is more a budgeting tool than an insurance product. Wellness plans usually aren't worth it unless you can afford that higher monthly payment and you use the included services each year. Otherwise, you're better off saving it yourself in a separate kitty wellness bank account. At least this way, you will keep what you don't use if you choose not to use all the packaged services in a year.

And now we wait 15 days until I can get her a dental and see if there's something going on in there.

Very good breakdown of info for us -- thank you! and that's great that you found a company and plan that work(s) for Betty and for you.

 

[kittyprincesss]

Ive been looking into Embrace too! So thanks for the helpful breakdown.

 

[daftcat75]

Ive been looking into Embrace too! So thanks for the helpful breakdown.

Correction: Embrace has a very generous $30,000 annual maximum. I looked at several different providers, options, and plans. The third row is the plan I went with.

I live in an expensive California zip code. Your rates will likely be less. Perhaps a lot less! These aren't all of the providers out there and not even all the options each provider offers. I prefer to max out deductible to keep the premiums low. I know they will rise with inflation and age. Being able to keep up with the rate increases over the years is far more important to me than whether I have to come up with an extra $500 in times of accident or illness.

Rate	Annual	Company	Deductible	Reimbursement	Limits
$16.18	$194.16	Healthy Paws	$1,000.00	80%	none
$18.14	$217.68	Embrace	$1,000.00	90%	$30,000/year
$217.62/year	$217.62	Embrace	$1,000.00	90%	$30,000/year
$27.82	$333.84	Wagmo	$1,000.00	100%	$10,000/incident, $100,000/lifetime
$25.45	$305.40	Wagmo	$1,000.00	90%	$10,000/incident, $100,000/lifetime
$29.29	$351.48	Prudent Pet	$1,000.00	90%	$10,000/year
$23.65	$283.80	Prudent Pet	$1,000.00	80%	$10,000/year
$38.59	$463.08	Fetch	$500.00	90%	$15,000/year
$46.45	$557.40	Fetch	$500.00	80%	$15,000/year
$28.44	$341.28	Pumpkin	$500.00	80%	$7,000/year
$39.49	$473.88	Pumpkin	$500.00	90%	$15,000/year
$34.36	$412.32	Trupanion	$1,000.00	90%	none
$45.59	$547.08	Trupanion	$700.00	90%	none
$79.49	$953.88	Trupanion	$200.00	90%	none

 

[daftcat75]

End of the first week in her furever home. I think she’s settled in quite well. Another beautiful picture of her in the shadow of kitties passed.

 

[tarasgirl06]

End of the first week in her furever home. I think she’s settled in quite well. Another beautiful picture of her in the shadow of kitties passed.
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A week already?!! It screamed by! This is a beautiful pic. So glad Betty is feeling very much at home and comfortable!

 

[daftcat75]

A week ago, she was hiding in her nook for half the day.

A week later and she loves her daddy cuddle time.


Happy first week, Betty White!

 

[tarasgirl06]

A week ago, she was hiding in her nook for half the day.
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A week later and she loves her daddy cuddle time.
View attachment 409504

Happy first week, Betty White!

*It doesn't get better than this!*

 

[daftcat75]

Betty seems unusually demanding of love and affection. Is that normal of a new cat settling in? Am I setting boundaries early and often by not always giving in? Or should I be more reassuring right now? I don't completely ignore her. Far from it. But sometimes she's just crying away behind me until I turn around and give her a head pet and scritch. That quiets her to chirps until she's had her fill. But then it may start up just fifteen minutes later. If I don't always give in, she does eventually settle down. But if I so much as look at her, she may start up again. She doesn't nap in the daytime nearly enough. Is this all more getting to know each other and settling in behaviors? I don't want her to feel ignored and abandoned. But I cannot keep up with how much she really wants in a day. "One of has to work here until your biscuit business takes off."

 

[Margot Lane]

I think she is making up for lost time! Getting her fix in good and proper. Sort of like Liza Doolittle in her big comfy chair, she’s reveling in getting to know you!! I bet she calms down.

 

[daftcat75]

Glorious peace! Let’s see how long this lasts.

 

[tarasgirl06]

View attachment 409514
Glorious peace! Let’s see how long this lasts.

Well, I think she needs reassurance. It's only been a week, after all. She was betrayed and abandoned, and spent ??? in a cage. I'm a fan of shouty cats who want a lot of attention. But question: do you play with her with da Bird, Cat Dancer, or other interactive toys once or twice a day? She may be wanting this.
She is a little beauty!

 

[daftcat75]

Well, I think she needs reassurance. It's only been a week, after all. She was betrayed and abandoned, and spent ??? in a cage. I'm a fan of shouty cats who want a lot of attention. But question: do you play with her with da Bird, Cat Dancer, or other interactive toys once or twice a day? She may be wanting this.
She is a little beauty!

I understand that she can use reassurance. I don't ignore her. I just don't always drop what I'm doing to give her a good rubdown and fill her love tank. But I do make sure to do just that at least a few times a day.

She is beginning to play with me. At first she didn't seem too interested. But that interest is picking up. She likes ground toys more than air toys which is a 180 from Krista who used to literally fly through the air chasing Da Bird. Betty likes Cat Dancer, but more like a bug on the ground than through the air. Same with a coosh ball on a wire. Same concept, different bait. One thing she and I both love is mutual head butts and head rubbing. If I get down to her level and put my face close enough to hers, she'll rub cheek to cheek, forehead to forehead. I'm just a big cat to her. She also loves her rump rubbed and will give major elevator butt.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I understand that she can use reassurance. I don't ignore her. I just don't always drop what I'm doing to give her a good rubdown and fill her love tank. But I do make sure to do just that at least a few times a day.

She is beginning to play with me. At first she didn't seem too interested. But that interest is picking up. She likes ground toys more than air toys which is a 180 from Krista who used to literally fly through the air chasing Da Bird. Betty likes Cat Dancer, but more like a bug on the ground than through the air. Same with a coosh ball on a wire. Same concept, different bait. One thing she and I both love is mutual head butts and head rubbing. If I get down to her level and put my face close enough to hers, she'll rub cheek to cheek, forehead to forehead. I'm just a big cat to her. She also loves her rump rubbed and will give major elevator butt.

She'd probably love the rainbow snake toy. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007VPFC8C/?tag=thecatsite If you don't have one already. I alternate this with da Bird and Cat Dancer for variety. We have other wand toys, but these are the favorites. I don't really like the ones with lures that weigh anything as they can be uncomfortable if they accidentally hit a cat while playing.

 

[daftcat75]

She'd probably love the rainbow snake toy. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007VPFC8C/?tag=thecatsite If you don't have one already. I alternate this with da Bird and Cat Dancer for variety. We have other wand toys, but these are the favorites. I don't really like the ones with lures that weigh anything as they can be uncomfortable if they accidentally hit a cat while playing.

I do have the rainbow shoelace. Krista loved it! That was the first toy I had to hide from her. She would find where I kept it, drag it out, and walk around the home with it in her mouth crying for me to play with her. Later in life she learned which closet I kept it in and would sit in front of the closet door to tell me, "go get it!"

I tried the rainbow shoelace with Betty last week. She was probably still too stressed to be impressed. I will try that one again with her.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I do have the rainbow shoelace. Krista loved it! That was the first toy I had to hide from her. She would find where I kept it, drag it out, and walk around the home with it in her mouth crying for me to play with her. Later in life she learned which closet I kept it in and would sit in front of the closet door to tell me, "go get it!"

I tried the rainbow shoelace with Betty last week. She was probably still too stressed to be impressed. I will try that one again with her.

Yeah, I remember Krista loving that one! Betty probably will, too, in time.

 

[daftcat75]

Yeah, I remember Krista loving that one! Betty probably will, too, in time.

Velcro kitty loves her morning cuddle time. It’s not a bad way for me to spend the mornings before work either. It’s not like I have to prepare for a commute.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Velcro kitty loves her morning cuddle time. It’s not a bad way for me to spend the mornings before work either. It’s not like I have to prepare for a commute.
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I know! Isn't working at/from home wonderful? I have such a great CEO/COO and I pay him in snorgles and gushyfudz (and kronschiefudz, of the highest quality, plus treats). He will never fire me. And he is always, uh, PURRsonable. And Security? She makes sure all is safe and well here. Couldn't ask for better working conditions!