Older Cat And Financial Concerns For Vet Bill

[Gaby41]

My male Cat is at least 16 years old and he's slowly getting the signs of old age. I've had difficulty in grooming him and removing mats/dreds, and he's gotten very skinny and walks very stiffly.

I am not sure he is using the restroom and I'm worried he may have a health issue or be on his way over the rainbow bridge.

I'm on a budget with very little savings and I am considering putting him to sleep. The vet fees would be over $300 and I've experienced this before where I paid a lot for vet bills and tests only to have to pay more a week later to euthanize my pet. I don't qualify for vet bills payment plans.

Feeling super sad now and crying before work which is not good. So grateful for this website.

I live in SF and we are a very cat and dog friendly city.

 

[Willowy]

In a city that size, I would guess there must be a low-cost vet clinic somewhere. Usually affiliated with the SPCA or similar organization. Try calling around to all the animal welfare organizations in the area.

I think it's worth seeing if there's anything that can increase his quality of life.

 

[LTS3]

The SF area has several assistance programs for low income pet owners. Try these organizations for help:

Financial Programs
Veterinary-Street-Outreach-Services
The Shanti Model
Free (or very cheap) vets / vet schools (San Francisco, Concord: low income, incomes) - San Francisco - Oakland - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

Instead of a regular full service vet office, try a low cost clinic. They're much more affordable.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I'm so very sorry you're having to deal with this!
Just in case there's something in these that might help in addition to the suggestions you've already received;

No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

Financial Aid for Pets

 

[Gaby41]

Thank you all for your kind words and advice. I will look for some lower cost clinics, but as I am not technically a low-income person, vet bills are still pricey. I also worry about my cat's quality of life. I may be shell shocked by my experience with paying so much for treatment and tests, only to have to pay more to put my cat down and then the cremation costs. I know that if my cat passes, I want to be able to afford to cremate him.

I am going to get some quotes on vet visits.

 

[Furballsmom]

I am going to get some quotes on vet visits.

Bless your heart - let us know how things go!

 

[1 bruce 1]

My male Cat is at least 16 years old and he's slowly getting the signs of old age. I've had difficulty in grooming him and removing mats/dreds, and he's gotten very skinny and walks very stiffly.

I am not sure he is using the restroom and I'm worried he may have a health issue or be on his way over the rainbow bridge.

I'm on a budget with very little savings and I am considering putting him to sleep. The vet fees would be over $300 and I've experienced this before where I paid a lot for vet bills and tests only to have to pay more a week later to euthanize my pet. I don't qualify for vet bills payment plans.

Feeling super sad now and crying before work which is not good. So grateful for this website.

I live in SF and we are a very cat and dog friendly city.

I hope you can find a vet to help you.
A vet university might be something to look into, too. I've heard some say they're more expensive and other people say they're less expensive.
Be firm and let the vet know you want quality of life and to make your kitty happy. Diagnostics are a great tool to find the problem, but if he's already having all these issues at his age (to me) comfort would trump all treatments unless it was easy (URI, etc.)

Give us an update if you can. Thinking of you.

 

[Hugospal]

A few tests and an exam might be worth it if you can spare a little money. For instance, a lot of old cats get thyroid disease that's pretty easily resolved with medication and those cats can lose weight dramatically and be old and miserly and then be a new cat after treatment.

Just an example, but at the very least I'd consult a vet before putting him to sleep. Be open that you have a budget.

 

[Jem]

My cat started with what you describe (stiffness, weight loss) and some other symptoms like not eating as much and some vomiting. He was diagnosed with kidney disease, but the reason for not eating is he had an abscess, which caused him pain when eating.
The vet visit cost wasn't that much to find out, and his ongoing care is subQ fluids and a change in diet. I get the fluids for 10 dollars a bag and it lasts us 10 days (100mls a day). The thing is, our cat's CKD is now very advanced, you may only need to give yours fluid once a week. (I also only pay about 10 dollars for the line, that can be reused for quite a while, and about 10 dollars for a box of 100 needles (they need to be changed after every fluid administration.)

You said you're not sure he's using the litter box, he may simply have a UTI or could also have a mouth/tooth infection that is causing him to not want to eat or drink (hence the weakness and weight loss and not eliminating). The UTI is easily diagnosed with a urine test, and the fix is not expensive, usually just an antibiotic. And a simple physical exam should indicate if he has an abscess in his mouth, and again treatable with a round of antibiotics.

The thing is, if you catch all these things early, they are ALL cost effectively treatable, but if you let them go the price tag goes up or euthanasia may be your only option.

Others have given you some great advice on low cost options, but the biggest cost saver is getting a diagnosis early, when the treatment is less involved and your not dealing with the complications that can come with it.

Good luck with everything. I hope your kitty does well.