how much does your vet charge?

I paid $300 for the vet to treat my cat's abscess this time (including
sedation, cutting the wound open to clean it out, antibiotics injection,
and oral antibiotics to give her at home). We tried to keep her inside,
but she managed to get out and get bitten by a neaighborhood tomcat.
(My cat is a spayed female.) The last time she got out, a few weeks ago,
I had to pay $400, when she had to have x-rays (her wound looked
so bad that they suspected a break, but there was none), and stay
overnight.

$700 for two abscesses seems truly excessive to me, especially
since, due to a longterm illness, I haven't earned more than $700 in
the last two months. (My husband does work, but doesn't earn
enough money to support the family by himself, so we've been living
partially on my savings).

Do all vets charge this much to treat a cat's abscess? I wonder if I
should try to find another vet whose charges are more reasonable.
I told this one to be sure to choose the less expensive treatment,
if there were any choices, and explained my situation. They were
very sympathetic, but didn't find any way to charge any less.

We *must* keep this cat inside from now on. We simply can't afford to
pay for her to get fixed up every times she gets beaten up. She's so
good at sneaking out underfoot, though. We are having to shut her in
the kitchen or bathroom or laundry room to prevent her from slipping
out when we leave. She is crying constantly to go out. Opening a
screened window so she can sit in it helps somewhat, but she still has
an intense wish to go out. We always tried to make her an indoor cat,
ever since bringing her home from the SPCA when she was 8 weeks old,
but she is a very stubborn animal and knows exactly what she wants.
Some cats have no desire to go outside, if they've never been allowed
out, but this cat knew from the very beginning that she wanted out.

Paula (please don't reply to my posting address - the account no longer
exists - for personal replies please send to "diagnosis3 (at) hotmail.com" .
Thanks.)

(Paula)
writes

I paid $300 for the vet to treat my cat's abscess this time...We tried to
keep her inside,
but she managed to get out...

It appears to be so difficult to keep a cat from going out when one lives in a
house or an apartment on the first floor (open access to outside). Can you
install some kind of screen to block access? Whatever room leads to the outside
would be off limits. That leaves the rest of the home..so, if you were able to
install a screen/door preventing access to this room, kitty could still roam
around the rest of the house. If that's not possible, then it would still be
better to have her in one room that to go outside and be bitten. I hope she's
feeling better now.

(Paula)
writes

I paid $300 for the vet to treat my cat's abscess this time...We tried to
keep her inside,
but she managed to get out...

It appears to be so difficult to keep a cat from going out when one lives in a
house or an apartment on the first floor (open access to outside). Can you
install some kind of screen to block access? Whatever room leads to the outside
would be off limits. That leaves the rest of the home..so, if you were able to
install a screen/door preventing access to this room, kitty could still roam
around the rest of the house. If that's not possible, then it would still be
better to have her in one room that to go outside and be bitten. I hope she's
feeling better now.

The main entrance to my house is at ground level but there is an
entryway so there are three doors. The only way one of the cats could
get out is if all three doors were opened at the same time. I'm very
careful to make sure that doesn't happen. The door to my deck is kept
locked. If I go out that way, I'm VERY careful. Amber wouldn't go out
if I left the door open but Tiger is curious enough to try to get
through the door if I let him.


---MIKE---

The main entrance to my house is at ground level but there is an
entryway so there are three doors. The only way one of the cats could
get out is if all three doors were opened at the same time. I'm very
careful to make sure that doesn't happen. The door to my deck is kept
locked. If I go out that way, I'm VERY careful. Amber wouldn't go out
if I left the door open but Tiger is curious enough to try to get
through the door if I let him.


---MIKE---

"Luvskats00" wrote in message
...
(Paula)
writes

I paid $300 for the vet to treat my cat's abscess this time...We tried
to
keep her inside,
but she managed to get out...

It appears to be so difficult to keep a cat from going out when one lives
in a
house or an apartment on the first floor (open access to outside).

No it isn't.

"Luvskats00" wrote in message
...
(Paula)
writes

I paid $300 for the vet to treat my cat's abscess this time...We tried
to
keep her inside,
but she managed to get out...

It appears to be so difficult to keep a cat from going out when one lives
in a
house or an apartment on the first floor (open access to outside).

No it isn't.

My cats have accepted firescreens set up in front of screen doors as barriers.
They certainly are capable of leaping over them, but they don't. I chose
firescreens over baby gates because they are not quite so ugly..but baby gates
also might work.


www.mimiforsyth.com

My cats have accepted firescreens set up in front of screen doors as barriers.
They certainly are capable of leaping over them, but they don't. I chose
firescreens over baby gates because they are not quite so ugly..but baby gates
also might work.


www.mimiforsyth.com

Mary" drools

"Luvskats00" wrote
It appears to be so difficult to keep a cat from going out when one lives in
a
house or an apartment on the first floor (open access to outside).

No it isn't.

And, if I responded originally with something like...well, do a better job of
making sure the cat doesn't go out, then you'd, of course, post some idiotic
comment about how I was inappropriately cruel. Do you have a felony rap sheet?