Do You Really Need Insurance for Your Pet Cat?

Since cats are such independent creatures, many people don't think of getting pet insurance for them. This is especially true if the cat is kept indoors because they are not as likely to get run over by a car.

The truth is that there are many potential health problems that will require a veterinarian's care. Insurance will help pay for some of the costs related to those health issues.

The costs that can become expensive begin when you first get your kitty and continue until it becomes an oldster.

One problem that can be prevented before it gets to the point of your pet needing surgery is hairballs. By simply giving a food that contains a hairball additive or by feeding an over-the-counter hairball remedy, you can prevent expensive surgery. Pet insurance will certainly help if your cat has gone past the preventative stage.

Kidney failure is another disease that cats are prone to. Senior cats are most likely to have this ailment. Vet bills can be astronomical in these cases.

Urinary tract infections are also common. Symptoms are varied. They will cry when going to the bathroom, or they "miss" the litter box. Treatment usually depends upon the type of urinary tract infection that they have. A veterinarian will have to do tests and kitty will need to be put on antibiotics.

Your cat could also develop upper respiratory problems, especially if they were gotten from the humane society. Symptoms are, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and eye weeping. If you have more than one cat, isolate the sick cat from other cats. Again, kitty will need veterinary care and most likely antibiotics.

Many cats are also prone to developing diabetes. This is when pet health insurance really comes in handy. Diabetes is an extremely expensive cat disease.

Then, there are cat allergies. No, not your allergy to your cat but your cat's allergy to things it breathes or comes into contact with. He or she can become allergic to the dust of their litter box litter, air fresheners, dust, household cleaners or other airborne particles.

A cat with allergies can't be treated with over-the-counter medicines. They must be treated by a vet who can test kitty to get to the cause of the allergy.

Other medical problems that cats can get are parasites, liver disease, infections, cancers, poisonings and pancreatitis. Blood tests will have to be done to find out what problems your cat may have that are causing its symptoms. Take your cat to the veterinarian immediately if it suffers from abdominal pain, elevated heart rate or high fever.

Any cat that is sick should be encouraged to drink water. Water will help wash out any toxins that your cat may have gotten into. It will also lower a high fever. Sometimes, just giving a cat water will help flush its kidneys and reduce the amount of treatment it must receive from a vet.

As you can see, cats can develop many of the same diseases that humans can. And they can be nearly as expensive to cure. Pet insurance can help alleviate some of the expenses associated with all of this veterinarian care.