Things you should have known or counted on re: retirement finances but didn't (social security, retirees)
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Sorry about your cat MQ. Mine developed chronic kidney disease and chronic pancreatitis. He lived to be 20. The last two years cost me a fortune not to mention a lot of trauma with giving him sub Q fluids and daily meds and a cranky kitty. I'm sorry to say that if and when I get a cat again, I'm going to think long and hard about aggressively treating the chronic illnesses.
Yes, I decided not to put my Maine Coon rescue through all that. He had been spiraling down for 3-4 weeks and had lost 3 pounds very rapidly. I took him and had his bloodwork done over a holiday weekend by the time I got the last part of the results he had kidney disease and pancreatitis. He had been howling at the top of his lungs like I never heard before and he wanted to be held all the time (he was utterly miserable). If I wasn't working I suppose I could have strung it along a few weeks (but, my vet told me he had weeks and not months and that he likely had cancer also). I read that pancreatitis was extremely painful. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but, within a week of those diagnoses I put him down.
I am not willing to watch my cats suffer like that. If one of the two remaining get sick, but, they don't act as Mr. Bugs did and appear to still be enjoying life then I would perhaps make different decisions. It was just so obvious and it all added up. I had just gone through my own year of intensive diagnosis for cancer and had been in the ICU, etc. I decided I wasn't putting my little fur balls through all that (all they have is the here and now and they don't project out into the future like we do).
That was kind of a surprise to me when I recently adopted a 16.5 year old cat from the shelter. Her owner had deployed and surrendered her. He had this cat since she was 4 weeks old but she did not have any medical care since 2017, which is ridiculous. My cats get annual wellness checks so any issues can be identified. This poor old gal has hyperthyroidism and it should have been very obvious since she was skin and bones. In just 2.5 weeks she's looking much better and sleeker 'cause she eats nothing except Lickables, which are high calorie (and expensive). She doesn't have enough good teeth to chew solid food.
I'm so glad you are helping the way you are... You cannot get pet insurance beyond 10 years of age. If you don't get pet insurance Day 0 you are stuck with preexisting conditions.
Yes, I decided not to put my Maine Coon rescue through all that. He had been spiraling down for 3-4 weeks and had lost 3 pounds very rapidly. I took him and had his bloodwork done over a holiday weekend by the time I got the last part of the results he had kidney disease and pancreatitis. He had been howling at the top of his lungs like I never heard before and he wanted to be held all the time (he was utterly miserable). If I wasn't working I suppose I could have strung it along a few weeks (but, my vet told me he had weeks and not months and that he likely had cancer also). I read that pancreatitis was extremely painful. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but, within a week of those diagnoses I put him down.
I am not willing to watch my cats suffer like that. If one of the two remaining get sick, but, they don't act as Mr. Bugs did and appear to still be enjoying life then I would perhaps make different decisions. It was just so obvious and it all added up. I had just gone through my own year of intensive diagnosis for cancer and had been in the ICU, etc. I decided I wasn't putting my little fur balls through all that (all they have is the here and now and they don't project out into the future like we do).
Well, if a cat is "yowling" in pain, that's pretty much a no-brainer! A lot of the cases with our pets aren't so black-and-white (and kidney disease, which MOST senior cats develop, can last for many years). Bottom line... They could cost you thousands of dollars at any moment! But are so worth it (I also have Maine Coons). I agree that our reliance on vets and their always-expensive tests, procedures, and treatments - especially for essentially young and healthy, but also very aged pets - has gotten out of hand lately.
Well, if a cat is "yowling" in pain, that's pretty much a no-brainer! A lot of the cases with our pets aren't so black-and-white (and kidney disease, which MOST senior cats develop, can last for many years). Bottom line... They could cost you thousands of dollars at any moment! But are so worth it (I also have Maine Coons). I agree that our reliance on vets and their always-expensive tests, procedures, and treatments - especially for essentially young and healthy, but also very aged pets - has gotten out of hand lately.
It wasn't a no-brainer with Mr. Bugs. He howled since day one as he was a Feral that howled every night (and loud). Only his mother could know the difference between his younger howl and his I'm in freaking pain howl.
The key indicator was actually the weight loss. I had tried to get Mr. Bugs to lose weight for years and years and years (he was 22 pounds). Finally there was a new diet cat food he liked and over 2-3 years we got him down to 17 pounds. Mr. Bugs never got over his feral-ness and he ate his food to the bottom of the bowl no matter what. Then, suddenly in 3-4 weeks he lost 3 pounds. He quit eating.
All my cats are on Trupanion. Mr. Bugs wasn't, but, he was healthy as a horse up until the end.
One of mine - also 22 pounds (that's not overweight for a MC) suddenly lost a few pounds; everything appeared normal, though. It turned out to be asymptomatic (otherwise) undiagnosed HCM, which Maine Coons are prone to.
The vet didn't suggest an ultrasound, and I didn't think of it, but if either of us had, that would've been several hundred dollars every six months plus medication plus frequent bloodwork to monitor the medication.
They're less expensive than children, but only slightly!
I knew 2 managers over the course of my career who retired, only to find out there was a buyout made available shortly after they retired. Even though they were managers, I guess they were not part of the "in crowd".
Years prior to this, I heard where one manager went up to another manager and said "I hear you are being laid off." It was news to her, and turned out to be true.
They're less expensive than children, but only slightly!
Which is why I won't be adopting any more pets. I just can't afford it.
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