Yerowan 1,006 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Find a vet - find one you like and trust not to dick you around with unnecessary tests/medications. Find one that talks to you like you're a person - explains things so that you understand what's going on with your pet and lays out the options without judging you for not being able to afford every possible treatment. Take them to that vet at least once a year. When they're older, go more often. If they're acting strangely and/or you notice a sudden personality change, go ASAP. Get regular check-ups, get dental work done when it's called for, get bloodwork done. Feed them healthy foods. Encourage them to play and exercise. PAY ATTENTION to them so when something changes, you notice it in hours or days instead of weeks or months. Set up a savings account or look into pet insurance and know how it works (because you may need to pay the bill before pet insurance does anything). Current good health is not a guarantee of future good health. I feel like I shouldn't need to say that, but people are really good at ignoring what hasn't happened yet and then being blind-sided when shit happens. Do your best not to be blind-sided - for your own sake and especially for your pet's sake. They deserve to be healthy and happy. They deserve to get medical attention when they need it. You chose to take them in - you owe those things to them. Don't let them down. Don't break your own heart in the process. Be a responsible pet owner - you and your pet BOTH win. I'm dealing with people who never bothered to do any of this today. It's a bad result for everyone involved, most of all the dying cat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay 11,273 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 inb4 ERIKAGO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
night vale. 8,071 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 important content! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
양 지 10,015 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 A+ thread OP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikaEGO 8,626 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 I wish I could send this to my next door neighbor who literally keeps her chihuahua shut up in the this small asf space, like if you aren't going to treat your dog kindly or even PRETEND that there is living breathing animal there, then you shouldn't even OWN one in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeongwonhi 1,416 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 When they're older, go more often. my cat is nineteen, we don't take him to the vet anymore. is that bad? he's an indoor cat and is perfectly normal. he can't hear but that's because he's so old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikaEGO 8,626 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Thanks OP for this message and also my cat is nineteen, we don't take him to the vet anymore. is that bad? he's an indoor cat and is perfectly normal. he can't hear but that's because he's so old. yup we don't even take my dog to the vet , but he seems pretty normal except one day he was really weird... , but it passed inb4 ERIKAGO LMAO HURL STOp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lesigh* 6,759 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 my cat is nineteen, we don't take him to the vet anymore. is that bad? he's an indoor cat and is perfectly normal. he can't hear but that's because he's so old. Same. I have a blind cat who's 16, she has some kind of illness in her ears or throat and since we know she won't live for too long (She's already lived longer than expected) we just let her live the rest of her life as happily as she wishes. This means no vet appointments, and she pees on some blankets we put on top of a couch instead of in the litter box. And when we start noticing that she seems to be in pain (That illness isn't causing her too much pain yet) we'll put her to sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeongwonhi 1,416 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Same. I have a blind cat who's 16, she has some kind of illness in her ears or throat and since we know she won't live for too long (She's already lived longer than expected) we just let her live the rest of her life as happily as she wishes. This means no vet appointments, and she pees on some blankets we put on top of a couch instead of in the litter box. And when we start noticing that she seems to be in pain (That illness isn't causing her too much pain yet) we'll put her to sleep. awww i'm sorry about your cat. mine is fine, he can still jump pretty well and the only thing wrong with him is his hearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lesigh* 6,759 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 awww i'm sorry about your cat. mine is fine, he can still jump pretty well and the only thing wrong with him is his hearing. Thank you for your condolences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeongwonhi 1,416 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Thank you for your condolences. no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfterglowVape 11,799 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 I've got eight. Give them their shots yearly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yerowan 1,006 Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 my cat is nineteen, we don't take him to the vet anymore. is that bad? he's an indoor cat and is perfectly normal. he can't hear but that's because he's so old. Same. I have a blind cat who's 16, she has some kind of illness in her ears or throat and since we know she won't live for too long (She's already lived longer than expected) we just let her live the rest of her life as happily as she wishes. This means no vet appointments, and she pees on some blankets we put on top of a couch instead of in the litter box. And when we start noticing that she seems to be in pain (That illness isn't causing her too much pain yet) we'll put her to sleep. Your mileage may vary, as they say. If you can afford it, I think it's worth it to still go once a year. It's encouraged for the same reason even young healthy people are encouraged to go get a physical once a year - things you don't notice because they happen so gradually might set off alarm bells for your doctor. Blood work in an older pet might help diagnose a disease early enough to do something about it, or the vet may offer a prescription based on exam+symptoms alone that will make the pet more comfortable. I'm not one to medicate for the sake of medicating, but if kitty could be on an inexpensive medication that would make her more comfortable for a few months, why not? If she's not peeing in the litterbox, she's probably having some amount of discomfort (it would be a massive red flag for me that something was really wrong if one of my two did that). If vet visits are an awful traumatic event for her, I can see not subjecting her to that, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Stupid Jellyfish 1,913 Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 AAA topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asv1 297 Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 i only like neko Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93605 1,232 Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 this all seems like such a hassle. i'm glad i've never owned a pet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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