wanted-Help with neutering costs in west midlands.

[Hippykitty]

Personally I think the initial vac's for flu, enteritis and FLV are essential. After that, it depends upon whether your cat is an indoor only or indoor/outdoor.

Indoor only cats don't get naturally boostered by meeting other cats carrying illness; outdoor cats do. My cats go in and out as they please, so will meet cats with FLV etc which will naturally booster their vaccinations, hence I don't have them annually boostered.

But if an unboostered indoor only cat escaped and met a cat with flu or FLV, the chances are this puss would be very vulnerable to becoming infected. So I believe that indoor only cats should be annually boostered.

That's my theory anyway.

[Angiew]

I must admit to regularly doing the forst 4 or 5 years then not being so strict but then all it takes is one to get a bad case of flu and you'd feel guilty even though, as with Bobby, its no guarantee.

[thekittensmittens]

I know some people( from what ive read )who have cats dont think they are needed, its difficult as i know one lady on here whos cats are all regulary done have just all got flu so its damned if you do and damned if you dont. Its so difficult to know what is right, mine have had theres done as id hate them to get ill but now knowing they arent immune just makes you wonder !
I like purrs as you do learn valuable things, sometimes though i do laugh as its a bit like a parenting forum, you get folk saying oh no id never do that etc then you find out their cats are obese from living on the catfood equivalents of mcdonalds

[Beth82]

i personally feel the kitten jabs are essential, adult ones, not so.

[Mymblesdaughter]

We never had any of our cats vaccinated when I was growing up and I don't think many people did. None of them ever had any problems. I suppose more cats died of things like cat flu.

I do think now they are over vaccinated, I discussed it with my vet and they don't give all of the boosters every year they stagger them. Which is much better than my old vet who used to give them every year. It really makes me wonder if they do it just for the extra money sometimes which is not a good way to feel about your vet. 

[thekittensmittens]

Ive passed on the info thanks so shes looking at cp , hopefully my sil will update me on what happens. the cat has had its vacs apparently, just no recently (not sure how recent though ). the cat doesnt go out so isnt in danger of spreading anything thankfully and no other cats come in. of course if puss escaped at any point then it would be a problem. im not actually sure how old poor puss is, i know its years but she cant be too old if she still has seasons? again im not knowledgable on that as its not something ive dealt with. my only girl was done before she had a season as a kitten so ive never had to deal with any of that.
the lady lives with the cat alone so it is her sole companion, again its a bit tragic as up to the point of my sil mentioning the cat to me, the lady just doesnt have a clue that it doesnt have to be like that.
she was thinking vacs cost hundreds rather than a lot less than that so hopefully now she will be reassured that the costs arent that high. im not sure if she has just asked people costs rather than a vet tbh.
my sil is quite fordward with her opinions though so im pretty sure she will see that poor puss is treated. the lady is some kind of realtive of oh but not direct so shes not someone im in contact with unfortunately. my sil asked me for info so im just trying to help.

[Beth82]

Ok so the spaying can be over looked but not having a vaccinated cat is very irresponsible.  Not only could that kitty have some kind of underlying issue due to not being vaccinated but it makes me wonder what things it could pass on to others.

I really would urge the CP route, get the kitty spayed.  She will need a pre-op assessment, which comes under a CP voucher if the cost is fully covered and then kitty will have to go back to be spayed.  Will these people be willing to do this?
 

[caledonia]

Just on the back of the comment about not very good cat care ( sorry no idea about neutering costs cheaper) but I'm still amazed at how many people are ignorant about the need to neuter and I don't think it reflects a lack of care - just a lack of knowledge.

I have a highly intelligent friend who is a journalist for a newspaper and I would think pretty clued up who was advised by her VET that she shouldn't neuter her cat until she had a litter of kittens! I just about fell off my chair. Following this vet trip she had somehow came away thinking her one year old cat ( it had been 4 months at the time) was fine unneutered and needed time as a mummy! Then other friends were going on about how cruel it was and painful for the cat! She felt she was being kind not getting it done!

Honestly I was gobsmacked - I got her told in no uncertain terms the agony her poor cat was in during heat and how easily they recover!  I also Suggested She change her vet! I'm happy to say the next time I saw her she had got the cat neutered. Also she agreed how little it had effected the cat - up and about following surgery!

You think everyone knows the sensibile route.... Then something like that comes along!

I think it's unfair to suggest the cat isn't cared for - maybe the woman's circumstances have changed. Maybe she has lost a job - either way she is caring for her cat and trying to do what's best which is sadly not the case with everyone.

[thekittensmittens]

I know from what my Sil has told me that the cat is her neices (grown woman ) only companion and is totally doted upon, its something though that i think she thought is just normal in cats. I think there is a cultural difference to so its not the common belief in their culture to keep pets inside normally. the cat is a house cat though so hasnt been out, had kittens etc so she is responsible that way. I dont think she has ever thought really that the cat could be suffering from being in heat. Its a case of ignorance rather than intental abuse. I spoke to her briefly about it and she is now keen to get the cat neutered after i said it is better for the cat, without discussing financial details with her fully i can only go on what my SIL has told me so think its the case of not having large amounts of money spare at the end of the week. she has to travel for work etc. lives on her own etc so after paying bills she doesnt have that much, she doesnt have a partner to share household costs etc. as such i dont think she had thought of approaching a charity for help as she is a proud lady but now obviously knows that puss would be better off helped.
I think there are a few of us here havent insured all our cats so I cant judge her on that, thankfully puss is a "common moggy" which seem to fair best healthwise and as a total indoor cat she hasnt been subjected to outdoor diseases etc but obviously no one can predict the future.

[Hippykitty]

Sorry to be controversial, but the fact that this cat hasn't been spayed, is displaying in-heat behaviour, and the owners haven't yet bothered to have her spayed signals to me very poor care. It's not as though they have to spay half a dozen cats, just one female. I wonder if they can really afford to care for a cat. There is no help towards vaccinations, which cost far more than a spay. What are they going to do if she becomes ill and needs treatment? Vets are expensive. Have they insured her?

Maybe I'm being unfair and they are providing a loving home for her; it just seems as though they haven't considered the costs involved.

I've had CP vouchers for neutering/spaying several ferals all at once. This would have cost hundreds; but a single female... makes me wonder if they'd bother taking puss to the vet once a voucher was given to them.
Just a thought.

[thekittensmittens]

thanks, i will tell my sil to tell her as it needs sorting. i think my sil is bothered the most as she gets the brunt of the cats attention when she goes round and shes not a cat person at all I shouldnt laugh really as sure the poor cat will be better off not going through this every season, ive not had a cat do any of that as were all done asap but imagine it cant be right?

[LilyandGary]

Easi-care have just opened a branch in Cov at RSPCA and offering neutering at a reduced rate at the mo. They also offer low-cost vaccinating, so worth seeing what local branch to you is offering.

[Beth82]

cat protection will pay x amount towards low wages, I think the rspca will give you a £20 voucher.

If you have an easicare vet near you, they do it for something like £30 (spaying), not sure about vacs.

Some vets are good enough that they will let you pay in installments, it's worth asking.

[thekittensmittens]

thanks all. there was a rescue near me that did half price for all whatever your situation but cant remember the name now , im not sure which area she is in. the rspca in our area isnt taking on any new pets although i think shes the other side of birmingham to me so she may have better luck?
CP seem to be the nicer people to deal with, i know when i talked to them about my Mo RIP they were kind folk over there.

she doesnt recieve benefits but works on an ad hoc? basis for an agency so think thats the problem with finances. unfortunately in this country a lot of people are better off on benefits! its harder these days with vets too, before you could pay in installments but now its all up front , Mos vet was a super star though with help from Rosella of course x

[Angiew]

you can also try the rspca. I did hear that things were getting so bad that they were going to be doing something. and of course if she is in Coventry we have the animal action day coming up in Tile hill ....

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Try Cp and also some vets do special offers every so often

[thekittensmittens]

Hi
(not for me as all my furrballs are chipped, "done" and vacinated)

my ohs neice has a cat that lives indoors however she hasnt been vaccinated or spayed. my SIL asked if i could help find somewhere that could help with costs for her as i think when she had inquired before the costs were quite high at the vets. I know she is on a low wage so has a lot of outgoing expensives etc (as do we all), but i said i would enquire as Im sure her female cat would be happier not suffering the dreaded howlings and rubbing upon guests etc when in season. it is a bit of a delicate situtaion as the cat is obviously well loved etc but it really is the expense of neuting that is stopping putting poor puss out of her misery...owner is obvlivious as thinks its normal for an indoor cat to behave like this.
sooo area is west midlands.