I caught the cat!!!!

[Donna Newearth]

Congrats!!

[krbshappy71]

Mad hen what if it isn't repaired? Is there any life threatening result?

[NikoSan999]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have posted immediately. I hate no win situations. And it is that. The cat is most likely to disappear the day you turn her loose. And it wasn't you I was ranting at, I think you know that. It's the vets but you're right about actual cost. Like I said it's a no win. No win, for you, for them and for the cat.
I sure don't envy you the decision. I think part of it was when I read above I was thinking of Brittany, if it was her we'd not be able to do it. No way and that would kill us. No, I sure don't envy you right now. Whatever choice you make will be a well thought out one. And you have to do what you have to do. Don't you just hate it when you have no control. I do.

[madhen]

Unfortunately, if it isn't repaired, it will not mend on its own, or at least it hasn't in two months, so she'd always be re-breaking it, and it would cause her as much pain as you would imagine a break with two jagged ends of bone would cause when you tried to walk on it. Also, she is basically unable to defend herself, because she can't use it to either stand or claw with. The vet says maybe, in a year or more, it would callous over, but only if she were kept confined. I would suspect infection might also be a danger, although he didn't mention it.

[craftypam]

Thanks, Nikosan. The vet did acknowlege that she is a feral and that I've already dumped about $600 into her, but we'll see. I think he has to get approval from his partners to reduce the cost. He also mentioned that the plate is very expensive, several hundred dollars, so I think that will be something they can't really negotiate, as that would come out of their pockets.

I am also going to talk to him about payments, because if I could do it over the course of a couple of months, it would be easier to fool myself that I'm not spending what could be my new kitchen, flooring for the livingroom, etc, on a cat that will likely disappear the minute I let her loose.

Madhen;
I'm not sure if this is available everywhere, but when I had dogs there was a specific cc you could get to spread payments over time w/o interest. I will call the vet I took my dogs to and see about it tomorrow if you are interested. I think it was good for 1 year w/o interest

Pam

After I posted this I googled about the credit card. I found what I think is the site for credit card. Since I don't know your information Vets name; etc you'd have to fill out. Here's the linkhttp://www.carecredit.com/

Let me know if it works.

[madhen]

Thanks, Pam! I'll check it out!

[madhen]

Pam, you ROCK!!! My vet is listed on there, so I applied on-line and got it!! At least I now have an option for payments, if need be. Now I just have to wait for the estimate on Monday and see if it is anywhere within reason.

[craftypam]

I'm sooooo happy I could help I LOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVEEEEE
pets!!!!!!!

[madhen]

Okay, the vet called with an estimate of $1074. The vet was actually apologetic about it being over $1,000, but apparently, they expect that it will not be an easy job, because he has to scrape out scar tissue, realign bones, etc. As much as I would love to be setting $1074 aside for other other things, I just don't think I could live with myself if I didn't do right by the cat, so she has an appt to go in for surgery tomorrow. She has to stay overnight, and I am leaving for PA VERY early on Wednesday, so I won't be picking her up until Friday.

[craftypam]

There are not enough hugs on this site for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Palooka]

Madhen, if I haven't told you lately, you rock!!

[madhen]

Thank you, guys, for all the support. I know, on a frugal forum, that I am not exercising the best reason. The (ever-decreasing, apparently) rational part of my brain is screaming at me that this is a really stupid thing to do, when I am trying to pay off a credit card and get my mortgage paid off in less than ten years, but when I put the cat on one scale and the joy of paying off my mortgage on the other, the d*mned cat seems to weigh more right now. It is financially a really stupid thing to do, but I am able to do it without dipping into a credit card, and that was kind of the hurdle that I had to cross when I was deciding what to do.

SO, my EF is now back to zero again, as is my Christmas savings, but with those combined, and with one of my tax returns this year, I can swing it without using the Care Credit card. (The 26.99% interest rate if you miss a payment or can't pay it all in six months is a little daunting, so I will keep the card handy, just in case, but not use it unless things get crazy.) I have to check with my donkey's vet to see what kind of bill SHE is racking up, but other than the tests and meds, I am paying only $20/day for boarding, so I am hoping she is still under $500. I am waiting on approximately $1,000 in my other tax refund, to use for HER bill, and that helps take the sting off a bit.

[OOwl]

Madhen, I want to be one of your pets. Thank you for saving the cat's life. She may be "just a stray cat," but to someone, she's the most important stray cat in the world. I hope she recovers completely and blesses your life for many years to come.

[craftypam]

If I were on your Christmas list you could skip my present and put it towards the kitty!!

[krbshappy71]

Tough decision, no doubt. I have a 5k CareCredit card that I hope to never have to use but I like that it can only be used for vet or human medical. Its a true In Case of Emergency card.

Shall I assume after all this that Miss Kitty will be of permanent residence?