pets Archives - Our Bill Pickle

Cat owners: do you take your cats to the vet, even if they’re indoor cats?

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I only recently realized not everyone does this. OK, that’s the wrong way to put it — more like I only recently understood this is not a common thing.

This understanding came from a conversation with a couple of friends. They have an indoor cat (who goes outside occasionally) and mentioned taking him to be neutered. During the appointment, the vet asked about his shots. My friends mentioned they didn’t plan to do this annually.

It surprised me. Which is weird because the more I think about it, the more I realize that among people I know, we are the weird ones when it comes to our cats getting their shots.

For as long as I have had cats, taking them to the vet has been an annual-ish occurrence. The appointments have not always been exactly on time, but once a year, they find their way to an exam room.

Here are some of the reasons why we do this (even though it’s not cheap).

Why we skipped pet insurance and built an emergency fund for our cats

First, let me say this: I love our cats.

They are sweet and cute and funny and I absolutely adore them. Even when they’re knocking over the Christmas tree (Nala) or barfing on the floor (Lyla), I love them. I don’t regret adopting them for a single second.

But boy, if I have learned anything through the last few years of pet ownership, it’s this: pets can be freaking expensive.

From food ($58 for a big bag that lasts likes, three months), to litter (which we buy in bulk at Costco for $9), to all the random crap that cats use, we have spent a pretty penny on these little fur beasts over the years.

And that doesn’t even factor in the vet visits.

Pet owners will know that medical care is not cheap. Even just getting in for a check up or a standard round of vaccines can cost more than $100.

Some opt for pet insurance and I can totally see the logic.

We opted against it. Here’s why (and what we do instead).

Six reasons we take our indoor cats to the vet regularly

We don’t have pet insurance. Here’s what we do instead.