Our Three Thousand Dollar Kitty

Our wonderful, generally sweet tempered Main Coon had a slight accident a couple of years ago. She made the mistake of standing up to a rather large dog and lost. This, of course, resulted in an immediate trip to the vet for X-rays (it was obvious from the dangling paw that her leg was almost severed...) and emergency surgery. The result of the first surgery and subsequent stay at the Hotel Veterinarian was approximately $2400.00, including anesthetics and X-rays.

The poor thing had to stay in a cage at the vet's for almost a month to keep her off the leg, which had been plated and pinned due to both bones being broken. When she was finally allowed to come home, she had to be quarantined to keep her from trying to jump.

She had to be kept sedated because she would literally jump out of her skin at any noise, and then scare herself half to death with the leg cast and leap all over the place trying to get away from it. After we discovered that, it was back to the cage...

Finally, after the vet gave the okay, the cast was removed and she was allowed to roam throughout the house. Unfortunately, I made a costly decision to let her venture outside after she had been out of the cast for about a week, and she re broke her leg...back to the vet's office!

I think he took pity on me and only charged me an additional $600.00. He also allowed me to make payments which helped out as I was still paying for the cat loan I had to take out in order to pay for the first surgery!

This time, the poor kitty had to be caged for almost six months (at home) and then quarantined to my daughter's bedroom until the leg was strong enough to endure venturing out of the room.

We had two other cats and we didn't want them chasing her around the house. I didn't think I was strong enough to go through a third surgery!

All in all, I think the poor thing was under house arrest of some form or other for a year, but she is healthy and happy now. Her fur has grown back and she has acquired a taste for being groomed.

(As she couldn't groom herself when she was in the cast, we took over the responsibility and it remains that way today!)

As for me, I am still paying for the initial surgery, and most likely will be paying for a while yet, but it was all worth it!