Do others act incredulous at how much you spend on your pets?

BigPurseSue

BigPurseSue

O.G.
Sep 13, 2007
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#1
In the past few days I've spent almost $2K in emergency vet bills for my pooch. And a few hundred dollars more on my cat who went flying off my desk with a grand mal seizure the other night. My DH gasped when I told him about all the bills but is generally supportive. He knows that nothing matters to me more than him and my dog and cat. The money is insignificant to me in comparison to how much I love them. But he joked "Don't tell our families, they'll think we're looney." And I know he's right. Too right.

We have all sorts of joking conversations on this board about hiding the costs of our purse purchases from unsympathetic friends and family. But do any of you keep secret from your loved ones how much you spend on your pets? Have any of you taken flak for spending a lot on vet bills?

I certainly have. I spend a lot of pet-related conversations with family members dodging nosey questions about vet bills. But when I meet someone who's vet bills are in the same stratospheric league as mine I know I've met a kindred spirit.
 
#2
I spent $200 in April and May taking my rat Scottie to the vet and after we had to have him Euthanized I was so sad a friend of mine asked me what was up. When I told her she couldn't believe I had spent so much and started criticizing me saying "it's only a rat". It really hurts to hear things like that because they aren't just "insert animal here", they are our friends and companions.

When my boyfriend and I got our kittens fixed and all their shots a few of his coworkers thought we were crazy because they are boy cats.Umm I don't really want 3 intact toms roaming around my house thank you very much.

So yeah I know EXACTLY how you feel.
 
#3
Not how much I have spent (I haven't kept track) luckily they have all been healthy, but my lab spent most of the last year boarding with a professional trainer.

My non-animal associates think I put too much emotionally and physically into my animals. According to them they are "just dogs". WTF!?!
 
#4
~KT~ said:
I spent $200 in April and May taking my rat Scottie to the vet and after we had to have him Euthanized I was so sad a friend of mine asked me what was up. When I told her she couldn't believe I had spent so much and started criticizing me saying "it's only a rat". It really hurts to hear things like that because they aren't just "insert animal here", they are our friends and companions.
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Oh gosh, yes it hurts! They're not only dissing your faithful friend and companion and saying they don't matter, but they're insulting you too. They're saying that someone who was very important in your life and heart wasn't worth a measly few hundred bucks.

Most of the time when someone asks me what a vet bill was I mumble "Oh, it was about a hundred bucks." When it was really more like $500 or $600. But of course they always gasp "You spent $100 on that animal!" And then I feel hurt. And indignant too.

Someone who is part of my life, someone who is close to my heart doesn't want to acknowledge or try to understand how much a dog or cat means to me. Being old and ornery it gets my goat and honestly I think less of them because of it. How dare you belittle a creature dear to my heart! I think. How dare you scoff at a loved one in my life! You who call yourself a friend!

So I understand how hurt you felt by the comments. I would be angry too.

And rats DO make wonderful pets! Very gracious and well-behaved. :yes: I'm so sorry you lost your friend!

~KT~ said:
When my boyfriend and I got our kittens fixed and all their shots a few of his coworkers thought we were crazy because they are boy cats.Umm I don't really want 3 intact toms roaming around my house thank you very much.
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Wow! That's absolutely crazy! I mean you DON'T want in-tact toms roaming your house. Do you have any idea how much those guys love to spray urine on the walls? And the air vents. They love to spray on the air vents.

My vet recently showed me how my long-neutered tom was spraying the walls in her exam room just a tiny, tiny bit. Apparently some can do this. They don't completely lose the ability or urge.
 
#5
mcmahan706 said:
My non-animal associates think I put too much emotionally and physically into my animals. According to them they are "just dogs". WTF!?!
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They've probably never had a dog. I always thought dogs were "just dogs" until I married DH who was really into dogs. I was amazed at the relationships we had with the dogs that came into our life for one reason or another. It has certainly made my life deeper and richer. And it has brought a magic into our marriage that I can't even begin to describe. We eat with our dogs, sleep with them, walk them and play with them for hours every day. Had I never had a dog I never would have suspected what they can bring to your life.

That's your coworkers' problem. Maybe one day they will discover why a dog's friendship is priceless. Pity them if they don't.
 
#6
I have spent my share in vet bills for my animals. Venus around $900 for an emergency vet visit where she needed to stay over night of IV fluids. Then another few days/nights in regular vet for IV fluids and force feeding. She would not eat anything on her own. She was starved and so skinny. We were in the middle of moving from house to house and we were going to take the cats last.. she was hiding in a cabinet totally stressed out.

Zoe, our boxer.. $500 in emergency vet bill from her smashing through our living room window.. she saw another dog in our backyard and just smashed the windows in with her paws. There was blood everywhere... looked like a murder scene on my carpet.

And just 2 months ago.. $800 on Brodie who had a virus or an infection of some sort... high fever, malaise.. Emergency vet visit for the high fever and 3 days in Vets office with IV fluids


I have been thinking about that pet insurance, lol
 
#7
BigPurseSue said:
Oh gosh, yes it hurts! They're not only dissing your faithful friend and companion and saying they don't matter, but they're insulting you too. They're saying that someone who was very important in your life and heart wasn't worth a measly few hundred bucks.

Most of the time when someone asks me what a vet bill was I mumble "Oh, it was about a hundred bucks." When it was really more like $500 or $600. But of course they always gasp "You spent $100 on that animal!" And then I feel hurt. And indignant too.

Someone who is part of my life, someone who is close to my heart doesn't want to acknowledge or try to understand how much a dog or cat means to me. Being old and ornery it gets my goat and honestly I think less of them because of it. How dare you belittle a creature dear to my heart! I think. How dare you scoff at a loved one in my life! You who call yourself a friend!

So I understand how hurt you felt by the comments. I would be angry too.

And rats DO make wonderful pets! Very gracious and well-behaved. :yes: I'm so sorry you lost your friend!
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Thanks so much, You summed up exactly how I feel. :hugs:

BigPurseSue said:
Wow! That's absolutely crazy! I mean you DON'T want in-tact toms roaming your house. Do you have any idea how much those guys love to spray urine on the walls? And the air vents. They love to spray on the air vents.

My vet recently showed me how my long-neutered tom was spraying the walls in her exam room just a tiny, tiny bit. Apparently some can do this. They don't completely lose the ability or urge.
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They are the kind of people who own cats and dogs and they are strictly outside animals so I guess a spraying tom wouldn't be a problem. BUT my cats are indoor only and they have no idea how horrible it would be.
 
#8
My vet recently showed me how my long-neutered tom was spraying the walls in her exam room just a tiny, tiny bit. Apparently some can do this. They don't completely lose the ability or urge.[/quote]



This is so true.. Brodie is Neutered and still sprays.. I actually have a thread about him somewhere on here where I am about to lose it :yes: He even sprayed a purse :wtf:
 
#9
My mom is totally like this. She is always "reminding" me of the two instances where we had to take my cat to the hospital and spent about $2000 each (they were 3 years apart though). In her defense, her financial relationship with the cat is very complicated because while she complains, says its a waste of money and it's "just a cat, not a person", but she will not hesitate to pay his vet bill when there is an emergency. It's very contradictory, but I guess kind of endearing.

We have a relative who I just refuse to talk about pet expenses in front of. She physically yells at me if I accidentally even mention the cost of food. I think it's really ironic because this woman is the most label conscious person I know...I would say at least 90% of what she wears is high-end designer. I understand paying so much for beautiful things, but I don't understand where someone gets off chastising someone for spending money on a living member of the family when they spend a whole lot more on pieces of leather and cloth.
 
#10
Taralindsey said:
I have spent my share in vet bills for my animals. Venus around $900 for an emergency vet visit where she needed to stay over night of IV fluids. Then another few days/nights in regular vet for IV fluids and force feeding. She would not eat anything on her own. She was starved and so skinny. We were in the middle of moving from house to house and we were going to take the cats last.. she was hiding in a cabinet totally stressed out.

Zoe, our boxer.. $500 in emergency vet bill from her smashing through our living room window.. she saw another dog in our backyard and just smashed the windows in with her paws. There was blood everywhere... looked like a murder scene on my carpet.

And just 2 months ago.. $800 on Brodie who had a virus or an infection of some sort... high fever, malaise.. Emergency vet visit for the high fever and 3 days in Vets office with IV fluids


I have been thinking about that pet insurance, lol
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You know in a strange way this actually makes me feel very, very good. After the last week--it seems like every day brings another $500 in vet bills--and I'm sitting here brooding as I look at my bank statement--it's sure good to know I'm not the only one. ;)
 
#11
Taralindsey said:
This is so true.. Brodie is Neutered and still sprays.. I actually have a thread about him somewhere on here where I am about to lose it :yes: He even sprayed a purse :wtf:
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Oh dear! Were you able to get it clean? My little dear, neutered over a decade ago, was secretly spraying the walls of my home office and my sewing room. I didn't know it. I thought the yellow flecks on the walls were some rare fungus until my vet said, "Um, I hate to tell you this..." And he's otherwise such a happy, well-adjusted cat too!
 
#14
lilian said:
My mom is totally like this. She is always "reminding" me of the two instances where we had to take my cat to the hospital and spent about $2000 each (they were 3 years apart though). In her defense, her financial relationship with the cat is very complicated because while she complains, says its a waste of money and it's "just a cat, not a person", but she will not hesitate to pay his vet bill when there is an emergency. It's very contradictory, but I guess kind of endearing.
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Well that's very sweet! That means your mother loves you. In spite of her reservations she's willing to pay the vet bills because she knows how much your cat means to you. That's great, you know.

My mother, now 80-something, keeps reminding me how she forked over nearly $100 in 1974 when my cat developed distemper, and what an extravagance that was. I'm sure it was. Especially since we were very poor at the time. So I cut her slack when she gasps at my current vet bills (which during our conversations are never reported as more than $100 ;)).

But she's the only one to whom I cut slack in this regard.

lilian said:
We have a relative who I just refuse to talk about pet expenses in front of. She physically yells at me if I accidentally even mention the cost of food. I think it's really ironic because this woman is the most label conscious person I know...I would say at least 90% of what she wears is high-end designer. I understand paying so much for beautiful things, but I don't understand where someone gets off chastising someone for spending money on a living member of the family when they spend a whole lot more on pieces of leather and cloth.
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Exactly! Each time I handed my credit card over to be swiped in another emergency animal hospital this week I told myself 'So what else would you do with the money? It would sit in your retirement account, or go toward a home improvement or maybe a purse. What would you rather spend the money on: the health and welfare of your faithful friend or a stupid new kitchen counter?' The dog won every time hands down, no contest.

It alarms me to think someone I know would chose the kitchen counter. It really does. :wtf:
 
#15
pollinilove said:
bonnie and clyde both pee on the kitchen floor when there mad at me . i brush my cats everyday and people think im crazy
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I've had cats do that, pee on the floor when they're mad at me. They especially like to pee on my DH's dirty clothes when he leaves them laying all over the floor which is not a bad habit I don't think and so have done nothing to discourage them. He also brushes them every day but they don't seem very grateful. The only ones who are understanding of all this cat shenanigans are my girlfriends with cats. Everyone else thinks we're crazy.

Bonnie and Clyde are great names for two cats! :tup:
 
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