Isis has an ear infection

I really wanted to avoid taking Isis to the vet.

It's a huge major ordeal and she doesn't get over it for DAYS.

And she's aggressive afterwards and goes after Pebbles.

It also requires THREE sedatives.

Isis has lost 1/3 lb since April so I had to do bloodwork.

The bloodwork came back normal.

The vet bill was $742, $421 of that is bloodwork.

My friend's vet in Brooklyn charges 2-something for bloodwork... but they are still privately owned and I think that's the difference.

The vet is too damn expensive, really I think they markup on stuff a LOT.

The basic exam is now $95!

I know they have their costs etc but this is too much for me.

It's not sustainable and has me truly pondering if I will even have ONE cat anymore after my current three. And I have had cats my whole life and can't imagine life without them.

Open enrollment at work just opened yesterday, and we have a pet insurance benefit so I'm enrolling Isis only.  Furball is untreatable and Pebbles won't qualify because of her heart stuff.

According to the NY Times, vet prices have gone up 60% over the last decade, which seems about right to me, possibly more. I actually think more like 80%.

I definitely will never be able to afford three cats with this, and I'm not even sure ONE is sustainable anymore.  $742 for an ear infection. And that's without the $385 culture.

The basic yearly everything-is-fine now costs almost $600. 

And that is NOT covered by insurance.

And the thing is, I know the vets themselves aren't getting a lot of that money, I know a lot of it is going to investors and private equities who buy up practices as part of their portfolio of companies.

It's a racket.

And regular people and animals suffer.

Here is Isis, very stoned.

I found this book at the vet but it wasn't helpful for Isis' level of neurosis.

I love my cats, I am very attached to them.

But I also won't go into tens of thousands of debt like people do.

I also can't be one of those people who never takes their animals to the vet- there are a lot of those too.

It's not right and the animals do suffer.

Balance.

And I need to stay stable.

Everything already feels so precarious.

But I don't have to think about future cats or not right now, there will be fewer that I'll rescue for sure... I hope my three stay around for a long time.  They are a huge part of my life.

Anyhow Isis is getting her treatment and she'll be ok.