cats

So we moved recently; we now have a roommate who has two of her own cats. That makes for a five-cat household. Sidney is seven, Ava is almost five, Toby is almost four, and Donna and Ven are almost two.

I've been doing the math on vet bills for this year. Sidney and Donna need both rabies and distemper shots; the other two only need distemper. They all need dentals, exams, and microchipping. Ava and Sidney may need bloodwork pre-dental anesthesia, depending on when we do Ava's and what the vet says. (I definitely want to get bloodwork done for Sidney, given his age.) And even with our vet's low prices, it really adds up, especially on our budget.

So we're talking about pet insurance. With Sidney at seven and Toby's history of a bad UTI (though he hasn't had a recurrence since we switched to raw food), plus Toby's doofusness about trying to eat things he shouldn't, like plastic and bits of thread he manages to find, I'd feel better with it. I know we'd have to pay upfront and then get reimbursed, but with our income, it would be much better to get that money back than to have it out permanently.

What are your experiences with pet insurance? Do you think it's worth it? Is there a provider you prefer? What does or did your insurance cover as far as illnesses and routine things? I don't expect it to cover exams and vaccines, but it'd be nice if it covered at least the dentals.

Thanks in advance for your help!