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The Best Pet Insurance for American Domestic Cats

As pet parents, we always want the best for our fur-babies. We strive to provide them with a happy and healthy life, and that includes giving them proper medical care when they need it. Since unexpected vet bills are a major financial burden, pet insurance has become a must-have for emergencies. How do you know what is the best pet insurance for your American Domestic? In this blog, we'll explore the options and compare the benefits to help you make an informed decision.

The first (and most important) step is to know exactly what kind of benefits your American Domestic needs.

American Domestic Health Risk Profile

With unexpected vet bills ranging from $1,000 for a minor incident to $50,000 or more for a major emergency, choosing between our savings and our fur-baby can become a reality for many. Here’s an idea of how likely American Domestics are to rack up big vet bills.

For American Domestics, your best bet is to make sure there are no reimbursement limits on your pet insurance.

10 Inherited Health Problems in American Domestics

Here’s a quick peek at 10 inherited health problems in American Domestics. Be sure these conditions are not excluded from your benefits:

1

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)

This is a condition where the heart muscle thickens, making it harder for blood to flow through. This can lead to heart failure, which can be life-threatening for a cat.

2

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)

Polycystic kidney disease is a condition where fluid-filled cysts form on the kidneys, leading to decreased kidney function over time. This can eventually result in kidney failure.

3

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)

Progressive retinal atrophy is a condition that causes the cells in the retina, which is the part of the eye that sends images to the brain, to deteriorate. This leads to vision loss and eventual blindness.

4

Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC)

This is a type of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that specifically affects cats. It's a genetic condition that leads to thickening of the heart muscle, which can cause heart problems.

5

Dilated cardiomyopathy

This is a condition where the heart becomes enlarged and weakened, making it less able to pump blood effectively. This can lead to heart failure and other serious health problems.

6

Renal dysplasia

This is a congenital condition where the kidneys don't develop properly. It can lead to decreased kidney function and other health problems.

7

Muscular dystrophy

This is a group of genetic conditions that cause the muscles to weaken and waste away over time. It can lead to difficulty with movement and other serious health problems.

8

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)

This is a genetic condition that affects the muscles of the body, especially those controlled by the spinal cord. It can lead to muscle weakness and wasting, as well as problems with movement and breathing.

9

Familial renal glycogenosis

This is a genetic condition where the kidneys are unable to break down glycogen, which is a form of stored sugar. This can lead to kidney problems and other health issues.

10

Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC)

This is a type of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that is inherited from a cat's parents. It leads to thickening of the heart muscle, which can cause heart problems.

This is where pet insurance comes in. …Or, does it?

Depends on what do you mean by “best” pet insurance.

As you know, pet insurance is a type of insurance policy that covers veterinary medical expenses when your American Domestic becomes sick or injured. Depending on the policy you choose, pet insurance can cover a wide range of medical expenses, including surgery, medication, and hospitalization.

However, it’s important to understand that coverage exclusions exist in all pet insurance companies, which limit the effectiveness of even the best pet insurance. More importantly: because pet insurance is a type of property insurance, it does not provide the same level of benefits we expect in our human health insurance.

Many pet parents find out too late that all pet insurance excludes pre-existing conditions, and this can be a major deal-breaker. Plus, without pre-existing condition coverage, you can't switch pet insurance companies without losing coverage on all previous health problems after your American Domestic is sick or injured. Better hope you choose wisely the first time, because there are no do-overs with pet insurance.

As you can see, pet insurance is an option to cover (some) big vet bills, but it’s far from perfect.

What’s the best pet insurance for American Domestics?

Luckily there are pet insurance alternatives for American Domestics, such as pet medical cost shares. Pet medical cost sharing allows pet parents to pool financial resources to cover eligible pet medical expenses.

"Unexpected pet medical expenses can happen at any time."

Of the available options, Pawamedics pet medical cost share is the best pet insurance alternative for American Domestics. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, Pawamedics' focus is on providing better benefits and value than any pet insurance offers.

Unlike pet insurance, Pawamedics includes pre-existing conditions on a phased-in basis, and offers unlimited reimbursements for pet medical expenses. All your American Domestic’s conditions are included in benefits, whether they are the inherited conditions above or something else entirely. Plus, medications are always included with Pawamedics, making it a simple and straightforward way to cover your American Domestic's medical expenses.

Pawamedics pet medical cost share Membership benefits include illness, injuries, and wellness care for American Domestics.

Unexpected pet medical expenses can happen at any time. Waiting until you already have big pet medical costs to sign up is always too late to get help with current expenses. But even if your pet already has big vet bills, getting pet insurance, joining a pet medical cost share, or finding another pet insurance alternative now will avoid big pet medical costs in the future. As pet parents, it's up to us to make sure we provide the best care possible for our beloved pets, and Pawamedics can help us achieve that goal.

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, we do not accept compensation for our blog posts, nor for reviewing, recommending, or linking to others.

Disclaimer

This website is not a substitute for medical/veterinary counsel, financial counsel, or legal counsel. Please always consult an appropriate qualified professional for advice on your specific situation. Information provided by this website may not be accurate or complete at any given time. Pawamedics disclaims all liability regarding any actions taken or not taken based on any contents of this website.

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