Originally posted on AZCentral.com – April 2014

Question: My 10-year-old cat Kayla cries at night and has diarrhea. I took her to the vet, who suggested tests and X-rays. I’m 83 and on a limited income. Kayla has a good appetite, so I asked if I could switch her to dry food. I was told no. I would appreciate your insight.

Answer: The last time we were told our insight was appreciated, it was by our mom when we were 13. Our sense that she was being sarcastic was confirmed when she put us under room arrest for the rest of the day.

It is clear your cat’s comfort is important to you, so you really need to listen to your vet when it comes to the right care. But you also need to take care of your financial health.

Jane Ehrlich understands. She is a Valley feline behaviorist (cattitudebehavior.com). Many of her clients have faced difficult choices based on expense. Vets know many people can’t afford $300 X-rays, or perhaps a $75 blood test.

Ehrlich suggested having a frank financial talk with the staff. Ask about a senior discount; if 83 years is not worth 15 percent off, what is?

The vet staff may know of online sites that offer pet medications at deeply discounted prices, Ehrlich said.