Is Pet Insurance Worth It for a Kitten?

Welcoming a new kitten into the family is a joyous time, but it comes with many potential expenses to consider. Fortunately, kitten insurance can help you cover vet costs while protecting your kitty’s health.

Let’s look at some of the top reasons why pet insurance may be worth it for your kitten so you can make an informed decision. 

Should You Get Pet Insurance for Your Kitten?

Kitten parents could spend anywhere from $765 – $2,715 or more on their kitty's health care in the first year alone.¹ Vaccinations, neutering or spaying, and other preventive care are just a few expected costs. Your kitten may also get sick or need costly care after an accident.

Enrolling your cat in a policy earlier might help you feel more financially prepared for unexpected, and potentially expensive, vet visits. And as your kitten gets older, pet insurance is there to continue helping you support their health needs.

Here are six reasons to get pet insurance for your kitten.

1. Kittens may have lower premiums

Because kittens are typically considered healthier, they can cost less to insure. As your cat ages, the premium you pay to insure them may go up, because older cats tend to need more health care.

Take advantage of lower premiums by enrolling your kitten at an early age. At MetLife Pet, cat insurance plans start at $7 per month.²

2. You could save on first-year routine vet expenses

Routine exams and care are especially important in a kitten’s first year — and you may spend more time at the vet’s office to make sure your little one is healthy.

Wellness services — like core vaccinations, heartworm prevention, and spaying and neutering — can add to already-expensive care costs. Core kitten vaccines can cost around $200 or more, and a spay or neuter procedure could be $310 – $560.¹

Adding an optional Preventive Care plan to your MetLife Pet policy may help you cover some of these routine costs during this crucial time in your kitten’s life.

3. Kitten curiosity can lead to vet bills

Kittens love to explore their brand-new world, but exploration can get them into sticky situations. They might chew on small objects, eat human medication, or get into other poisonous items throughout the home. They may also suffer from paw or leg injuries that need immediate attention.

An emergency trip to the vet could cost up to $1,850 or more.¹ Broken bones that need corrective surgery could cost over $3,000. And if your kitty ate something they shouldn’t, toxicity treatment and intestinal blockage surgeries can also be pricey — up to $5,000 or $7,000, respectively.³

Accident-related vet expenses — like emergency care, surgeries, and diagnostic imaging — could be covered under a MetLife Pet policy. So when loveable kitten antics go awry, your finances are also protected.

4. Kittens are susceptible to illness

Kittens, like most young animals, have developing immune systems, and that can mean they’re more susceptible to illnesses. Whether you have an indoor or outdoor kitty, diseases like feline distemper, parasites, and respiratory infections can be common. Diagnosis, treatment, and recovery could cost anywhere from $219 to over $3,500.⁴

Major illnesses can be costly, but minor occurrences of ear infections, scratches, upset stomachs, and hairballs might cause more frequent vet trips — and more dipping into your funds.

Illness-related costs — like ultrasounds, blood work, prescription medication, and hospitalizations — can be reimbursed with pet insurance.⁵ When treatments become more financially accessible, kittens can receive the care they need and keep their focus on play.

5. You can reduce pre-existing condition exclusions later in life

Pet insurance typically doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, so it can be beneficial to get a policy when your kitten is young and healthy. Something as simple as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or allergies could be considered pre-existing conditions if they showed up before your kitten was covered. You can help limit those types of exclusions by enrolling your cat as early as possible.

While any cat can develop various health conditions, some breeds may be more prone to experiencing certain ones — like hip dysplasia in Maine coons or progressive retinal atrophy in Siamese. Enrolling them in pet insurance as a kitten can help ensure they’re covered if they develop hereditary conditions later in life.

6. You could save on cat health care down the road

A cat’s veterinary needs continue beyond kittenhood, of course. The earlier you enroll your kitten in a pet insurance policy and keep them enrolled, the more you can prepare for vet bills throughout their life. If your kitty isn’t covered by pet insurance before they’re diagnosed, you could be paying expensive vet bills regularly for a lifelong illness.

Even singular vet visits to care for a torn nail, fractured tooth, or bee sting can add up over the course of your cat’s life. Getting them coverage as a kitten can help.

Tips for Finding the Right Insurance Plan for Kittens

Here are a few key considerations that may help you find the right plan for your kitten:

• Coverage: Compare coverage between providers. Download sample policies to make sure you know what the exclusions are and what’s reimbursable.
• Waiting periods: Look at the waiting periods across providers so you know when you could start using your benefits. Some waiting periods may be shorter than others.
• Customization options: Compare policy reimbursement rates, deductibles, and annual limits across providers and plans. These can change your monthly premium, so it’s a good idea to find the plan options that work for you.
• Optional wellness plans: Consider optional wellness plans you can add to a policy that reimburse you for the routine expenses you pay the most.

MetLife Pet offers kitten insurance with reimbursements of up to 90% on covered vet expenses, an optional Preventive Care plan that can help reimburse you for routine costs, and a 0-day waiting period on accidents and Preventive Care.⁵

Consider MetLife Pet Insurance for Your Kitten

The bottom line? The sooner you get pet insurance for your new feline friend, the more it could help you protect their health and your wallet.

You can enroll your kitten in a MetLife Pet Insurance policy once they’re 8 weeks old and keep them covered through all of life’s adventures. Ready to start your journey? Pounce on your free quote today!