GEORGE TOWN: When Marshy, an eight-year-old street cat, developed diarrhea, her owner Rahula Loh took her for a comprehensive check-up costing RM500. Thankfully, Marshy was found to be healthy and soon recovered with proper care.
Loh, a homemaker with five cats, regularly takes her pets to the vet for symptoms like flu or diarrhea and for routine vaccinations, visiting four to five times a year. “Our cats are like our children,” she says, emphasizing that the cost is still cheaper than human healthcare.
Loh, who also has a pedigree Ragdoll cat named Koda, notes that pet healthcare in Penang is more economical than in the Klang Valley. She spent about RM200 to neuter Koda, compared to over RM300 in the Klang Valley. Although pet medical insurance is available, costing around RM300 per month per cat, Loh and her husband find it too expensive for their five cats and note the hassle with insurance paperwork.
Besides cats, Loh also cares for a rare red-footed tortoise named Truffles, which recently needed treatment for a respiratory infection costing RM100. Despite the costs, Loh is committed to her pets’ health, stating, “We will never put our pets to sleep as long as there is treatment to save them. They are a part of our family.”
