Should I Get Pet Insurance Before Getting a Cat?

Pumpkin Team
3 hours ago
6 min read

Key Points

The best time to get pet insurance is when you adopt your cat.
Pet insurance may help reimburse you for thousands of dollars in eligible veterinary expenses.
Pumpkin plans don’t have an upper age limit or reduce coverage as your cat ages.

Bringing home a new cat is exciting — picking out their name, their favorite toys, even their favorite sunspot. But here’s one step many pet parents forget: enrolling in pet insurance as soon as they come home.

Why? Because once your plan starts (after the waiting period), your cat may be eligible for future veterinary expenses. If health issues show up before then, it may be considered pre-existing, and the insurer typically won’t reimburse veterinary expenses related to those conditions.

Getting a plan in place from the start helps you prepare for unexpected expenses. That way, you can spend less time worrying about costs and more time enjoying life with your new feline family member.

When to get pet insurance?

The best time to get pet insurance is as soon as possible, ideally right as you adopt your cat or kitten. If you already have a cat, the next best time is now.

Here’s why timing matters:

Pre-existing conditions: If your cat develops symptoms or receives a diagnosis before coverage begins, related veterinary bills may not be eligible for reimbursement. Some conditions could be covered if your cat has been symptom- and treatment-free for a specific period, depending on the provider.
Accidents and illness happen unexpectedly: Curious cats may swallow objects, fall, or develop sudden illnesses.
Health changes with age: Older cats are more likely to develop health conditions like kidney disease or hyperthyroidism with age, which could be excluded if they appear before your coverage starts.
Age restrictions: Many providers have an upper age limit. Once your cat qualifies, it’s smart to enroll right away.

Why get cat insurance? The benefits of coverage

Cats may seem low-maintenance, but they’re vulnerable to common cat health issues such as:

Cancer
Diabetes
Kidney disease
Hyperthyroidism
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

When untreated, these illnesses can lead to long-term health problems and can even be life-threatening. As a pet parent, you don’t want to see your cat in distress, but veterinary costs can be prohibitively expensive. If your cat is diagnosed with an illness or gets injured, cat insurance can help you manage eligible veterinary expenses for:

Diagnostics and testing
Treatments, like surgery, chemotherapy, or medication
Aftercare and follow-up visits

That way, you can keep your cat happy and healthy without the financial stress.

Learn more about Pumpkin Cat Insurance plans.

Is pet insurance worth it for cats?

In many cases, pet insurance is worth it for cats because it makes emergency and ongoing care more financially manageable. Without insurance, you’d pay for the entire veterinary bill out of pocket, which could run you thousands of dollars, especially in the case of emergency procedures.

Real-life costs with vs. without insurance

A majority of cat owners significantly underestimate the cost of cat ownership. On average, in the United States, caring for a cat over their lifetime can cost $47,106 according to a recent Synchrony study.

Pet insurance for cats can make the difference between paying thousands of dollars up front and paying a manageable portion of the veterinary bill. According to our claims in the last few years, here are the average costs for common accidents and illnesses cats encounter¹:

Treatment for a swallowed foreign object, like a toy - over $2500
Treatment for a Urethral Obstruction, often caused by crystals - over $1350
Treatment for a fever - over $900
Treatment for a fractured leg - over $800

Without pet insurance, you would be on the hook for bills like these. With Pumpkin Cat Insurance, you can get up to 80% or 90% cash back on eligible veterinary bills, depending on your reimbursement rate selection.

Is pet insurance worth it for an indoor cat?

Cats could still have accidents — swallowing a string, falling off furniture, or getting into other mishaps — and they aren’t immune to hereditary or age-related illnesses that may occur in the future. They can also catch illnesses from other cats in the household.

Whether your cat stays indoors or ventures outside, insurance can provide financial support for eligible accidents and illnesses and help give you peace of mind.

What does cat insurance cover?

Most cat insurance could help cover eligible veterinary expenses for:

Accidents: Injuries, poisoning, foreign object removal
Illnesses: Infections, hereditary conditions, chronic diseases
Specialized care: Depending on your plan, coverage may include dental illnesses, behavioral issues, and alternative therapies (such as hydrotherapy or acupuncture).

You’ll also need to factor in the pet insurance waiting period — the short gap between enrollment and when coverage begins. Typically, If a health issue shows up during this time, it may not be eligible for reimbursement. But Pumpkin cat insurance plans keep things simple with only a 14-day waiting period across the board (depending on your state). These plans also don’t reduce coverage as your cat ages and may reimburse eligible costs for hereditary and chronic illnesses.

Kitten insurance

Kitten insurance is the same as cat insurance, but it’s just as valuable because your energetic and playful kitten can be prone to accidents.

Common kitten mishaps include:

Swallowing string, thread, toys
Falling from high surfaces
Developing respiratory or urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Starting insurance early helps maximize future coverage by reducing exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

Explore Pumpkin kitten insurance.

What isn’t covered by cat insurance?

Most cat insurance plans exclude coverage for certain expenses. Common exclusions include:

Pre-existing conditions: A pre-existing condition is any illness or injury that shows symptoms or is diagnosed before your policy start date. Expenses related to those conditions may not be eligible for reimbursement.
Waiting period: The time between enrollment and when veterinary bills become eligible for reimbursement.
Routine and preventative care: Vaccinations, annual exams, spaying and neutering, flea and tick prevention, etc.
Cosmetic or elective procedures: Ear cropping, tail docking, or surgeries not deemed medically necessary.

With Pumpkin Pet Insurance, some expenses for cured and curable pre-existing conditions may become eligible if your cat has been symptom-free and treatment-free for at least 180 days, or otherwise determined by your policy.

What is the average cost of cat insurance?

The actual cost of cat insurance depends on factors like:

Location: Rates are calculated based on veterinary cost and other market factors in your ZIP code.
Deductible: The amount you pay before your insurer's reimbursements apply. Higher deductibles help you get lower premiums, and vice versa.
Reimbursement rate: The percentage you’ll get back for eligible veterinary bills. Lower rates mean cheaper premiums.
Annual limit: The maximum amount a plan will reimburse in a year. Smaller limits mean lower costs.
Age and breed: Older cats and certain cat breeds prone to hereditary diseases typically may cost more to insure.

How to choose the best pet insurance for cats

When comparing plans, look at more than just cost. Low-cost plans often have high deductibles, low coverage limits, or long waiting periods, which could leave you without adequate care when you need it most. The best way to find the right plan is to compare policies and get quotes.

Here’s what sets Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans apart:

No upper age limits or breed restrictions for enrollment
Coverage that won’t shrink as your cat gets older
No extended waiting periods for common conditions like knee injuries and hip dysplasia
Eligible expenses reimbursed for hereditary conditions, dental illnesses, behavioral issues, alternative therapies, rehab, and prescription food.*

(Footnote) * A Pumpkin Pet Insurance plan covers prescription food and supplements to treat an eligible accident or illness. It doesn’t cover prescription food and supplements used for weight management or general health maintenance.

Fetch a free quote from Pumpkin today.

Should you get pet insurance for your cat?

In most cases, yes. Cat insurance helps you say “yes” to health care when accidents or illnesses happen. It won’t cover preventative or elective treatments, and some pre-existing conditions may be excluded, but it can give you the financial support you need for those unpredictable moments.

FAQs

Should I get pet insurance for my cat or just save?

Savings help, but they can take years to build. Since emergencies can happen at any time, pet insurance is often the smarter choice for young, healthy cats. For cats with multiple pre-existing conditions, savings or local aid may be necessary.

Is there a “right” age to get cat insurance?

There’s no perfect age to get cat insurance, but the sooner you enroll, the better. Getting coverage early means fewer restrictions from pre-existing conditions and more protection as your pet ages. Most plans allow enrollment starting from eight weeks old.

What are the pros and cons of cat insurance?

The pros of cat insurance are that it helps you manage big veterinary bills and feel more financially prepared to afford medical care. The cons include premiums being an added expense and increased costs for older cats or certain breeds.

Should I get cat insurance before my first appointment?

Yes — enrolling in pet insurance before your first vet visit is a smart move. When you sign up for pet insurance, your provider may review your cat’s medical history. Even small notes in their record — like frequent paw-licking (which could signal allergies) or a mild limp (which could hint at joint issues) — might be labeled as pre-existing conditions. Once something is documented that way, future vet care related to it typically won’t be eligible for reimbursement.

References