Pet lovers are a unique “animal,” as it were. And sometimes it takes the mindset of an animal lover to properly understand the thoughts and concerns of a fellow animal lover… especially when it comes to issues such as pet health insurance. That’s why Pet Assure is proud of the feedback they receive from clients:

Dee Green from Pennsylvania:

I had to write to say thank you for Pet Assure. I didn’t have my card for a week and my dog Lady B had to have an emergency visit and and urgent care visit to the vet within two days. I saved almost $60.00. She has seizures and an enlarged heart so I couldn’t get pet insurance for her. I thought there was no way to save on the great cost of caring for her until I found Pet Assure.

Leslie Meredith from San Diego, California:

Pet Assure paid for itself for about 7 years the first time I used it. About 2 weeks after I registered Cheechako, she needed about $3000 in diagnostics and surgery. The 25% we save thru Pet Assure more than covers my membership for the next years. Then 4 months later the same thing happened. Another $3000 for more diagnostics and surgery for another condition…all pets, young or old, sick or healthy, should be covered by Pet Assure. That 25% can really make the difference… between putting down a pet for financial reasons or keeping the pet….I can’t say enough about PA. It’s almost a religious feeling that I have for your product. There are no questions asked with PA, just present your card and you receive your discount. No hassles with copays, deductibles, forms etc. A phenomenal benefit at such a low cost.

Rochelle Anderson from Laguna Niguel, California:

Pet Assure saved my pet’s life

Now this would be a reason to look into getting cat insurance: Your pet can come and go whenever it pleases!

Depicted below is a home-video of a house cat leaping into the air, opening a door, and letting itself out (and, perhaps a little bit more worrisome, allowing a different cat in).

The video below offers an remarkable and enjoyable view for the average viewer, and a worrisome troubled peak for those cat-lovers without pet health insurance. It features a seemingly-ordinary house cat leaping into the air at least four times its own height and using a door knob to get the door open.

Whether you love cats, hate cats, or just politely defer by stating you’re “a dog person,” you have to be stired by any proof of an animal with no thumbs operating a doorknob.

Low and behold, YouTube is littered (no pun intended) with videos of animals opening doors. Though it’s mostly cats, the internet video sharing website also features clips of dogs, horses, and even ferrets entering and exiting areas by successfully operating door handles.

Personally, this writer is just reassured to know the Velocraptor isn’t the only animal that knows how to open doors.

Here at the Pet Assure Blog, one of the most frequently asked questions we receive is: Is Pet Assure a brand of pet insurance?

The answer is no. It’s actually something better.

Pet Assure is an alternative to pet insurance. This presents a series of advantages over a typical pet insurance plan, including cost, management ease, and a total lack of limitations.

Using Pet Assure will flat out save you money. Pet insurance companies typically pay, on average, 55-60% of the annual policy cost. Pet Assure members can save anywhere between 100 and 400% of the annual cost, a clearly massive advantage.

Not to mention, with Pet Assure the age, breed, and health condition of your pet has no effect on the policy cost, something pet insurance will never guarantee. So you’ll be sure to save money there as well. In fact, just by showing your Pet Assure card at the front desk of your veterinarian, you’ll automatically be saving 25% right there!

With no deductibles, as well as no maximum limit on how many times you see the vet, Pet Assure offers a lot of ease and compatibility. Any pet insurance plan out there will, more times than not, come with a plethora of deductibles while simultaneously limiting the number of claims a patient can make annually.

That’s why, when someone asks us if we offer pet insurance, we’re thrilled to tell them no… we offer something better!

One of our favorite aspects we find on the Pet Assure pet health insurance website is the page that offers recommended links. Among these links is a site to learn about different cat breeds and another intended to help working pet-owners find professional dog walkers.

However, one link we never expect to find on the site of our pet insurance plan is CatsThatLookLikeHitler.com.

A site intended to combine comical and cute, its popularity has recently skyrocketed as the phrase “Cats that look like Hitler” shot to the top of Google Trends last week. However, the “Kitlers” (combination of Hitler and Kitten) are as often hated as they are loved, and the maintainers of the site not only acknowledge that, but embrace it.

They currently maintain two separate pages on the site, one entitled “We Love Kitlers,” and the other “We Hate Kitlers.” Both feature viewer commentary, some of which is adorably complimentary, while others are justifiably offensive.

While I don’t appreciate the comparison of animals I love so dearly to a Dictator responsible for genocide, I cannot help but admit the site features a plethora of absolutely adorable pussycats. As I viewed their photo-gallery, I found myself often forgetting the Hitler-comparision, and simply enjoying the beauty of these majestic pets.

Perhaps ironically, the site does feature ads by Google that advertises “Cat Urine Problem Solutions,” “All-Natural Cat Litter,” and “Cat Respiratory Aid Remedies.”

“Dog Days” (Latin: di?s canicul?r?s) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. Typically, that means the hot stretch between early July and early September. We’re in them right now! We know it, and our pets know it. I’ve got two little kittens who pant so much when they play, they think they’re puppies. It almost makes me want to buy them dog insurance instead of cat insurance!

Now, I don’t mean to be northern hemisphere-centric. After all, this is the internet! There are searchers for dog insurance all over the world who might stumble upon this blog. You friends in the southern hemisphere experience dog days between January and early March. And you walk around upside down! Just kidding about that. I’m dying to go to Australia someday.

Dog Days can also be used more loosely to define any time period or event that is very hot or stagnant, or marked by dull lack of progress. The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius, also called the Dog Star, was somehow responsible for the hot weather.

If your dog is especially sensitive to heat, as many of our furry friends are, take extra special care of him or her during these dog days. Consider dog insurance as a way to save not only on vet bills, but other doggie treats that will help pull them through till the delicious cool of fall sets in.

What is Feline immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)? If my cat has it, is there a pet insurance plan that will cover us? These are two questions we hear a lot.

FIV is in the same family as feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, the virus that causes AIDS). It attacks the immune system, making your cat less and less able to fight off infections and cancers. It is what’s called a retrovirus, meaning that it is species specific: a cat with the virus can only infect other cats, like humans with HIV can only infect other humans. It’s shed in the saliva and usually transmitted by bite wounds–not by close contact like FeLV.

As for the matter of a pet insurance plan?

One way that Pet Assure is different from other pet insurance plans is that we will help any pet, regardless of pre-existing conditions. Honestly, that’s always been a part of the insurance industry (pet or otherwise) that really bothers us, shows that most insurance companies are not in the business of helping anyone but themselves. Why would we want to punish you for getting help when your pet needs it?

If you think your cat might have FIV, please let us help you get the right care.

Here are our top ten tips to keeping your pet healthy in summer heat.

1. HYDRATION. Whether your pet is an indoor or outdoor pet, make sure they have plenty of fresh, clean water to drink.

2. If your pet does go outside, make sure there is a comfortable, shady spot for them to relax in.  Don’t over-exercise them, either.

3. Never leave your pet in a parked car on extremely hot days, not even with the windows cracked. This is even illegal in some states where extreme weather is a summer norm.

4. Not all dogs doggy paddle. Don’t leave pets unattended around pools.

5. Check your screens. Your indoor cat likes to bat at bugs it sees on the other side, and you must be sure the screen is secure, lest your cat fall out. Keep ALL unscreened windows in your home closed.

6. Visit your vet at the start of the season. A pet insurance plan can save you money on this one, in case it’s expense you’re worried about.

7. Don’t have pet insurance? Pet Assure has a plan that goes further than most pet insurance, for less money.

8. Know your warning signs. Excessive panting, difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor, collapse, seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomit are all signs that your pet needs a vet right away. (See above for related pet insurance advice.)

9. Avoid spraying chemicals where your pet might eat them. Be careful even with citronella candles.

10. Got a shaggy dog? Give him a haircut so he can feel some breeze!

Pet Assure isn’t all about pet health insurance. We’re sensitive to the whole experience of having and loving pets, and are pleased to offer discounts for pet lovers in other arenas. One of our favorites? Pet art!

Let us introduce you to a few of the artists who help make Pet Assure so much more than other pet health insurance plans.

Ever find yourself bored by the collar possibilities at your local pet store? Big Paw Designs makes “unique and classic accessories for hip dogs and cool cats.” This one reminds us of dogs we know (and it’s 15% off with Pet Assure)!

Then there’s Colorful Critters. Kitten- and cat-themed everything, for those cat lovers who can’t resist socks, clocks, wine glass charms or windchimes sporting depictions of their feline friends. We’re amazed by this Deco-styled cat shaped electric fan! 10% off everything with Pet Assure.

Christy!Studios is the home of painter Christy Freeman. See that painting of a dog on the top of this post? That’s one of Christy’s vibrant watercolor original portraits of animals. Imagine the treasure of having an original portrait of your beloved pet! Commission one now, and with Pet Assure, save 20%.

Pet health insurance is only the beginning of what Pet Assure has to offer you!