It’s Friday, and I sort of played hookey from the serious business of this blog. Sometimes, with this stuff, you’ve got to take a breather.
So, instead of the usual terrible quotes from terrible people here are some cats being cats.
Also, while I have you all here, a giant THANK YOU to everyone who has donated. And if you haven’t, the We Hunted the Mammoth Fourth Quarter Pledge Drive continues!
Donate using the button below; you don’t need a Paypal account, and Paypal can handle all sorts of non-US currency. Also, don’t worry that the PayPal page says Man Boobz. Thanks!
And now, without further ado, here are more kitties!
You can’t keep a good woman down…unless you’re her cat.
Also, I love that sassy black struttin’ kitty!
Kitty pics are always appreciated! I love the one in the bathtub; I have seen that expression many, many times.
I would love to send you money but I just committed to drop $6000 on braces (which I have needed for like 20 years).
I’m curious, Mammotheers: do your countries consider dentistry as part of medicine, in terms of health care coverage? The US doesn’t and it’s maddening.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neRIuYUdkEA&w=560&h=315%5D
I appreciate the cat-pics ^.^
It’s been a long week for me, but it’s nearly over and yeah… cats. On the internet. They are lovely.
@emilygoddess I’m in Canada, and dental is not covered in my province. Private insurance, yes.
Cats & water:
We have one cat who refuses to drink from anything but the downstairs bathroom sink, and loves dunking his head under the tap; another who only drinks from his paw, so he mucks up the water dishes; another who likes to store his favourite toys in the water dishes, the sink, etc. One of our girls used to like to keep her favourite fuzzy ball in the toilet, until one day she flushed it. Bye bye, fuzzy ball!
Our oldest cat, Nemmy, ‘om nom nom’s when he eats 🙂
For all the wonders of Australia’s pinkocommie universal health system … no dentistry.
That will change (in a decade or two) now that research has demonstrated that there’s a definite link between dental/gum ill-health and nasties like heart disease. But I doubt that orthodontics would be covered even when that happens. It’s a pretty routine inclusion in health insurance though.
Kitties!
That top picture isn’t being a cat owner, it’s being a cat ownee. Which is only right and proper, of course.
@ emilygoddess
It really REALLY seems like dentistry should be covered under healthcare, doesn’t it?
I am in the UK right now so don’t even ask me about dental care here (I am not even joking and gods I want to help them 🙁 )
I did a Google image search for “cats oppressing humans” and the first two hits were from Confused Cats Against Feminism. Nice!
I also found these
http://the-auditorium.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/imagesCA8QWC4M.jpg
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs16/f/2007/177/5/3/Cat_Overlord_by_The_Evil_Kitten.jpg
Ontario doesn’t either. Or eye exams, which frustrates the hell out of me, as I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 8 and just recently found out that my eye exams are no longer covered by provincial insurance. Grrrrrr.
WWTH: FOR THE EMPURRPURR
Mewens,
Love it!
I got badgered into making Dr and eye doctor appointments by my company’s office manager (who is AWESOME!) and I just have dentistry to go. All in the new year, of course, but I’m not in any rush.
I need more kitty YouTube channels to watch.
In New Zealand, dentistry is not covered by the health care system, nor is optometry. So poor people tend to have less teeth and are probably not aware when they need corrective lenses. 🙁
That sassy kitty belongs on my family coat of arms.
@emilygoddess: NHS charges detailed here: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/nhs-dental-charges.aspx
But I’m pretty sure it’s all free if you’re under 18 and in full-time education, and there are forms you can submit if you claim working tax credit or are on a low household income. I think there are free, or discounted treatments for retirees and the unemployed, but I’m not sure.
emilygoddess – I am in the UK and my kids both had free braces – as long as you get it done before you are 18. My older son is 18, but because he was 17 when they were first fitted it is still free. I think that they are about £2000 ($3000 US?) after that.
I get free dentistry because of my low income. But… not everything. I need a crown, and that will cost me £750 for gold or £550 for porcelain. I am saving now, fortunately the tooth is fine for the moment.
In the UK getting a good dentist who takes NHS patients can be problematic. I am fortunate in that I have been with the same practice for over 40 years, and their standards have always been high, but there have been numerous reports of very shoddy work, and people who cannot afford private being unable to find a dentist at all.
My mouth was $50,000CAN. :/ I’m glad for it now but to be honest had all the orthodontic work I did because it was an expectation of my family. LOTS of it was paid for by my parents extended health benefits, some out of pocket. I fully support either of my parents smacking me if they ever catch me opening a beer with my teeth though.
Yeah, finding a NHS dentist in the UK can be difficult.
In my town there are about 6-7 dentist practices, which is quite a high proportion, but only one of them accepts NHS patients.
And that one, to even get on the waiting list, you need to have teeth in good condition and not need any work done.
How you are supposed to do that, when there are no other NHS dentists, if you are poor, I’ve never understood.
(Yet another thing to thank my parents for, I attend their private dentist when I visit)
In Finland I get part of my private dentistry costs covered by public insurance. I understand you can also get free (or nearly free) dental care in public clinics, if you can afford to wait in line until trees come to leaf.
As has been said before, in the UK you can get NHS dentists but they are uncommon and finding good ones is something else. I’m with a private practice but I haven’t been for a checkup in ages because it’s so hard to get to without a car. I’ve been moving around lately and I won’t bother changing surgeries until I’m settled.
And yes, to take care of your eyes you need to go private too, but you can get forms that exempt you from fees if you meet certain criteria. Personally I wish that teeth and eyes were covered under health care as I really believe they are important parts of your health. That and your back.
On another note, the neighbours are playing Christmas songs really loud and I’m actually happy about that. 🙂
My health insurance explicitly excludes dentistry/optometry, but makes an exception for diabetes-related complications. It’s an issue because the dental insurance I had from my old job had such a low maximum coverage that getting any work done at all would hit the cap. I ended up having to pay over $500 out-of-pocket for scaling.
My current employer provides free vision and dental insurance to all employees though so I’m luckier than most.
In Australia, we do get bulk-billed eye exams (that means no out of pocket). For most folks it’s covered once every 2 years, but more often if you need it. Eg. people with diabetes can go every twelve months, or more if an urgent check is needed.
Teeth, as others have said, are another issue. No universal dentistry, sadly, and I agree it should be as easily accessible as any healthcare.
Briefly un lurking from a interstate move triggered absence to say…cats sure are long.
I think that teeth generally aren’t covered because they’re pretty simple to take care of, for most people. Watch your diet, brush twice and day and floss, and you’re good to go. Apart from accidents which knock out teeth there are few complications or problems that can spring out of nowhere. Unlike other parts of the body.
Correct me if I’m wrong though.