Simba's story

24 february 2025

In February 2024, Simba, a four-month-old Russian Blue kitten, moved in with us. The joy of the four-legged addition to the family was immense. The question arose beforehand whether we should take out pet insurance. We read up a lot on it - unfortunately also a lot of negative stuff. Some forums or consumer magazines even advised you to save your money. We however chose wau-miau pet insurance by ERV to safeguard against at least major unforeseen emergencies.

After the immense joy we felt when Simba was brought home, it came as a big shock to us when – after Simba had become withdrawn and lost his appetite for a few days – we found out from the veterinary clinic that he had surprisingly and unexplainably developed FIP at the age of six months. FIP, or Feline Infectious Peritonitis, is an illness that can be fatal within a very short time if not treated promptly. In addition, there is only one drug, which is not yet approved in Switzerland. Fortunately, the veterinary hospital of the University Hospital of Zurich has been working on a FIP study since 2023 and the research team offered Simba a place. However, the treatment on the study program cost several thousand francs.

Time was of the essence and, as it was for a large amount, we first contacted the claims team at wau-miau. If the diagnosis is confirmed and the conditions are met as described, the treatment would be accepted with the exception of the medication that has not yet been generally approved. wau-miau confirmed this for us within 24 hours – albeit non-binding, since no documents were available yet. A significant and, as we later found out, lifesaving decision for Simba. The next day, Simba was admitted as an inpatient to the animal hospital for three days of treatment and was now study patient 176.

Today Simba is doing well again. He is cheerful, active, has an appetite, is very playful and is a valued and beloved family member. He must still undergo further regular follow-up examinations until June 2026 as part of the study or treatment, but we are very optimistic.

We would like to thank wau-miau pet insurance for your support, in particular the claims team (and especially Ms Stenz), who supported us from day one and responded quickly so that nothing stood in the way of Simba joining the study or undergoing treatment immediately. We are more than pleased to have purchased pet insurance for Simba and we have not been disappointed.

Veterinary costs can quickly escalate. Animal insurance helps avoid unexpected financial burdens so you can focus on your pet’s recovery. Whether for illness or an accident, wau-miau protects you and your pet from unexpected events – anywhere in the world, 24 hours – 365 days.