Would it have been more worth your money (and so less of an FML) to pay 325 and find something wrong with the cat?

Based on the places I've worked and what the vets I've worked with would likely recommend based on symptoms (diarrhea - possibly with blood, possibly inappetence and/or vomiting and/or lethargy)... Exam (doctor's time and legally required in order to prescribe medications): $40-50 Parasite check (because of diarrhea): $15 Inspection of gut flora/secondary parasite check: $15-20 Chemistry panel (make sure the cat isn't in renal or hepatic failure - vomiting/inappetence): $60-100 CBC (infection, etc): $60-100 Pancreatitis check (vomiting, inappetence, diarrhea, lots of symptoms): $50 Medications: $50-100 (possibly more or less depending on how severe the symptoms are) Yeah, it sounds like a lot, but you get a lot for your money. I've spent more than that for my human-doctor to put 2 drops in my eye, hem and haw at it for a minute, tell me I had a corneal scratch (which I already knew and told them), and slap a piece of gauze and tape over the eye. It probably cost the doctor's office $5 in supplies +10 minutes of time. Having been in the field for some years, I can guess that most of those items above probably cost the vet half or more of what they charged. The markup isn't as "crazy" as you think, and it sure as heck isn't as crazy as it is on the human side of things - yet people don't seem to think much on it when it costs them 100 times as much for literally the same item.

I want to know how long you were on holiday for.

I once went on vacation for a week and, when I came home, my cat didn't meow. She just opened her mouth like she was meowing, but no sound came out. I was really worried, so I took her to the vet as well... When we got there she started meowing like nothin ever happened. The vet told me they do this as a sort of 'emotional blackmail', because she was alone for so long. Damn kitties.

Veterinary prices are just a bit high I think...I mean if what they are going to tell you is basically that nothing is wrong at least return part of the payment...enjoy the time with your cat she's getting up there

At least it isn't dying.

old cat always hates travels

Forget that fact that you wasted $325, your cat is almost 20 years old. That's older than me!!!!! You should happy that your extremely old cat is perfectly healthy.

The $325 was probably for complete blood work, physical, maybe an x ray. My dog had a full bloodwork done before surgery and I think it was $80? Plus the surgery was $880.

It may seem overtly expensive but that's because few people understand the kind of overhead at a veterinary clinic. Each price of the various tests has to take into account the cost of the product, the cost of the vet's time, the cost of the technician's time, etc. In actuality, there is very little net profit for each service rendered. (I didn't even understand all of what went into the prices it until I was in veterinary school! It's kind of mind-blowing how much goes into calculating the charges, really). But as many keen people have mentioned, that total bill cost probably included multiple tests and diagnostic work-up. If a client thinks their pet is "dying," the vet will need to run tests based on the major complaint offered by the owner and based on their physical exam. The cat very well could have had something wrong, but, thanks to the work-up, you now can rest assured that it was just anxiety and can hopefully enjoy your cat's company for years to come :)