247 Expat Insurance specialises in health insurance for people moving to or living in Spain. We no longer arrange pet insurance; this page is a general information guide.
English-speaking cat insurance support across Spain. Vet bills, illness, accidents, diagnostics, surgery and emergency care — explained clearly for indoor cats, outdoor cats, rescues, kittens and older cats.
Pet insurance in Spain matters for cat owners too. Cats are often seen as the lower-maintenance pet — and in some ways they are. Premiums are usually lower than dog insurance and the legal context around liability is less heavy. But that does not mean the financial risk is absent. Vet treatment for cats is still expensive when it is needed, and serious problems — urinary disease, kidney issues, cancers, falls, road accidents for outdoor cats — can run into thousands of euros very quickly.
247 Expat Insurance helps English-speaking cat owners in Spain understand their cover options clearly. We explain Spanish policy wording, reimbursement rules, what is excluded, and what changes with the cat's age or rescue background.
Spanish vet care is private. A single visit for a routine concern is affordable; serious illness, diagnostics, surgery or emergency treatment is not. Two of the most common cat-specific problems — lower urinary tract disease and chronic kidney disease — both involve repeated diagnostics, ongoing medication and follow-up appointments. Without insurance, those costs are absorbed by the owner in full.
Language is the second pain point. Spanish policy documents, claim forms and exclusion clauses are written for the Spanish market. Differences in wording — copago, carencia, franquicia, límite anual — change what you are actually entitled to. We translate those into clear English so you know what you are paying for.
And cats live a long time. Cover that fits a kitten or healthy young cat will be tested years later by an older cat with chronic conditions. Renewal age limits and how each insurer treats long-term conditions matter at the point you choose the policy — not later.
Depending on the insurer and the policy selected, cat insurance in Spain can include the following. Not every policy includes every item — we will check what each option covers before you proceed.
Routine and unscheduled visits, depending on reimbursement rules.
Diagnosis and treatment of illness, subject to terms and exclusions.
Falls, road accidents, fights, injuries — treatment where included by the policy.
Out-of-hours and emergency treatment — the most valuable single feature on many policies.
X-rays, scans, ultrasound and blood work, where included.
Operations linked to a covered condition or accident.
Overnight stays and in-clinic care as part of a covered treatment.
Prescribed medication linked to a covered treatment.
A preventive consultation each year, where included by the insurer.
Some policies let you use any qualified vet; others use a network.
Emergency vet care while travelling in the EU, where included.
Where included by the policy — less prominent for cats than dogs, but available on some plans.
Lower accident exposure but the same exposure to illness, dental problems, urinary tract issues, digestive problems, and to injuries inside the home (falls from balconies and windows are a serious risk in apartments and urbanisations). Diagnostic and surgical bills still apply, and indoor cats often live longer — meaning chronic conditions and ongoing treatment become more likely with age.
Add traffic incidents, fights with other cats, bites, abscesses, infections, parasite exposure, poisoning risk and the chance of going missing. Outdoor exposure also affects how some insurers price policies and where exclusions apply. We will go through this with you on the quote.
Spanish cat insurance policies are written for the Spanish market. Reimbursement rules, exclusions and the way pre-existing conditions are defined all matter, and they are easier to get right when explained in English up front rather than challenged at claim time. That is what we do.
It is also why we ask about your cat's history, age and lifestyle on the first call. A rescue cat from a southern Spanish refugio has a different paperwork profile to a pedigree kitten brought from the UK, and that affects which policies are likely to accept them and what is likely to be excluded.
Vaccinations, early check-ups, accidents at home and early-life illnesses. Worth applying early so that anything that comes up later is not classified as pre-existing.
Illness and accident cover, diagnostics and routine vet support. The bread-and-butter of a useful cat policy.
Renewal age limits and how each insurer treats chronic conditions matter most here. Worth taking cover out before chronic conditions begin so they are not excluded later. We will check the age rules before you apply.
Microchip, vaccination history and existing diagnoses all affect the application. Pre-existing condition rules apply, but the picture is workable — we will explain it honestly so you know what you are buying.
247 Expat Insurance arranges Sanitas Salud Mascotas, which covers cats as well as dogs. The terms below are the ones Sanitas publishes for the product, checked on the review date at the foot of this page. They are the insurer’s terms and the insurer can change them, so confirm the current position before you arrange cover.
Cats kept as companion animals. Sanitas excludes animals used commercially or professionally, and those kept for breeding, racing or similar purposes.
From 3 months to 9 years inclusive. Once the policy is in force, Sanitas states that cover continues for life, including after your cat turns ten.
80% of covered veterinary costs, up to €2,500 a year, plus one preventive consultation a year up to €50.
30 days before general veterinary assistance can be used. 12 months for euthanasia and for castration or sterilisation.
Pre-existing conditions are assessed, not ignored. Sanitas asks you to declare prior illnesses, symptoms, injuries and surgeries on a health questionnaire when you apply, and reviews them before accepting the risk. For a cat that has already been treated for something, declaring it honestly at the outset is what protects a later claim.
The two products share an insurer and a structure, but the risk you are insuring is different, and the difference is mostly about liability.
Civil liability is a dog question far more than a cat question. In Spain, the practical and legal weight around third-party liability sits with dog ownership — damage or injury caused by a dog is the scenario owners are repeatedly warned about, and liability cover is a central part of why dog owners insure. Cat owners are rarely in that position: a cat that strays is a risk to itself, not usually a liability claim against you.
So cat cover is weighted towards veterinary cost. Diagnostics, hospitalisation, emergency treatment and the chronic conditions cats develop with age are what the policy is really for. Judge a cat policy on the annual limit, the reimbursement percentage, the waiting periods and what is excluded — not on the liability section that matters so much for a dog.
If you have both, see dog insurance in Spain for the liability side, and the main pet insurance page for how the two sit together.
Tell us about your cat — age, indoor or outdoor, and where in Spain you live — and we will come back with a clear quote in English. There is no pressure to buy, and every conversation is private.
Product terms — eligible animals, minimum and maximum age at contracting, reimbursement percentage and annual limit, preventive consultation, waiting periods and the pre-existing conditions questionnaire: Sanitas, Seguro para Mascotas — Sanitas Salud Mascotas, sanitas.es, retrieved 6 October 2026. These are the insurer’s terms and can change; they are not a permanent guarantee.
247 Expat Insurance is a registered insurance distributor, DGSFP registration C0320Y2155969D. We arrange the cover; the policy is issued by the insurer.
Reviewed 6 October 2026.
