Chavat Daat veterinary specialist and emergency center, Kfar Saba: a documented review of a critically ill cat's hospitalization
What my cat and I went through at Chavat Daat between 7 and 9 October 2026. Written in the first person, with the documents I hold.
This page is about Chavat Daat (חוות דעת – מרכז מומחים וחירום וטרינרי, also written Havat Daat), the veterinary hospital and emergency center at 9 Zeev Belfer Street, Kfar Saba, Israel, phone 09-7431117. It is an independent review by a client. It is not Chavat Daat's website and does not speak for it.
In short
- My 17-year-old cat was hospitalized at Chavat Daat with severe kidney failure. I paid ₪8,027 for two days.
- Only after I signed the commitment to pay was I told in plain words that he might not survive.
- Three times I was told they would call me back, and they never did. On the first night I asked for ten minutes to think about a medical procedure, and the next call from the clinic came almost 13 hours later. On the third day it happened twice, once after a conversation about euthanasia.
- I found him in a small cage, with litter from his litter box in his water bowl.
- At discharge he was brought to me without the medication, which I had already paid for, and without the home-care instructions. I received them only after I asked, about half an hour later.
How to read this page
Every detail carries one of two labels:
- Document I hold a record showing it: an invoice, a signed form, a test result, a report from the clinic, or my phone's call log.
- My account What I saw and heard myself. I have no document for it, and I describe it as accurately as I can.
Where both labels appear together, the time and length of the call come from the call log, and what was said is my account.
In the document images on this page, my name, my signature and the names of staff members are blacked out. The cat's name and details that identify me are left out of the page. In quotes from the documents, the name is replaced with [the cat].
I keep the two apart. Where the documents do not prove what I say, I say so.
What I am not claiming
- I am not claiming the medical treatment was wrong. I am not a veterinarian.
- I do not blame the clinic for my cat being ill, or for his condition not improving enough.
- I am not claiming the hospitalization was unnecessary. The documents show real diagnostic work and treatment.
- I am not claiming I was charged for things that were not done. The final total, ₪8,027, falls inside the written estimate I signed (₪5,680 to ₪10,420).
My criticism is about communication, transparency, the conditions he was kept in, and how the owner of a critically ill animal was treated.
Timeline
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct, 15:39 | Blood count, before arriving at Chavat Daat. | Document |
| 7 Oct, 17:09 | Blood chemistry, before arriving at Chavat Daat: creatinine 12.2 mg/dL (normal range up to 2.0), urea above the analyzer's detection limit, phosphorus 13.54 (normal range up to 7.0). | Document |
| 7 Oct, around 18:00 | I arrived at Chavat Daat. In the first conversation with the veterinarian the emphasis was on the high cost of hospitalization. I was told his condition was "bad". | My account |
| 7 Oct | I signed a "consent to treatment and commitment to pay" form with a price estimate of ₪5,680 to ₪10,420. | Document |
| 7 Oct, after signing | I was told explicitly, for the first time, that he might not survive. I was then sent to reception to pay what I had already committed to. | My account |
| 7 Oct, 20:17–20:26 | First invoice, ₪3,440. Paid at reception. | Document |
| 7 Oct, 22:42 | A nurse phoned me from the clinic, a call of almost 8 minutes. She described a further finding, as I understood it a heart murmur, and asked my consent to a procedure placing a tube through his nose. I asked for ten minutes to think. She said she would call back. | Document My account |
| 7 Oct, 22:59 and 23:01 | I called the clinic twice. Nobody answered, and both calls cut off after 1 minute 47 seconds. | Document My account |
| 8 Oct, 11:37 | The veterinarian phoned, a call of about 9 minutes. It was the clinic's first call since the night before. I was told he was eating and his kidney values had improved slightly. I said I intended to take him home the next day. | Document My account |
| 8 Oct | Abdominal ultrasound. The imaging report carries this date. | Document |
| 8 Oct, around 16:30 | The ultrasound report was emailed to me. | My account |
| 9 Oct, 12:41 | I called, a call of almost 14 minutes. A nurse told me the values had stopped improving and that I should start considering euthanasia. She said she would call me back before the end of her shift. | Document My account |
| 9 Oct, 13:58–13:59 | I called again, twice. Reception said the team was busy and would call me back. | Document My account |
| 9 Oct, around 15:00 | I arrived at the clinic. Nobody had called by then. I waited about two hours before I was allowed to see him. | My account |
| 9 Oct | I found him in a small cage. The litter box was right against the water bowl, and there was litter in the water. I was with him for about ten minutes, then went back to waiting. | My account |
| 9 Oct | I told the veterinarian I was taking him home, and she agreed. Afterwards I was asked to sign a form for discharge against medical advice. | My account |
| 9 Oct, 17:34 | Second invoice, ₪4,587. Paid at reception. Total: ₪8,027. | Document |
| 9 Oct | He was brought to me without the medication, which I had already paid for, and without home-care instructions. I received them only after I asked. | My account |
| 9 Oct, 19:00 | The case summary, with the home-care instructions, was emailed to me. | Document |
| 9 Oct, around 19:00 | I left the clinic with my cat, about four hours after I arrived. | My account |
1. The price first, the prognosis afterwards
My account In the first conversation with the veterinarian, most of the emphasis was on preparing me for the price. I was told his condition was "bad", but nobody explained his chances of survival, what hospitalization could realistically achieve, or that supportive care at home was also an option.
The order was this. First I signed the commitment to pay. Only after signing was I told explicitly that he might not survive. Then I was sent to reception to pay what I had already committed to.
This is not a small detail. With a 17-year-old cat, it is exactly the information that decides between intensive hospitalization and supportive care at home.
Document The form I signed on 7 October 2026 is titled "consent to treatment and commitment to pay". It contains a price estimate, a commitment to pay "regardless of the success of the treatment or the diagnosis", and a confirmation that the risks of anesthesia were explained to me. It says nothing about prognosis or chances of survival.
Document The blood test from the same day, at 17:09, about three hours before the first invoice: creatinine 12.2 (six times the top of the normal range) and urea above the detection limit. The severity was there in black and white.
Document The physical exam on admission, according to the case summary the clinic sent me: 10% dehydration, body condition 2 out of 9, body temperature 36.2°C. The clinic's own blood tests that evening: creatinine 13.3 and a pH of 7.09.
Document The case summary gives no estimate of his chances of survival. It says there is "potential for renal improvement if the cause of the injury is removed and appropriate treatment is given", and that the underlying chronic kidney disease is "a progressive disease that is not reversible" (my translation from Hebrew).
The form does not prove what I was told verbally, or when. I have no recording of the conversation. That part is my own testimony.
2. Chavat Daat said they would call back. They did not.
My account
- 7 Oct, 22:42. A nurse phoned me from the clinic. She described a further finding, as I understood it a heart murmur, and asked my consent to a procedure placing a tube through his nose. I asked for ten minutes to understand what that meant. She said no problem, she would call back. She did not. I called at 22:59 and again at 23:01. Nobody answered. Both times I stayed on the line until the call cut off. The next call from the clinic came at 11:37 the following day, almost 13 hours later. I had asked for ten minutes. A call that comes 13 hours later is not a call back.
- 9 Oct, 12:41. I called. A nurse told me I should start considering euthanasia, and that she would call me back before the end of her shift to hear my decision. She did not.
- 9 Oct, 13:58. An hour later I called again. Reception said the team was busy and would call me back. They did not. I drove to the clinic and arrived at around 15:00. By then nobody had called, not the nurse and not anyone else.
Document My phone's call log with the clinic's main number, 7 to 9 October: only two incoming calls, on 7 October at 22:42 and on 8 October at 11:37. Every other call was made by me. There is no incoming call after 22:42 on the first night, and no incoming call on 9 October. My two calls that night lasted 1 minute 47 seconds each.
I also checked my full call log: on those days there was no missed call and no call from any other number.
The log shows when each call took place, how long it lasted and who made it. It does not show what was said.
Document The case summary records a heart murmur on physical examination. It makes no mention of any procedure to place a tube through the nose.
When I saw him on 9 October he had no tube. I do not know whether the procedure was carried out, and to this day I do not know what was decided that night. I have asked the clinic for the record.
I was not asking for special treatment. I only wanted to be able to talk to whoever was treating my cat, and to get the information I needed to decide what was right for him.
3. I was the one who asked the hard questions
My account In the call on 8 October the veterinarian told me he was eating and that his kidney values had improved slightly. I was the one who raised what that meant for his chances, and how much time he would have even if he survived the hospitalization. She remarked on my having consulted "chat", and told me about her own cat, who lived two more years.
I do not expect a veterinarian to agree with an AI. I expected an explanation based on my cat's numbers, which were still very severe after the improvement. I told her I intended to take him home the next day.
Document According to the case summary, the creatinine values measured during hospitalization were 13.3 on 7 October, 11.9 on 8 October and 12 on 9 October. On the test taken before admission, the top of the normal range was 2.0.
Document In the clinic's own words, from the case summary (my translation): "During hospitalization there was at first a slight improvement in kidney function, but after a day there was no change and the kidney function value remained high."
I received the ultrasound report by email that afternoon. Some of its findings also came up by phone, and I cannot say for certain in which call. I am not claiming I was never told about them.
4. The conditions he was kept in at Chavat Daat
My account I arrived on 9 October at around 15:00 and waited about two hours before I was allowed to see him. I was told to wait, without an explanation or an expected time. I found him in a small cage, connected to an IV line, the litter box right against the water bowl, with litter in the water. A cat with severe kidney failure. I was with him for about ten minutes, then went back to waiting.
I did not photograph it. It is what I saw with my own eyes.
I understand he was receiving fluids intravenously. A clean water bowl is still basic.
No veterinarian came to explain his condition. I went looking for one myself. When she came I said he looked better, and she explained that was thanks to the fluids. I said I wanted to take him home. She agreed. She did not object and did not tell me it was inadvisable, she only told me to wait outside. The conversation was short.
5. Discharge from Chavat Daat
My account Before discharge I was asked to sign a form for discharge against medical advice, and I signed it. I do not have a copy, and I have asked the clinic for one.
Document The case summary says (my translation): "The owner was offered continued intensive treatment in hospital. By the owner's choice and against medical advice, [the cat] was discharged home."
Document And further on: "If there is no improvement in his condition, the recommendation is to return for treatment at an emergency center, or euthanasia in order to prevent suffering."
I understand such a form is routine. But the recommendation I heard that day, by phone, was to start considering euthanasia. When I told the veterinarian I was taking him home she agreed, and did not say it was inadvisable. The words "against medical advice" I met only on paper.
My account After a further wait I was asked whether I had brought a carrier. I had not, because I arrived not knowing whether I would have to say goodbye to him there. They went back in to sort that out. When they brought him out, the medication I had already paid for was not with him, and neither were the instructions. I asked: "Wait, what about the medication and the instructions for home care?" The answer was "oh, right". I waited about another half hour for the medication and the instructions for giving fluids under the skin. In the end I received everything. According to the invoice I paid at 17:34. I left with him at around 19:00, about four hours after I arrived.
Document The second invoice, dated 9 October 2026, lists two transdermal medications (mirtazapine and maropitant) as "dispensed to client".
Document On the photo of the clinic's screen, the medication and the fluid bag are already on the bill at 16:35, before I paid and before he was brought to me.
Document The case summary, which contains the home-care instructions, was emailed to me on 9 October 2026 at 19:00.
6. The bill at Chavat Daat
My account The first payment, ₪3,440, was presented to me as an advance. On the day of discharge I was told I owed about ₪4,500 more. I understood that to be the total, leaving roughly ₪1,000 to pay after the advance. I asked to see an itemized bill before paying. Reception said an invoice could only be produced after payment. After more than half an hour of confusing explanations I went through the charges myself on the clinic's computer screen, and photographed it.
Document According to the invoices, these are two separate itemized bills, not an advance and a final bill:
| Invoice | What it covers | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 2026 | Hospitalization up to 24 hours, emergency exam, internal medicine specialist oversight, blood and urine tests. | ₪3,440 |
| 9 Oct 2026 | Hospitalization for up to 24 more hours, two ultrasound exams, an X-ray, sedation for imaging, repeat blood tests, fluids and medication. | ₪4,587 |
| Total | ₪8,027 |
Document The estimate I signed: ₪5,680 to ₪10,420. The final total is inside that range. I now have both invoices and the account reconciles: no balance is outstanding and I was not charged twice.
Document The photo of the clinic's screen shows a note on my client file: "09/10 refused to pay". According to the invoice from the same day, the amount was paid in full.
I did not refuse to pay. I asked to see what I was paying for before paying.
I am not claiming the charges are wrong. I am saying that someone paying more than ₪8,000 should not have to work to understand what for.
What hospitalization at Chavat Daat costs: the prices I paid
Document Prices from my two invoices, October 2026, including VAT. A cat weighing 3.4 kg.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Hospitalization and treatment, up to 24 hours (up to 25 kg) | ₪1,870 per day |
| Emergency medical exam, daytime | ₪590 |
| Internal medicine specialist oversight during hospitalization | ₪335 |
| Single-region ultrasound (after emergency ultrasound) | ₪915 |
| Emergency ultrasound, AFAST/TFAST | ₪365 |
| X-ray, single view | ₪415 |
| Cat sedation for imaging | ₪170 |
| Blood count and smear | ₪295 |
| Blood electrolytes, gases and glucose | ₪135 per test |
| Creatinine | ₪90 per test |
| Urine dipstick and sediment | ₪125 |
| Transdermal mirtazapine | ₪160 |
| Transdermal maropitant (Cerenia) | ₪185 |
| Fluid bag and line | ₪57 |
| Total: two days of hospitalization, three electrolyte tests and three creatinine tests | ₪8,027 |
Document The estimate also stated that each additional day of hospitalization, with its tests, costs about ₪2,000.
His medical condition, according to the documents
My account In the week before admission my cat stopped eating and lost weight, from 4.2 kg to 3.4 kg. The case summary records the same.
Document According to the case summary, the assessment is acute kidney injury on top of chronic kidney disease (AKI on CKD), pancreatitis, and reduced gut motility. A partial obstruction of the left ureter could not be excluded. It records significant metabolic acidosis. Treatment in hospital: intravenous fluids, maropitant (Cerenia), mirtazapine, metoclopramide and bicarbonate.
Document The ultrasound report of 8 October 2026 gives the reason for referral as severe azotemia, mild anemia and anorexia. Its conclusions:
- Disease of the kidney tissue in both kidneys, more pronounced on the left.
- Dilation of both renal pelves, moderate on the left and mild on the right. No stones found. Early or partial ureteral obstruction could not be completely excluded.
- Changes compatible with acute-on-chronic pancreatitis.
- Distension of the stomach and proximal duodenum, most compatible with reduced gut motility associated with the systemic disease.
I include this to be clear: my cat arrived in very serious condition, and that was known. That is exactly why I expected an open conversation about his chances before being asked to commit.
I am not the only one: what other clients write about Chavat Daat
After the hospitalization I went through the reviews on Chavat Daat's official Facebook page from January 2023 to October 2026, as displayed on 10 October 2026, and counted them. Older reviews are not included in the count. I am not copying the reviews here and I give no names: they are other people's words, and I have no way to verify them. Anyone who wants to read them will find them on Chavat Daat's Facebook reviews page.
There are 22 reviews in that period: 19 do not recommend and 3 recommend. By year:
| Year | Recommend | Do not recommend |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 | 5 |
| 2024 | 1 | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 | 4 |
| 2026, to October | 0 | 7 |
| Total | 3 | 19 |
What the 19 who do not recommend write about. One review can count under more than one topic, and I counted only what is stated outright in it:
| Topic | Reviews |
|---|---|
| Price, billing, or a sense that money comes first | 11 |
| The medical treatment or diagnosis | 11 |
| Unreturned calls, difficulty reaching staff, or no updates | 4 |
| The attitude of staff | 4 |
| A long wait | 2 |
| Refusal to take an emergency case | 1 |
Two of the reviews about communication describe exactly what happened to me: they said they would call back, and nobody did.
What to keep in mind about this count:
- These are other people's claims. I have not verified them.
- The count starts in January 2023. Older reviews appear on the page and are not counted here.
- The Facebook page belongs to the whole Chavat Daat network, and not every review says which branch it refers to.
- I saw no public reply from Chavat Daat on the page to any of these 19 reviews.
- On the medical side I make no claim of my own. I am only counting what others wrote.
Did you go through something similar at Chavat Daat? Write to me at contact@chavatdaat-review.com. I will not publish anything without your explicit consent.
Questions and answers about Chavat Daat, Kfar Saba
Do I recommend Chavat Daat veterinary specialist and emergency center in Kfar Saba?
No. After my cat's hospitalization in October 2026 I will not hospitalize an animal of mine there again. The reasons are the communication, the transparency, the conditions and the discharge, as detailed on this page. I am not claiming the medical treatment itself was wrong.
How is communication with the staff at Chavat Daat during a hospitalization?
In my case, over two days of hospitalization the clinic phoned me twice. Three times I was told they would call me back and they did not, once after a conversation about euthanasia. On the first night I called twice and nobody answered. Details here.
How much does it cost to hospitalize a cat at Chavat Daat?
I paid ₪8,027 for two days in October 2026, including tests, imaging and medication. A day of hospitalization cost ₪1,870. The estimate I was given in advance was ₪5,680 to ₪10,420. All the prices are here.
Does Chavat Daat explain the chances of recovery before you commit to paying?
They did not explain them to me. I signed a consent to treatment and commitment to pay, and only afterwards was I told explicitly that my cat might not survive. The form itself says nothing about his chances. That is my testimony, and I have no recording of the conversation. Details here.
Are there other negative reviews of Chavat Daat?
Yes. On Chavat Daat's official Facebook page, from January 2023 to October 2026, 19 of the 22 reviews do not recommend it. Those are other clients' words, and I have not verified them. The count and the source are here.
What to ask before hospitalizing an animal
For anyone considering hospitalizing a seriously ill animal, here or anywhere else:
- What are its chances, in numbers or at least in plain words? Ask before you sign.
- What are the options other than hospitalization, and how do they differ?
- How do updates work, at what hours, and who do you call when nobody answers?
- What happens if they need your consent for a procedure in the middle of the night?
- What does each payment cover, and what else should you expect?
Why I wrote this
I want whoever looks the place up after me to find this account, and decide for themselves.
As of 10 October 2026, my cat is at home with me, receiving supportive care.
Based on what I went through, I will not hospitalize an animal of mine there again.
Updates
- 10 October 2026: first version.