insurance american & dental & group & liability & uk

I took my cat to the vet recently, and I think that I got a taste of what it feels like to be an American without insurance.
My cat got really sick and was trying to pee all over the house. I called the 24 hour vet clinic, and his vet advised me to bring him in. When I asked her over the phone how much it would cost, she said that the minimum charge would be $180 for the exam.
When I took him in, the $180 exam involved her picking him up and feeling his bladder. She determined that it was hard, so he had a blockage that would need treatment. This $180 “exam” took about 2 minutes.
Then, she gave me a run down as to what they were going to do with my cat. She told me it would cost around $500. I agreed to the charges.
She took me to the front desk, where I was charged $755. She told me that this was the maximum amount that I would be charged, but I would likely get some money refunded in the end.
I was called the next day and told that they would need to keep my cat for an additional day. I agreed. They told me it would add $60 to the overall bill.
I spoke with the vet the following day, and she told me that I could probably come to pick up my cat that evening. Sure enough, he was good to go home.
So, I went to pick him up expecting a small refund. I mean, $500 plus $60 is less than $755, right? Well, they handed me an itemized bill for $1180. They explained that it was because they had had to give him sedatives, hook up a catheter, give him antibiotics, special food, and other drugs for the duration of his stay. Then, I had to pay for the drugs to take home too.
Is this what it feels like to need health care in the US and not have insurance?