Question about surgery for my cat [View all]

So we took our cat to the vets and it turns out she has a loose patella (kneecap). The vet put it back in place but it slipped out almost immediately. One of our options is surgery. It's relatively expensive, probably around $6,000. But money is really not a factor. We just want to do the right thing for her. We have a consultation with a surgeon on Thursday, but we know he/she will recommend it. Because it's good money after all.

The other option is we don't do anything. She limps a little but isn't in any pain and is working around it. She's careful about jumping up on the bed, etc. She definitely knows her limitations. For example, when I take a shower, she usually jumps up on the sink and waits for me. She stopped jumping on the sink because she knows she probably won't make it.

My biggest concern is surgery is always risky. Anyone else have experience with this? Any advice would be appreciated.