Preventive Care & Early Diagnosis
The best way to maximize your cat's chances of living a long, healthy life is to prevent serious illnesses or have them diagnosed early when they are more easily treated.
By making regular appointments with your veterinarian, we'll have the opportunity to monitor your feline friend's overall health, check for early signs of illness and share recommendations for preventive care products that would be most appropriate for your cat.
Our vets understand that you might be worried about the costs of your kitty's routine checkups and preventive care, especially if they seem to be in great health. That said, taking a proactive preventive approach to your kitty's health and knowing when to take a cat to the vet could save you costly fees related to medical treatments in the future.
Routine Wellness Exams - Cat Checkups
Patients often ask us, 'How often should you take a cat to the vet?' Think of bringing your cat to the vet for routine exams as similar to your visits with your doctor; it is a physical checkup. Just like you, how often your cat should have a physical examination depends on their lifestyle, age and general health.
Typically, we recommend annual wellness exams for healthy adult cats, but kittens, adult cats with underlying health issues and senior kitties should visit their vet more often for an examination.
Kittens Up to 12 Months of Age
Is your kitty less than a year old? We recommend that they see the vet monthly, with their first veterinary appointment scheduled when they are about eight weeks old.
During their first year, a kitten will require several rounds of vaccinations to help protect them from common infectious diseases. Kittens should have the Feline Leukemia and the FVRCP vaccine, which helps protect your feline friend from three highly contagious and life-threatening feline diseases: Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FHV-1) Feline Calicivirus (FCV), and Feline Panleukopenia (FPL).
These vaccines will be administered over the course of approximately 16 weeks and will go a long way in helping to keep them healthy their whole life.
The exact timing of your cat's vaccinations will vary depending on your location and the overall health of your furry friend.
Our vets recommend having your kitten spayed or neutered when they are between 5 - 6 months in order to prevent a host of diseases and undesirable behaviors as well as unwanted litters of kittens.
Adult Cats Up To 10 Years Old
If you have a healthy adult cat between 1 - 10 years old, we recommend taking them in once a year for an exam. These examinations are yearly physical checkups that are completed when your cat seems to be perfectly healthy.
Throughout your adult cat's routine exam your vet will implement a head-to-tail examination to look for early signs of diseases or other issues, such as parasites, joint pain, or tooth decay.
Your veterinarian will also provide your kitty with any required vaccines or booster shots, and have a conversation with you about your cat's diet and nutritional requirements, as well as recommend the appropriate parasite protection products.
If your vet detects any signs of an arising health issue they will explain their findings to you and recommend the next steps.
Senior Cats
Your kitty is officially considered a senior cat when they turn 11 years old.
Since many cat diseases and injuries tend to be more common in older pets we recommend bringing your senior companion to the vet every 6 months. Twice-yearly wellness check-ups for your geriatric cat will include all of the checks and advice listed above, but with a few additional diagnostic tests to obtain extra insights into your furry friend's overall health.
Some diagnostic tests we recommend for our senior patients include blood tests and urinalysis to check for early signs of problems such as kidney disease or diabetes.
Geriatric care for cats also includes a more proactive approach to keeping your feline companion comfortable as age-related issues such as joint pain become more common. If you have a senior cat, ask your vet how often you should bring your pet in for a routine exam.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.