You want to do everything you can to ensure your cat lives a long and healthy life. However, how often should you take your cat to the vet for long-term health? From kitten to senior, here's what our vets recommend North Providence.
When to Take a Cat to The Vet
The best way to guarantee your cat a long and healthy life is to prevent serious illnesses or detect them early when they are easier to treat. How often you should take your cat to the vet depends on several factors, including its age and general state of health.
That said, taking your cat to the vet regularly allows the vet to monitor your feline friend's general health, detect early signs of illness, and recommend preventative care products that can help protect your cat against several serious diseases.
Our veterinarians at Ferguson Animal Hospital in North Providence understand that the cost of routine check-ups and preventive care can be a concern, especially if your feline friend appears to be in perfect health. But by taking a proactive, preventive approach to your cat or kitten's health, you could save the cost of more expensive treatments in the future.
Cat Health Check-ups
Taking your cat to the vet for routine check-ups is like taking them to the doctor for a check-up. As with humans, the frequency of your cat's physical examinations depends on age, lifestyle, and general state of health.
We generally recommend annual wellness exams for healthy adult cats. Still, older cats and kittens with underlying health problems may need to see their veterinarian more often for check-ups.
Kitten Preventive Care
If your cat is less than a year old, we recommend monthly check-ups, with the first veterinary appointment at around 8 weeks of age.
During their first year of life, kittens need several series of vaccinations to protect them against common infectious diseases. Kittens should receive the feline leukemia vaccine and the FVRCP vaccine, which helps protect your feline friend against three highly contagious and potentially fatal feline diseases: feline viral rhinotracheitis (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline panleukopenia (FPL).
Your feline friend will receive these vaccines over a period of around 16 weeks, which will go a long way towards keeping him healthy for life.
The exact timing of your kitten's vaccinations will depend on where you live and your four-legged friend's general state of health.
Our veterinarians recommend spaying or neutering your kitten at 5 to 6 months of age to avoid a range of undesirable diseases and behaviors and unwanted litters of kittens.
Protecting The Health of Your Middle-Aged Cat
If you have a healthy adult cat aged between 1 and 10 years, we recommend checking it once a year. These are annual physical examinations performed when your cat appears to be in perfect health.
During your adult cat's check-up, your vet will perform a head-to-tail examination to detect early signs of disease or other problems, such as parasites, joint pain, or tooth decay.
Your veterinarian will also administer any vaccinations or booster shots your feline friend may require at the time of the visit, discuss your cat's diet and nutritional needs with you, and recommend appropriate parasite protection products.
If your veterinarian detects a developing health problem, they will explain their findings and recommend next steps.
Providing Your Senior Cat With Targeted Healthcare in Their Golden Years
Cats are generally considered senior when they reach the age of 11.
As many cat diseases and injuries are more common in older animals, we recommend taking your senior companion to the vet every six months. Bi-annual check-ups for your geriatric cat include all the checks and advice listed above, as well as a few additional diagnostic tests to obtain more precise information on your four-legged friend's overall health.
Among the diagnostic tests we recommend for our elderly patients are blood and urine tests to detect early signs of problems such as kidney disease or diabetes.
Geriatric care for cats also includes a more proactive approach to ensuring your feline companion's comfort, as age-related problems such as joint pain are becoming increasingly common. If you have a senior cat, ask your veterinarian how often you should bring your pet in for a routine check-up.
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.