Cat Care: 3 Reasons to Take Your Cat to the Veterinarian
I don’t know about you, but I am tired of pandemic life! I miss the days where I didn’t have to think about so many things before leaving my house. The constant state of worry is exhausting, and I have been trying hard to give my children a normal, yet safe, summer. As a veterinarian, I have continued to work and I am actually seeing many new clients and patients as people bring new animals home to brighten spirits during such a trying time. And while many families have adopted new puppies, coining the term ‘pandemic puppy’, I have noticed an increase in cats visiting my clinic too. Yes, there are people adopting kittens, but I have seen many sick cats and often with preventable illness. If you have followed me for awhile, you know that seeing an animal sick with a preventable illness is one of the things that upsets me the most! So, I thought I would type out some encouragement for the feline families out there!
Happy Cat, Happy Vet
I love when people bring their cats to see me. Why? Because I know how difficult it is to catch my cat, get him into his carrier, endure the yowling during the car ride to the clinic and all the while I am praying he won’t bite anyone when I have to give him his vaccines. It is stressful, and I’m a vet! So, I know how many of you feel, potentially dreading the time of the year when it is time for your cat’s checkup. But there are so many ways to make the visit less stressful, maybe even stress free, for you and your pet! First, cats should always arrive to the veterinary clinic in a carrier. Ideally, a cat carrier is out in the home as part of that cat’s daily environment. But, if this isn’t possible, try to at least have the carrier out a few days before their scheduled visit. Offer treats and even meals in the carrier. Spray a blanket with feline specific pheromones to help ease any anxiety associated with the carrier itself. When it is time for the veterinary visit, spray a blanket with pheromones and cover the carrier. Play classical music on the drive to the clinic and while you wait in the parking lot, during curbside service, for the assistant to come and bring the cat into the clinic. I will tell you, I love seeing cats, but I don’t love it when they are worried or stressed. Often I will talk with families about anti-stress medications to help bring down the cat’s anxiety and to allow us a thorough physical exam. After all, we all want happy, healthy cats!
Prevention is Key
Cats are very good at hiding disease. Having a veterinarian perform a thorough physical exam at least every year helps to detect any underlying health issues sooner rather than later. I also recommend bloodwork once a year on all of my feline patients. Because cats hide signs of disease so well, often they are in kidney failure or have a urinary tract infection or are experiencing hyperthyroidism and the owners had not noticed anything different! Many diseases can be managed (and some even cured!) when diagnosed early on. Also, even a cat that lives its whole life indoors needs parasite prevention. The people in the home come and go, tracking in flea eggs and allowing mosquitoes the opportunity to buzz right in as we open the front door. If you have dogs, in addition to cats, please know that your indoor cat is exposed to everything your dog encounters outdoors. One of the parasite preventions I recommend is Provecta for Cats. It is easily applied to their skin once a month and prevents flea infestations! Talk with your family veterinarian who will assess your cat’s risk during their well visit and make the best recommendation for parasite prevention.
Vaccination Education
The most common reason you bring your healthy cat to the vet is so they can stay up to date on their rabies vaccine, right? Depending on where you live, the rabies vaccine is required by law and for good reason: rabies is deadly and there is no cure. Recently a cat in my town tested positive for rabies. The family had not kept up with the rabies vaccine, and the cat escaped from the home and was bitten by a rabid animal. I know the chances of something like this happening to the average house cat is fairly low, but rabies is real and it is deadly to animals and humans. The feline rabies vaccine is also very safe. I know there are concerns within feline communities (and really everywhere now) about the safety of vaccines. There is a feline rabies vaccine that is non-adjuvanted making it the safest vaccine. Talk with your veterinarian and see if this is the vaccine they offer. In addition to the rabies vaccine, there are other vaccines your cat may need. Vaccinations should never be a one size fits all discussion (except for rabies), so make sure you feel comfortable talking with your veterinarian about your cat’s specific risks and exposure.
During the pandemic I do feel that our animals, cats especially, are enduring more stress and anxiety than usual. With more people filling the home, it makes sense that cats would experience an increase in stress. Call your family veterinarian, schedule a checkup to make sure your cat is healthy and ask about how you can reduce the stress within the home. Many veterinary clinics are operating through a curbside service and are taking every precaution to ensure your safety and the safety of their staff members. I have 2 cats with 2 very different personalities, and I understand how difficult it is to make the effort in getting your cat to the vet. But I promise the health benefits of a long quality life are worth it!
– Leigh Hofmeister, DVM