When To Take Your Cat To The Vet

How Often Should You Take Older Kittens To The Vet

Kittens generally need vet visits every 3-4 weeks for the first 2-5 months of life.

These visits are checkups to test for any diseases or parasites that might threaten the health of the kitten. You’ll also get them the first set of their vaccinations, blood testing for things like FIV, and a physical examination. You may also be asked to bring a stool sample along with them for each visit.

Just like human vaccinations, there are core vaccines for cats and kittens and non-core vaccines that your vet may recommend based on other risk factors. Core kitten vaccines include the following:

• Feline Distemper . This vaccine protects against Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus/Herpesvirus 1 , Feline Calicivirus , and Feline Panleukopenia
• Feline Leukemia

Check out what Dr. Hill has to say about vaccines:

In addition to vaccines, the American Veterinary Medical Association endorses the recommendation from the Veterinary Task Force on Feline Sterilization for Age of Spay and Neuter Surgery which found cats should be sterilized before they reach 5 months of age.

Some veterinarians are trained to perform spay and neuter surgeries on very young kittens, but in general the minimum requirement is the kitten must be at least 8 weeks old and weigh 2 pounds or more.

What To Bring To The Vet

When visiting the vet, dont forget to bring:

• A favourite toy or blanket to help keep them calm
• A carry crate for safe transportation
• A special treat to reward them afterwards

If youre visiting the vet for the first time, you may also need to bring your cats medical records and any medications theyre currently taking.

How Often Do You Take An Adult Cat To The Vet

Depending on your cats overall health and lifestyle, your vet will determine how often your need to bring her in. One visit each year is the usual practice for healthy adult cats. Over-concerned cat parents may take their cats to the vet for checkups twice a year. If your cat has any medical condition, you might have to take her to the vet clinic more often. Different vaccine boosters like one for rabies will continue as your cat enters adulthood.

How Often Do Indoor Cats Need to Go to the Vet?

As compared to indoor cats, outdoor cats need more frequent vet visits. According to WebMD, where indoor cats have an average lifespan of 17 years, outdoor cats live around 2 to 4 years. This is because outdoor cats are at a greater risk of catching infectious diseases like feline leukemia, feline AIDS, and respiratory infections. This means that if you have recently brought an outdoor adult cat home, she might need more frequent visits than her indoor counterparts.

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If Your Cat Is Hit By A Car

If your cat has been hit by a car, a veterinarian should always examine them, even if they seem fine or the injuries do not seem severe. Some injuries are not immediately visible. A shock of adrenaline can hide internal injuries like a ruptured spleen or bruised lungs. Prompt attention now can save your cats life later.

What to Do if Your Cat is Hit by a Car

• Try to keep your cat still by wrapping them gently in a blanket. Or, if it will not cause further injury, placing them in a carrier. I find a top-opening cat carrier is the easiest to get a cat into, especially if theyre injured. Be incredibly careful injured, stressed cats may inadvertently bite even people they know due to fear and pain.
• If your cat is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a clean towel.
• Have a neighbor, friend, or passerby call your veterinarian to let them know you are on your way. This ensures theyre ready for you as soon as you arrive

If Your Cat Is Unable To Urinate

If your cat cannot pass urine, that is an emergency! You should contact your veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. This is an issue almost exclusive to male cats. Male cats can become blocked if crystals or stones become lodged in their urethra. It is very rare for a female cat to be blocked. Female cats may strain to urinate if they have a urinary tract infection, crystals in their urine, or bladder stones. They should still be examined as soon as possible, but it is rarely an emergency.

Symptoms your cat may have a urethral blockage or an inflammatory process making urination difficult or painful:

• Straining to urinate but producing no urine
• Sitting in the litter box and vocalizing while attempting to urinate
• Licking at their genitals frequently
• Vomiting and lethargy

Complete blockage of the urinary tract in a cat can cause death in 3 to 6 days or even sooner and is an immediate emergency.

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How Often Do You Take A Cat To The Vet Answering Popular Questions

Cats are one of the common pets that people keep in their homes. Keeping them healthy is the primary concern for the owners. This is because their health largely depends on how they are taken care of. But how often do you take a cat to the vet?

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If you are a first-time cat owner, you might wonder how often to take them to the vet. Taking your kitty for a checkup is important preventive care that should be done regularly. More so, stoic kitties often don’t show signs of illness until it’s severe.

When To Take Your Cat To The Vet Immediately

Hopefully youll only have to take your cat to the vet for regular check-ups, but emergencies do happen, so knowing what to look for can help you seek veterinary care quickly in those situations.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association , here are some examples of pet health emergencies that require immediate care:

• If your cat experiences severe bleeding, is coughing up blood, or has blood in their urine.
• If your cat is choking or has difficulty breathing.
• If your cat cant pass stool or urinate.
• If your cat experiences an injury to their eye, or the eye is red, swollen, closed, or seems cloudy all of a sudden.
• If your cat cant move their legs, or seems to have broken a bone.
• You notice a firm, hot swelling that may or may not be draining .
• If you know or think your cat has eaten something poisonous
• If your cat seems like theyre in extreme pain.
• If your cat is experiencing heat stress or heat stroke.
• If your cat has severe vomiting or diarrhea.
• If your cat refuses to eat or drink for 24 hours or more.
• If your cat is unconscious, is staggering, or seems to be having seizures.

At the end of the day, if you think something is unusual or cause for concern, the AVMA recommends, at a minimum, that you call your veterinarian for medical advice.

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Assist Your Cat With Grooming

Cats usually are meticulous about grooming themselves, but cats suffering from colds may require your assistance with difficult-to-reach places. An integrative veterinarian and expert in traditional and alternative veterinary treatment recommend cleaning their nasal passages and eyes with a clean, warm, damp towel.

Using a washcloth, gently massage your kittys face to clean out his mouth and nose. You can also use a bulb syringe from an infant to clear mucus from your cats nose. If youre going to use the needle, be nice and dont force it on your cat if she doesnt want to.

What Causes Cats To Catch Colds

Viruses cause the majority of colds in cats. Still, they can also induce by bacterial infections, and may be your cat get a secondary bacterial disease on top of her viral illness. Calicivirus and feline herpesvirus, sometimes known as rhinotracheitis, are two of the most common causes.

These diseases are primarily transmitted through the air, but they can also be transmitted through water. For example, most cats develop colds by being close to a sick cat. This makes settings like a shelter, boarding kennel, or cattery, where there are many cats in close quarters ideal for spreading colds. Indoor cats in family households, on the other hand, are not immune to developing colds. So even if you pet a sick cat somewhere and then come home and engage with your cat, your cat can be exposed to viruses and bacteria from cats who hang around outside your home.

The danger of developing a cold is increased by poor air quality and ventilation. Cats with a weaker immune system as a result of various disorders are also at risk. Systemic diseases, including kidney disease, asthma, allergies, and even stress, might put your cat at risk. For cats with allergies and asthma, forced air heat in the winter can exacerbate symptoms and make them more susceptible to URIs, especially if the vents arent kept clean.

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How Often Should Senior Cats See A Vet

Cats are typically considered to be senior when they reach 11 years of age.

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 cat care 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.

I Never Take My Cat To The Vet

We all have a friend who takes pride in never taking their cat to the vet. They argue that as far as cats are getting a balanced diet, there is no need for a vet visit, especially if their cat is purely an indoor cat and never goes out. There may seem to be some level of rationale in their arguments but believe us when we say that not taking your cat to the vet is never a good decision.

To begin with, it is compulsory to get cats vaccinated, be they indoor or outdoor cats. Secondly, cats are stoic creatures, they hide their signs of sickness, even responsible cat owners fail to identify that their cat had been sick. They only realize it when its too late. Therefore, better safe than sorrytake your cat for regular vet checkups to rule out the possibility of your cat developing any serious diseases.

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Can The Vet Keep My Cat If I Cant Pay

If theyve already done the checkup or vaccs or surgery then theyve used their own expensive resources, therefore you not paying them means they can either hold your pet until you pay or if you dont pay after a given time they can give your pet to a shelter.

Can I take my Cat to the veterinarian?

Taking a cat to a veterinarians office can be a difficult experience for many people and for their favorite felines. I would highly suggest you invest in a Sleepypod. The first time I saw a Sleepypod cat carrier, one of my clients brought her elderly Bengal in for an exam.

How do I find a good veterinarian near me?

You can also check with your states veterinary medical association for a list of qualified veterinarians, or search the American Animal Hospital Association to locate accredited veterinary practices. If youre moving, your current vet may be able to make recommendations. If your dog or cat is purebred, you can check in with local breed clubs.

How Often Should Senior Cats Go To The Vet

Senior cats are any cat 10 years and older. At this life stage, most veterinarians will recommend exams every 6 months. This is not just to try and catch any illnesses early but also to closely monitor a cat that may have been diagnosed with an illness.

Cats, especially indoor cats, may be at less of a risk for getting injured or contracting illnesses that are contagious between cats. This doesnt mean they shouldnt have regular vet visits, though. Your vet can ensure your cat is happy and healthy. They can also answer any questions you have about any age related illnesses that your cat may be predisposed to.

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What Is Considered A Pet Emergency

Because cats have such stoic natures, they often dont show clinical signs of illness until its severe. And because cats hide their signs, even subtle signs warrant an emergency visit to the ER veterinarian.

Dr. Justine Lee provides these general guidelines on when you need to seek immediate veterinary attentioneven if its in the middle of the night.

• Hiding in unusual places
• Difficulty breathing, like panting, open-mouth breathing, or a respiratory rate over 50 breaths/minute
• Not moving and lying in one spot
• Crying out in pain
• Excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth
• Any seizure activity
• Making multiple trips to the litter box with no urine coming out
• Straining to urinate or defecate in front of you or in unusual places
• Profuse vomiting
• Not eating for several days
• Lying near the water bowl and drinking excessively but still appearing dehydrated
• Any string hanging out of any orifice

Changes In Mobility Or Decreased Activity

As we mentioned earlier, senior cats often have undiagnosed osteoarthritis. Even your adult cat may be dealing with this issue. Keep an eye out for changes in mobility, altered gait, being slower to jump, acting stiff, and decreased activity in general. If you notice these signs in your cat, contact your veterinarian.

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The Secret To Knowing Whether Your Cat Needs To Go To The Vet

Listen upwe veterinarians are human beings! We understand that just about everyone turns to Google for answers to questions they have these days, as we do the same thing. But when it comes to your precious fur babies, there are far too many instances when Dr. Google gives a misleading or downright wrong answer. This can lead to a prolonged illness that could have been nipped in the bud, possibly painful scenarios for your pet, or even death. We know, we know, this is depressing news, but if youre well informed about the scenarios that require veterinary care for your pet and, for the sake of this particular article, your cat, you will be fine!

Weve taken some time to answer some FAQs on this very topic so that you’ll know when you might be able to wait out a situation with your cat while you monitor it or whether you need to put the cat in the carrier and get to the vet STAT.

How Do I Know If My Cat Isnt Just Simply Getting Older Or If There Is Something Wrong

This is one that gets under our skin as veterinarians a bit, as age isnt a disease! We cant look at a cat and say, “Oh well, hes 15, and thats to be expected.” Most cats that are getting older and are starting to have symptoms out of the ordinary have something wrong.

The most common things we see in older cats are kidney failure, diabetes, tumors, and hyperthyroidism. Those are all conditions that require veterinary care, and they can be treated quite wellsome better than others. But again, you cant just chalk this up to them being old and slowing down. Any symptom of weight loss, lethargy, or changes in eating or drinking patterns all merit a trip to the veterinarian to get some diagnostics done. We can treat and manage many of those illnesses really well if we get to see the cat before the diseases have progressed too far.

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How Often Do You Take A Senior Cat To The Vet

In senior years, cats have very little immunity and are at a huge risk of developing numerous health issues, such as kidney issues, diabetes, arthritis, dental issues, hyperthyroidism, etc. This is the reason that you will have to take your senior cats to the vet more often. Your vet might suggest some comprehensive treatment or care plan for your senior cat depending on your cats health.

How Much Does A Vet Check

The cost of a vet check-up will vary depending on the services that are provided. A basic check-up, which includes a physical examination and vaccinations, typically costs between $50 and $100. For example, a wellness exam for a dog may cost more than a sick visit for a cat. Some veterinarians also offer package deals for wellness exams that include vaccinations and other preventive care.

A Vet Check-up for cats includes:

A vet check-up for cats generally includes a physical examination, vaccinations, and tests for parasites. The specific components of a vet check-up will vary depending on the individual cats needs. However, most vet check-ups will include all or most of the following:

1. A physical examination This is an important part of a vet check-up, as it allows the vet to check for any signs of illness or injury. The physical examination will also give the vet an opportunity to assess the cats overall health and body condition.

2. Vaccinations Cats need to be vaccinated against a number of diseases, including rabies and feline leukemia. The specific vaccinations required will vary depending on the cats age, health, and lifestyle.

3. Tests for parasites A vet check-up will usually include tests for common parasites, such as worms and fleas. These tests are important in order to prevent the cat from becoming infected with these parasites.

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