You love your cat, and you want to ensure that they live a long, healthy life with you. Today, our Poway vets explain how often you should take your cat to the vet for routine checkups and preventive care.
How often do you take a cat to the vet?
Your kitty's best chance of living a long and healthy life is to prevent serious illnesses or catch them early when they are more easily treated.
Your veterinarian can monitor your kitty's overall wellbeing and physical health, watch for the earliest signs of disease, and recommend preventive care products that would suit your feline friend best if you brought your cat to the vet regularly.
At Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital we understand that the potential cost of routine checkups and preventive care can be a concern, especially if your feline friend seems to be in perfect health. However, taking a proactive, preventive approach to your cat or kitten's health could save you the cost of more expensive treatments down the road.
What is a cat checkup?
Take your cat to the vet for routine wellness exams is like taking them to the doctor for a physical checkup. Your cat should have a physical exam once or twice a year, depending on their age, lifestyle, and overall health.
Our veterinarians typically recommend annual wellness exams for healthy adult cats, but kittens, senior cats, and kittens with an underlying health condition should see their vet more frequently for an examination.
How often should kittens see a vet?
If your cat is less than a year old, then we suggest bringing them to the vet once a month starting when they are approximately 8 weeks old.
For kittens to be protected from common infectious diseases, they need multiple rounds of vaccinations throughout their first year. Kittens should get the Feline Leukemia vaccine and the FVRCP vaccine. These vaccines help protect your feline friend from 3 highly contagious and life-threatening feline diseases: Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FHV-1), Feline Calicivirus (FCV), and Feline Panleukopenia (FPL
Your kitten will receive these vaccines over the course of approximately 16 weeks, which will greatly improve their overall health.
Our veterinarians recommend that your kitten be spayed or neutered when it is between 5 and 6 months old in order to prevent a host of diseases and undesirable behaviors as well as unwanted litters of kittens.
How often should middle-aged cats see a vet?
If your cat is between 1 and 10 years old, we recommend taking them in once a year for an exam. Although your cat appears to be perfectly healthy, these examinations should be completed yearly.
The head-to-tail examination is done to look for early signs of diseases or other issues, such as joint pain, or tooth decay, during your adult cat's routine exam.
Your veterinarian will also provide your cat with any required vaccines or booster shots, and will have a conversation with you about your cat's diet and nutritional requirements. They will also recommend the appropriate parasite protection products.
If your veterinarian detects any signs of a health issue, they will explain their findings to you and recommend the next steps.
How often should senior cats see a vet?
Cats are usually considered to be seniors when they are 11 years old.
We recommend that you bring your senior companion to the vet every 6 months, since many cat diseases and injuries are more common in older pets. Annual wellness check-ups for your geriatric cat will include all the checks and advice listed above, but with a few additional diagnostic tests to obtain extra insights into your furry friend's overall health.
We recommend that our senior patients undergo blood tests and urinalysis to check for early signs of problems such as kidney disease or diabetes.
Senior 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 it 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.
Preventive care, including regular checkups, help give your cat their best shot at a long and healthy life. Contact our Poway vets today to book a wellness exam for your feline friend.