I know that a lot of owners think that once you’ve done the kitten vaccines and a spay or neuter on their indoor only cat that there is no reason to go to the vet unless they get sick. This is not the case. There are many reasons to have yearly checkups and vaccinations on our feline friends.
One of the biggest reasons that yearly exams are so important is that cats are experts at hiding signs that they are ill. If we can catch things early in the onset they can begin treatment early and have better outcomes. By the time we see signs of something wrong with our feline friends it can be very hard to treat them and get them well again. When we see them on a yearly basis we can note the more subtle changes and start treatments when needed much earlier.
Another way to keep up to date on your cat’s overall health is to have yearly wellness testing performed. This gives us all a better picture on the internal organs and how well they are functioning. This helps to see your cat's normal levels to start and how they may be changing year to year. It helps us to catch changes at an early stage before you may even detect any physical symptoms, This allows for early treatment and better management of their overall health.
Vaccinations are important in the house cat too. They can be exposed to disease thru open windows, household pests such as mice or bats and we can carry some things home to them on our clothing as well. Keeping up to date on the vaccine boosters help them to stay protected for these exposure risks.
It is also important to make sure when adding new feline members to the family that we protect our current feline members from any new exposure a new cat can bring into the household with them. It is always a good idea to test for parasites, feline leukemia and FIV when new cats enter the family. Then once we have determined it is safe to let them interact and get to know each other we can feel confident that we are protecting all our feline family members.
It’s important to note any and all changes in our cats, everything from the smallest behavior changes to the more noticeable larger changes. Be sure to mention any changes in your cat at every visit. By working together we can keep your cat healthy and happy.