Cat Wellness

Getting a new cat is very exciting, but as a first-time pet owner, the amount of available information can sometimes be overwhelming. Your veterinary team is a great resource for information and can help make the addition of a new pet to your home a pleasant experience.
Your kitten will be examined regularly as they grow – this will include listening for a heart murmur, looking for hernias and making sure their adult teeth are erupting normally. They will be vaccinated every 3-4 weeks until they are about 4 months old. Older cats will have a slightly different immunization schedule. Vaccines will include rabies and distemper. These viruses cause severe disease and rabies can be transmitted to people, so even indoor cats are recommended to get these vaccines. Your kitten exams are also the perfect time to discuss any topics of interest with your veterinarian such as spaying/neutering and food selection.

During their first visit, your cat will get a blood test to look for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) . FIV and Leukemia are both viruses that affect the immune system and can decrease cats’ ability to fight off infections. In particular, Leukemia can drastically reduce your cat’s lifespan to 2 or 3 years. Knowing whether your cat has these diseases will help you keep your pet as healthy as possible.

Consistent use of a litter box is critical for having a well behaved indoor cat. It is recommended to have one more litter box than the number of cats, ideally located in different rooms of the home. Some cats are very particular and may prefer a specific kind of litter or type of box. All urine and feces should be removed on a daily basis. If your cat normally has good litter box habits, but suddenly starts urinating outside of the box, this could be due to behavioral or medical reasons, and they should be examined by a veterinarian.
Many cats are very social and thrive on attention and human interaction. Provide them with different cat toys to find out which ones your pet prefers. However, be very careful with objects such as hair ties, strings, and tinsel, as these can be accidentally ingested and cause a terrible intestinal obstruction. Scratching posts are also important to their health – many cats like vertical scratching posts, especially ones tall enough to allow them to stand and stretch while scratching, while other cats may prefer horizontal scratchers.

Adult cats should be examined by a veterinarian yearly, or more frequently if there are medical concerns. Healthy visits may include their annual vaccinations and routine bloodwork. This bloodwork monitors for common problems seen in cats such as hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, and diabetes. Catching these issues early allows treatment to be more successful, and helps prolong your cat’s good quality of life. Common symptoms that warrant a visit with a veterinarian include weight loss, change in appetite, vomiting, increased drinking, and inappropriate urination. Your veterinarian will discuss with you which testing is recommended to find the cause of these concerns, and will form a treatment plan for your cat.

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