How often do you take a cat to the vet?
This depends on many factors. The most important is the age of the cat, as well as any illnesses or pre-existing conditions (e.g. kidney disease). Additionally, where you live and how you care for your cat likely has a bearing on this frequency of veterinarian visits.
In general, it’s recommended to visit a veterinarian once per year – at least – for an exam and standard vaccinations that may be different based on the animal’s lifestyle or region. And where possible, we recommend twice yearly visits to your vet so they can monitor your pet’s health over time to catch any potential problems before they are too severe: catching things early increases their likelihood of being treatable! And lastly, because veterinarians work closely with their veterinarian colleagues to ensure our animal patients receive the best care possible, we also encourage wellness checks at your local clinic with your own vet when you start seeing warning signs.
First, it’s important to define what kind of vet you have. A normal veterinary visit may consist of a check-up that lasts 10-30 minutes and an exam that lasts 3-5 minutes, which is only done if the pet’s owner requests it be done. A full service veterinary hospital will be more like 5 hours for an annual physical exam with routine cleaning, vaccinations and x-rays for about $136 on average. More than 75% pet owners in one study didn’t take their pets at least once a year but instead took them around every six years or less often. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) suggests taking your pet in annually only if they have one chronic disease or another condition which requires ongoing care, even if your pet seems to be in good health otherwise.
Visit frequency depends on age and risk factor. Cats should be examined annually (about every 15 months) at a minimum beginning at age 1 year. Regular examinations can reveal early disease, which not only slows the disease’s progression but may also yield an earlier diagnosis that leads to more successful treatment options. They should receive a vaccination before 12 weeks of age against either panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, or calicivirus caused by viruses; this immunization is given in two doses separated by about 14 days between doses with the final dose administered no sooner than 12 weeks of time from the first vaccine dose and revaccination carried out once every 3 years thereafter.
First, it’s important to define what kind of vet you have. A normal veterinary visit may consist of a check-up that lasts 10-30 minutes and an exam that lasts 3-5 minutes, which is only done if the pet’s owner requests it be done. A full service veterinary hospital will be more like 5 hours for an annual physical exam with routine cleaning, vaccinations and x-rays for about $136 on average. More than 75% pet owners in one study didn’t take their pets at least once a year but instead took them around every six years or less often. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) suggests taking your pet in annually only if they have one chronic disease or another condition which requires ongoing care, even if your pet seems to be in good health otherwise.
Waiting too long between veterinary visits can jeopardize your pet’s health and well-being. Cats should be seen at least twice a year, usually carried out over a four-month period to keep an eye on the various stages of their annual cycle.
The International Cat Care organisation recommends annual examinations for cats in good general health with no special needs other than vaccination according to the cat owner’s particular circumstances. The best times for these are spring (to assess the effects of winter illness) and fall (after exposure to infectious agents that have been prevalent during summer months). If there is any change in your cat’s normal pattern, additional examinations may be needed at higher frequencies than annually depending on the nature of change.
Most veterinary clinics recommend that cats should be checked annually. The reason for this recommendation is that even though cat diseases are not always visible to the animal’s owner, they still exist!
A veterinarian visit annually will allow your vet to monitor your pet’s health and make sure it is getting adequate vaccinations and medication. Annual checkups can also help prevent sicknesses by catching ailments early on before they become more widespread or serious.
I take my cat to the vet every six months for a checkup. If I have any concerns in between, I go earlier and if I’m good then it’s doggy to the vet home. Have you ever seen a cat that wasn’t hungry? Mine comes running anytime there’s finger food so even though she eats like she should it was time for her yearly clean out and exam anyway, just in case! It’s possible your cat is one of those lucky few who can tolerate dirty litter boxes, flies buzzing around its ears or fleas hopping on its backside but what happens when something goes ‘bump’? What about allergies or tumors? Though these may remain unnoticed now they aren’t going to disappear and the only way to catch them is to take your kitty in at least every six months, earlier if you see any symptoms.
In veterinary medicine it’s been said that a cat will show signs of illness when they’re about 7-10% into their disease process. At this stage, they can be treated before a crisis occurs. The larger a tumor or the more advanced a cancer, the harder it is to treat and yes, even cats can die from cancer!
Finally there’s preventative care which many people feel is ‘unnecessary’. I beg to differ because having a yearly full exam that includes blood work, urinalysis and complete physical means finding and treating issues in its early stages before they become life threatening. I’m not planning on losing my sweetie too soon to a preventable illness that could have been treated.
Cats exclusively eat meat in the wild, and this protein-rich diet lends itself to a more sterile body internally.
This is especially true for cats because they are strict carnivores as opposed to omnivores (like humans) or herbivores (like cows). This means that all the proteins found in animal food are essential and necessary for them.
To top it off, protein digestion produces far less waste than carbohydrate digestion would, meaning there can be no significant consequences from any simple dietary indiscretion on their part–there’s nothing like bouts of intestinal upset common with other animals who digest carbohydrates as their primary source of food. In short, a cat is equipped with sophisticated nutritional needs very different from humans that should not be tampered with too much by the owner.
An interesting side note, however, is that cats also do not produce taurine in their bodies naturally; it is an amino acid found almost exclusively in animal flesh. This means they cannot synthesize it from waste products…only get it from food. This does not pose any harm to them until they are deprived of it for too long. The harmful effects of taurine deficiency in cats are well known; they include blindness and heart problems. This is why it is imperative that meat be the predominant protein source in their diet.
A cat should see a veterinarian at least once a year for an examination. Many cats are healthy and do not require regular veterinary care, but your vet will recommend routine visits based on the health status of your cat. While there are some exceptions (please note that this is general information and if you have any specific concerns about your pet’s health you should consult with your vet), this is the standard protocol for most well cared-for pets. The only exception to this rule would be senior cats, as these animals can experience more complicated age-related diseases. Senior animals typically need more frequent examinations every six months or so instead of annually. With all medical procedures, it’s important to find one that’s appropriate for now and will benefit your pet in the future.
The frequency of veterinary visits will depend on the age, health and lifestyle of your cat. Older cats may need to visit their veterinarian quarterly for a wellness exam while younger cats can be examined every six months. Cats who have frequent exposure to other pets or feral cats are more likely to get infected with parasites that would also require a vet visit. Your veterinarian will prescribe a schedule based on these professionals judgements about what is best for each individual animal in light of its circumstances.
Once a year.
The annual visit is a good opportunity to get an overall health check for your furry friend from the vet, and discuss any problems that may have occurred during the year. The vet can also give you any advice or tips on how best to care for your cat at home, like preventing parasites with proper de-worming medication (once every three months), and feeding them about two tablespoons of canned food daily in addition to their dry food (the wet food adds moisture). But remember, cats need fresh water constantly – so make sure they always have access when at home!
