How Often Should You Take Your Cat to the Vet?

Liza’s cat, Kittypurry, is acting strangely in a couple of days, it just hides in a corner or an out-of-the-way place. When Liza calls her for meals, she looks so weak to get off the floor and seems uninterested despite her mouth-watering meals. Kittypurry must be sick!

Hiding in a quiet place often and for a more extended period is one most common sign that a cat is not feeling well.

Cats have special ways of making us feel happy and comforted by their affectionate head butting on our legs or lying too close to us and rubbing their bodies. Aside from providing proper meals, nourishment, grooming, and playing, cats also like dogs, need regular vet visits. The question, therefore, is when and how often we have to bring them to their doctors?

Taking Kittykurry to the vet is painful, not only for Liza but for Kittykurry herself. Taking your cat to the vet causes so much stress to them. They will be caged, transported to the clinic, and in the clinic, different smells, and noises of animals add to their anxiety and sick feeling. It’s the same feeling when you are sick, and you are brought to the hospital.

Vet visits are also determined by several factors, such as your cat’s age, and present condition.

Kittens should get a monthly visit to the vet until they reach four months. Unless you have adequate knowledge and more years of experience taking care of cats, a visit to a vet is still the safest option. During this crucial stage of your pet, monthly monitoring of its growth, and vaccination schedule is very important.

All kittens should receive a vaccination against diseases that are ubiquitous in nature and frequently found in the general cat population. Your kitten must be protected against feline rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and feline panleukopenia (FVRCP). One of the most common viral causes of feline upper respiratory infections is Calicivirus. Protection against all three of these viruses is generally provided in a combination vaccine.

In the first month of your kitten, there will be a fecal examination and a check for ear mites and no vaccination at this early age.

During her six weeks, and every 3 to 4 weeks until your kitten reaches 16 weeks of age, she will need vaccines such as Panleukopenia Virus (FPV) /Feline, Herpesvirus-1, and Feline Calicivirus (FHV-1/FCV).

There should be a one-shot of rabies as early as 8 or 12 weeks of age, depending on the product label. There will be revaccination after one year.

There are non-core kitten vaccinations that include feline leukemia (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), Chlamydophila felis, and feline Giardia vaccines.

Wellness Checks for Adult cats

Although they look healthy during their adult stage, taking them to the vet at least once a year would be helpful. An annual check-up can help head off potentially serious illness that might show no signs as cats can be stoic. Some vaccines need a second shot or booster shots ever after a few years to reactivate its effect.

Wellness visits offer a perfect opportunity for you to discuss with your vet any issues your cat is behaving or showing. Some can be behavioral in nature or might be related to aging or diet. For example, your cat may need a spill proof water bowl because they find water more fun to play with than drink. According to studies, there are over half of all American pets, including cats, are overweight. Thus, seeing the vet at least once a year ensures you don’t turn a blind eye to your gradually-ballooning cat.

Most non-core vaccines, such as Chlamydophila felis, Bordetella Bronchiseptica, and Feline Giardia, have booster shots annually, but only for those cats at risk for the particular disease. Your vet will advise if your cats have relative risks based on their lifestyle. The vet will also help you layout an effective vaccination schedule based on your cat’s individual needs.

Senior cats and vet’s care

The maximum life a cat may reach is 14 years. Those cats ages seven years and above are considered seniors and need to see a vet twice a year to check for signs of age-related diseases that can come on quickly. Some diseases can become quite serious in a year, which is why twice-annual appointments are necessary.

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