How Often Should You Take Your Cat To The Vet?
Our friends the cats, even if they seem in perfect health, need so-called routine veterinary visits like humans. These allow you to do a “check-up” of your state of health.
The stage of a cat’s life, between when it is a kitten and when it is an adult, must be distinguished. Indeed, the number of veterinary visits, excluding possible health problems, is higher for a kitten than for an adult cat.
3 Times A Year For The Kitten
The kitten sees, in conditions where it benefits from a home from birth, the veterinarian at least three times during its first year. A first time at about 2 months (between 6 and 8 weeks) and another one month later, at about 3 months (between 10 and 14 weeks) for vaccines, then a third time for sterilization.
During the first visit, the kitten is examined by the veterinarian. He receives his primary vaccination, at least for feline leucosis, cat typhus and coryza, but also for rabies if he has to go abroad in particular.
That’s not all, this first visit is also an opportunity to make his “identity papers”: the kitten will be identified by electronic chip, his health record and his passport will be given to his owners.
The following month, he was seen again by the veterinarian to receive his booster shot. If it has changed owners, this is often an opportunity to take the opportunity to request a certificate of good health and ensure that it has no apparent illness or any fatal defect.
It is then important, during this first year of feline life, to see the veterinarian a third time, to proceed with the sterilization, regardless of whether it is a male or a female. The latter is recommended ideally at the age of 6 months and at most 7 months.
Our only sterilization will prevent illnesses in the cat, but in addition it will protect its owners from annoying sexual behavior, such as urinary marking or untimely meowing for example. In addition, it allows not to increase the feline population, while many hairballs are already struggling to be adopted.
Once A Year For The Adult Cat
In adult cats, from 12 months on average, a routine visit should be planned every year. This makes it possible to ensure that your cat is always in good health, to detect certain diseases early, to ensure that the cat is well fed, but also to carry out annual vaccine reminders.
2 Times A Year For The Senior Cat
Between 7 and 8 years old, the cat is considered to be halfway through its life. He is thus one of the senior cats, so it is preferable to bring the visits to the veterinarian closer together to have a good follow-up and quickly remedy any health problems.
Thus, the senior cat will go from one visit to the veterinarian per year to two annual visits. Respecting the vaccination schedule and health examinations will allow your companion to live as long as possible and in the best conditions.
Of course, any change observed in your cat, whether sudden or gradual, should lead you to consult immediately. Apart from the usual visits (annual or biannual), it is essential to approach your veterinarian at the slightest suspicion as to the state of health of your cat. Especially if he is less active, eats less, no longer defecates properly, etc.
