Love And Protection Guidelines For Your Adult Cat

"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this."
- Anonymous

Sometimes cats don’t appreciate their owners bringing them to the veterinarian. We will work to give your cat the best care while making his visit as stress free as possible. Cats are infamous with veterinarians for hiding their illness until they are very sick. For this reason, it is imperative that a veterinarian examine your cat at least once yearly. The doctor checks the eyes, ears, mouth, teeth, lymphatic system, heart, lungs, musculoskeletal system, abdomen and internal organs, skin, hair coat, and many other things along the way. Your pet cannot tell us how they feel or where it hurts. Veterinarians are specially trained to examine and interpret the findings in order to make recommendations for your pet’s continued health.

Feline Leukemia & Feline Immunodeficiency Virus are two awful viruses that may cause severe illness and even death in cats. Feline Leukemia can be spread through saliva or nasal discharge from cat to cat. So grooming, sharing bowls, sneezing and coughing are all modes of transmission. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, or FIV, is usually transmitted by biting or scratching so cats that go outdoors are at the highest risk. For this reason and because cats that go outdoors are commonly hurt by dogs, garage doors, and cars, we recommend that all cats be kept indoors. A simple blood test can check for the Feline Leukemia & FIV viruses before your cat is even showing symptoms. Cats can live for years with both diseases, but it is very important to know your cat’s status so that the veterinarian can develop the best disease prevention plan for him.

Your cat’s lifestyle and environment will determine his risk factors for disease. For this reason, our veterinarians prefer a customized approach to vaccination. We are happy to discuss the benefits and dosing schedules for the different vaccines that we offer.

Heartworms are deadly parasites that live in the hearts of cats and are transmitted by mosquitoes. Unfortunately, no cure has yet been found for heartworms in cats. To prevent your cat from becoming infected, a topical heartworm preventive should be applied every month all year round. A blood test can determine if your cat has been exposed to or is infected heartworms.

If your cat goes outside at all we recommend checking for intestinal parasites once yearly. Some intestinal parasites of pets can be transmitted to and cause disease in humans.

We are also happy to help with any behavioral questions or concerns that you may have. First, the doctor will rule out any medical cause for the behavior. Then the doctor or nurse can help you to determine the underlying reason for your cat’s behavior and find the best way to improve it if needed.

Click here to download a full copy of our Love And Protection Guidelines brochure.