Regular vet visits, vaccinations, screening tests, and parasite control — these are just a few of the preventative measures you should take to keep your cat in great health.
There’s more to keeping your cat healthy and happy than food, water, toys, and your love — cats need regular vet visits for vaccinations and screening tests. In fact, proper cat health care can help protect your cat from infections, serious diseases, parasites, and other health problems.
How should you get started? When you bring a new cat into your family, whether it is a kitten or adult cat, one of the first things you need to do is take your cat to a vet for a pet health checkup. “Any new pet should always come in for a health check as soon as [possible] to see if there are problems,” says Susan Nelson, DVM, assistant professor of clinical sciences at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Before taking your cat to this first vet visit, gather any health information you have on your cat from its breeder, previous owner, or animal shelter, if adopted. “Any history you have on your pet should go with you to the vet,” says Dr. Nelson.
Nelson says that a cat’s first vet visit will involve a very thorough physical exam to determine if there are any medical conditions. In addition, your cat may need certain tests, vaccinations, and treatments, depending on its health history, environment, and age. This first visit is also a good time to talk about heartworm and flea prevention, depending on where you live and your cat’s environment.
Cat Health Care at Every Age and Stage
Healthy pet care for your cat will change over time, depending on the cat’s age:
- Initial testing for kittens and new cats. For kittens and new cats without documentation of health history, your vet will likely run certain cat health screening tests. “Generally, we are going to recommend feline leukemia and feline AIDS screening,” says Nelson. Both are health conditions that weaken a cat’s immune system, putting him at risk of developing cancer and other serious diseases. You vet will also want to test for heartworms and obtain a fecal sample to test for intestinal parasites, which can put your cat at risk of infection and future health problems.
- Kitten health care needs. To help maintain their health, kittens need a series of vaccinations to protect them from feline diseases. These vaccinations always include rabies and distemper combination (a vaccination against distemper and two respiratory conditions). Your vet may also recommend additional vaccinations, such as protection against feline leukemia, depending on your cat’s individual needs. These initial vaccinations are generally given when your cat is between 6 and 16 weeks of age. Once your cat has had the initial vaccinations, Nelson recommends that cats get spayed or neutered to prevent unwanted pregnancies and other problems; this is generally done at six months of age, but some vets recommend that the procedure be done earlier.
- Adult cat health care needs. Regular wellness visits with your vet are also needed to monitor your cat’s health and boost vaccinations. Nelson says that adult cats should have wellness exams at least annually — sometimes more if your cat has any health problems. The distemper combination and rabies vaccines will need to be boosted at regular intervals, usually every 1 to 3 years.
- Senior cat health care needs. Even if your healthy pet doesn’t act like a “senior,” Nelson says that cat health care needs generally begin to change when cats are 8 to 10 years old. As cats get older, vets often begin recommending blood, urine, and other tests to screen for anemia, diabetes, kidney problems, liver problems, electrolyte imbalances, hyperthyroidism, heart problems, and other diseases. “As animals age, [wellness exams are] recommended twice yearly,” says Nelson. This is because older cats are at increased risk of potentially serious health problems.
Regular wellness exams, vaccinations, and preventative health measures can help keep your cat healthy, but that doesn’t mean he won’t get sick. Call your vet if your cat is behaving unusually or exhibiting any worrisome symptoms, such as changes in his coat, lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, eyes that are red or watery, nasal discharge, sneezing, problems with urination, or swelling.
With love, attention, and regular vet visits, you’ll be taking all the needed steps to promote optimal cat health for your furry feline.