Cats have simpler physiology compared to other bigger mammals. This simplicity makes them easy to care for and opens them to various diseases. Do not fret; you do not need to visit the veterinarian for cats every other month for them because of their inclination to stay indoors. So, how often do you take a cat to the vet? You only need to pay frequent visits to the vet depending on what age they are and if they are acting in some uncanny manner.
How Often Do you Take a Cat to the Vet?
How often you should take your cat to vet? Depending on the stage of life your cat is in, the times of visit to the vet may vary. How their age affects the visit is explained below:-
Veterinarian Visit for Kittens
The first few months of your cat will be filled with a visit to the veterinarian. This is because so many things need to be taken care of in your kitty. In this stage, they are neutered to avoid getting pregnant at a young age. Then, they must get vaccinated, get dewormed (if the stool sample is filled with worms), and be tested for FIV or FeLV. All this occurs and is taken care of until they are a year old.
When to Take Adult Cats to a Vet?
When a cat has entered adulthood by the time they are a year old ( little ones sure grow fast). And at this age, visiting the vet is less frequent. You will have to take the senior cats to the vet once a year.
The vet will give your cat vaccine boosters every twelve to twenty months. Your cat can get away with a visit to the vet if they stay indoors more often, and the visit happens every eighteen to twenty-four months. However, you must consult with your veterinarian.
Cats in their Senior Years: Vet Visits
Once a cat is of age ten years or more, they have entered the seniorhood of its life. And there are many changes in their physiology that require the visit to the cats hospital more often. Instead of going to the vet every twelve months, you will see the veterinarian every six months. Your vet will do checkups on your senior cats kidney, liver, and blood count for their proper functioning.
Reasons Why Cats Need to Visit the Cat Vet
Visiting the vet is not limited to scheduled sittings. Your cat can be in distress from some other disease and require an immediate vet visit.
Behavioral Issues in Cats
The visit to the vet is warranted if you observe behavioral issues in cats. These issues may be because your cat might have an underlying problem that isn’t physically feasible. Your cat starts acting angry or mellow after you have a new member at your home, or they suddenly have a different behavior. This could result from trauma or needing attention in a certain part of their behavior.
Excessive Thirst in Cats
If your cat drinks water more than it used to or drinks water even more than usual and often. Your cat might have caught a disease in the kidney or some other kind that may have caused this change. You will need to visit to the cat hospital when you notice excessive thirst in cats.
Weight Loss in Cats
Cats are lively, but they aren’t hyperactive. If you notice weight loss in cats despite having a regular diet, and normal activity, it shows the liver not being in good condition. You should visit the vet soon if they have drastic weight loss.
Cat Obesity
This one is the opposite of the above point, but obesity is pretty common among house cats. Additionally, cat obesity can lead to a number of health problems for your feline in the future. Diarrhea, diabetes, and even death at a young age are possible problems of a overweight cat. Your vet can help your cat lose weight with a routine.
Litter Box Problems
Litter box problems include cat peeing outside litter box, often urinating, and showing signs of constipation. This demands a visit to cat emergency vet. It is not easy, however, to track the littering behavior of your cat. You will not be around all the time to monitor them, but you can get yourself devices that record your kitty’s litter behavior.
Wellness Checks
Wellness checks are a common occurrence among cat owners. You go for the visit every once a year and get your cat, especially adult cats a physical checkup. So, also provide vaccine boosters, and many more to make sure the cat is healthy in all regards.
Diarrhea in Cats
This condition in felines happen when they have started taking a new type of cat food. If your cat shows signs of that, try a different brand to help with this. If there is no recovery, give your vet a visit.
Vomiting in Cats
Puking in kitties is not common for most cats; it is so rare that you must visit the cat doctor, if your cat throwing up twice or even once a month.
When to Seek a Veterinarian for Cats?
There are some situations when you need to pay an immediate visit to the cat veterinary clinic, as the lack of quick treatment could become a major problem. So, when to seek immediate veterinary attention? Following are some of the reasons that will give you answers to this questions:
Any String Hanging Out of the Orifice
It may seem harmless to take it out yourself, but what it does inside your cat’s body is unknown. You should let the vet do this.
Cat is Avoiding People
Cats are thought of as people shy by nature, but when they start avoiding people that they have shown affection to in the past, your cat might be going through some stress that requires veterinary examination.
Lack of Diet in Cats
If your cat stops eating more than it used for three or four days. This may occur due to a stomach infection or some other disease.
Change in Cats Movement
Your cat has a different walking manner than it used to, without being involved in an accident. They could have had a trauma or disease that is inhibiting their movements.
Conclusion
Vet visits are a pet’s worst nightmare; they will run away from anything resembling a vet visit. This is because not only is the vet a stranger and touching them in places they do not like, but they are also susceptible to motion sickness. They prefer to avoid the experience of traveling in any form of vehicle. You would have to train them separately for traveling in a vehicle. But despite that, you must take your cat to the vet as they could be the lifeline for their needs.