Cats are super popular animals to take in as pets. They’re ingenious animals, can be very sweet and trusting with their owners, and are very easy to take care of. Having them as pets can be very fulfilling and would add excitement and fun to your life. But despite them being easy pets, there are still some things to remember when taking care of cats. Here are some more reasons why you should take your cat to the vet habitually:
To ensure your cat is always healthy
Going to the vet, just like humans visit their doctors, is usually the go-to strategy when your cat is sick. However, just like humans, bringing them to the vet only when they’re sick doesn’t help maintain their overall health. Having regular check-ups would ensure that they wouldn’t get sick since you constantly made sure that their health was sound.
The regularity of a vet visit is usually twice a year, at the very least. These check-ups are to ensure that everything is good with your cat. The visits would include the kitten getting vaccinations, giving them supplements, or getting some scans done.
While cats seem like they’re generally okay all the time, they’re vulnerable animals. Their tails and whiskers are some things to take care of the most because they’re very important with regard to their agility and balance. If these aren’t cared for properly, your pet can could start getting signs of illness.
A trusted veterinary clinic and veterinarian would make sure that your cat is taken care of, and these things are looked out for. It’s a good thing to make sure they get used to this so that they would get less stressed when they do end up visiting more.
To get your cat vaccinated
Vaccinations are important because they ward off any unwanted viruses and bacteria that could get your cat sick. These vaccinations are usually given yearly. When you get your cat vaccinated, you are able to let them explore and play around more without worrying that they would catch any sickness.
The usual vaccines that cats need yearly are cat influenza (feline herpes virus, calicivirus), feline enteritis (feline parvovirus), feline leukemia, and feline conjunctivitis (feline chlamydophila). These are the most common diseases that they can contract, and vaccines can prevent that from happening.
Rabies vaccines are also something they need. This allows them to be kept as a pet because it would mean they’re safe to humans. Vaccinations also ensure that anyone that your cat scratches will be safe because you’ve made sure that they have gotten the right shots.
It super is hard for a pet owner to track all the vaccines their furry friend needs, which is why veterinary clinics usually give owners a Pet Passport. This way, you have documentation on which vaccines they already have. This is also crucial if you want to bring your cat outside, like to malls, or if you want to bring them with you for travel purposes.
To prevent your cat from getting flea, tick, and worm infestations
Cats having parasites are tough. They can cause pet discomfort, disease, and even death. They can make your pets itchy and weak, on top of the parasites drinking their blood and polluting their fur. Your pets having parasites is also bad for the owners because they will infect your home by leaving larvae and eggs on your floors, curtains, carpets, plants, among other places.
Also, Cats can spread a disease to the owners. This is something that should be watched out so that they can be prevented or caught when it’s still early. Because, aside from being hard to control when it takes over, they can also be very expensive to treat, especially when the infestation affects your home.
To track your cat’s behavior.
Having regular check-ups would also mean that the vet would figure out what type of cat your pet is and what they like and don’t like. There would be a file on their behaviors and statistics of their health and personality. Through these health visits, you would find out if they have any allergies, react to any medicines, etc. These are very important, especially as your cat grows older or shows signs of getting sick.
To ensure your cat’s teeth are healthy
Many cats are carnivores, and their teeth can suffer from plaque build-up. Having smaller teeth, cats’ teeth need to be cleaned by professionals. It may be surprising, but cats having dental problems are more common than you’d think, and making sure that they have healthy teeth is a good step towards their health.
There will be times when your cat will be scared to visit the vet, or there will be cats who will always be scared to go. This is normal because going to a place that’s not familiar to many pets may often scare them.
Now that you’re convinced to bring your cat to the vet regularly, you might be wondering how to go about actually doing it. It may be intimidating at the beginning, for both you and your cat. Vet visits are good for cats health.
Other tips for going to the vet
Help your cat be more comfortable to go out and visit a veterinarian to locate a proper and shaded carrier. They can be skittish when you’re trying to put them in one, so one with a big opening or even a top opening would be ideal.
A shaded one is best because cats are often more comfortable with dark spaces. It would also be best if this carrier would always be placed somewhere the cat could see it. A cat may need vet visits more than one time a year, especially if you see or notice any signs of illness or pain.
A way to train them to be desensitized is to feed your cat inside the carrier and use it a lot so that it’ll be like second nature to get in and out and use the carrier. Take your cat to the vet at least one time a year.
Taking them to your most trusted veterinarian like Sugarland Vet Clinic for regular check-ups is very important. It can be hard to judge whether cats are healthy or not feeling well, as they’re usually subdued and not very expressive. This is why vet check-ups should be done regularly because, while you might not be able to tell if something’s wrong, an animal doctor would be able to.
Last Updated on 25/08/2020 by Karen Snow
Hi! I’m Karen and a certified dog lover. As a freelance writer and blogger, I do my best to squeeze in some time with my dogs, learning more about the way they act and how I can make sure that they continue to stay well-cared for by yours truly.
My dogs have helped me through a lot, and this is my way of giving back to them! Besides animals, I also love to travel and cook, having explored my country’s restaurants and unique places. Follow me as I show you all the amazing tips and bits of information I learn along the way about our furry friends!