Cat Health

They’re smart, dedicated, sassy, snuggly and warm. From kittenhood through their adult lives, cats provide unmatched companionship. As the saying goes, either you’re a “cat person” or you’re not, but if you are then you understand why the love of a cat is that special.

Maintaining a healthy cat requires some special allowances, so here are our top recommendations for keeping your kitty purring strong for many years to come.

To schedule your cat or new kitten appointment call us at 970.453.0821.

Congratulations on the arrival of your new family member! The following information is provided to help you with all the necessary health care your new kitten will require, including, vaccination, parasite control, nutrition, spaying/neutering and microchipping.

Did you know pets age around seven times faster than you? Taking your cat to the veterinarian once a year is the same as a person every seven or eight years. That is why all cats need twice a year health and wellness check-ups. Wellness check-ups allow your veterinarian to detect, treat and help prevent health related problems early before they become painful and sometimes untreatable.

To safeguard your pet from potentially serious and sometimes fatal diseases, we recommend vaccinations.

Cats are vaccinated against:

• FVRCP
• Feline Rabies
• FEL-V

Your cat may require a course of two vaccinations, each one a month apart, to fully protect them from the above diseases.

To protect against FEL-V, we need to do a blood test prior to vaccination to ensure your cat does not have the disease. Vaccination requires a course of 2 vaccinations, which are given 2-4 weeks apart.

Adult cats require vaccination boosters for FVRCP and FeLV every three years for life if indoors and every year if outdoors. Rabies vaccinations for cats are yearly. You will receive a reminder when your cat’s yearly vaccination is due. By law, an examination is required for a rabies vaccine.

The most common worms that affect cats are roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm. Worms are a common cause of ill health in pets and can cause signs such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and in severe cases even death.

Cats should be dewormed every month if they live an indoor and outdoor lifestyle.

Although fleas may not be as much of an issue here in Summit County as in other locations, you still may find that your cat picks up fleas during the summer months.

Fleas can be prevented easily and effectively with a once-a-month topical solution.

To maintain your cat’s health and wellbeing he/she must have a balanced diet. The most reliable and convenient way to provide a balanced diet is to feed a high quality prepared cat food. We stock several varieties of premium quality cat foods at our hospital. Cats often prefer to eat several small meals per day but will do equally well if fed one meal at the same time each day. Milk is unnecessary and can cause diarrhea in those that are lactose intolerant. Clean water must be available at all times. See our page on grain free diet related heart disease, as this affects cats too!

We strongly recommend spaying or neutering all cats, male and female, between 5 and 6 months of age. As well as reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies, this also prevent pets from roaming, fighting, spraying and night prowling. Spaying and neutering also reduces cancer in cats.

Microchipping is a permanent form of identification in the form of a tiny chip, which is implanted under the skin. Registration details are kept with Central Animal Records and can be updated by the owner if there is any change in owner details.

Please remember for the safety and well being of your cat and other wildlife it is recommended to keep your cat indoors or in an enclosure after sunset.

Your cat should also wear a collar or be microchipped to ensure that they are properly identified.