Preventive Care for Cats
Help your cat live a longer, happier life.
Preventive care is an essential part of keeping your cat happy and healthy. It will give you peace of mind and increase the odds of detecting underlying health conditions before they become advanced and expensive.
How often should my cat see a veterinarian?
At Trusty Vet, we make our preventive care recommendations using the guidelines established by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). From there, our veterinarians further customize their suggestions based on hereditary factors including your cat’s age, lifestyle, and medical history.
Typically, we suggest scheduling at least one annual exam during which one of our veterinarians will review your cat’s medical history, assess their behavior, make dietary recommendations, and evaluate any known health conditions they may have.
Once your cat reaches 7 years of age, exam frequency should increase to twice yearly frequency to detect underlying illness or disease before it becomes clinically apparent. This is especially important in cats who tend to hide illness as a survival instinct and can have very advanced disease by the time outward clinical signs are detected.
What should I expect from a preventive cat care exam?
Think of your cat’s annual exam like your own yearly physical. At the appointment, we’ll read their temperature, examine their eyes, ears, teeth, and skin, listen to their heart and lungs, and evaluate their joint health.
You can also expect your veterinarian to make recommendations for:
- Vaccines based on your cat’s lifestyle or breed. Core vaccines include rabies and feline distemper, although your veterinarian may recommend additional vaccines like feline leukemia (FeLV)
- We perform annual intestinal parasite deworming treatment prophylactically
- Diagnostic testing helps provide early detection of common diseases like thyroid disease, kidney insufficiency, liver or gall bladder disease, anemia, leukemia, diabetes, and other endocrine diseases. Catching a disease early allows your veterinarian to reverse it or delay progression, helping maintain your cat's good quality of life.
At your cat's annual exam, your veterinarian will answer any questions you may have and discuss other services that could improve their overall health such as spaying/neutering, microchipping, and dental care.
Call us at (256) 489-8387 or request an appointment online to schedule your cat's annual preventive care exam.
