Cats are some of the most popular animals to take in as pets. They’re really smart 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.
Taking them to your most trusted veterinarian for regular check-ups is a very important thing. It can be hard to judge whether cats are healthy or when they’re not feeling well, as they’re usually subdued and not very expressive. This is why vet check-ups are something that should be done regularly because, while you might not be able to tell if something’s wrong, an animal doctor definitely would be able to.
Read on as the experts from Sugarland Vet Clinic share to you some of the reasons on when and why cat owners and lovers should bring their cats to the vet habitually.
To make sure your cat is healthy always
Going to the vet, just like how humans go to their doctors, is usually the go-to strategy when your cat is sick. However, just like with humans, bringing them to the vet only when they’re sick, doesn’t really help maintain their overall health. Having regular check-ups would ensure that they wouldn’t get sick since you would constantly be making sure that their health is sound.
The regularity of a vet visit is usually twice a year, at the very least. These check-ups are to make sure that everything is good with your cat. The visits would include the cat getting vaccinations, giving them supplements, or getting some scans done. While cats seem like they’re generally okay all the time, they’re actually vulnerable animals. Their tails and whiskers are some of the things to take care of the most because they’re very important with regards to their agility and balance. If these aren’t cared for properly, they could get more sick or could get into accidents.
A trusted veterinary clinic and veterinarian would make sure that your cat is taken cared 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 make sure your cat gets 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 should get yearly are the cat influenza (feline herpes virus, calici virus), the feline enteritis (feline parvovirus), the feline leukemia, and the feline conjunctivitis (feline chlamydophila). These are the most common diseases that they can contract and vaccines can help prevent that from happening. Rabies vaccines are also something they should get. 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 might be hard for an owner to track all the vaccines their furry friend needs to get, 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 important if you want to bring your cat outside, like to malls, or if you want to bring them with you for travel purposes.
To make sure that you 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 in your floors, curtains, carpets, plants, among other places. They can also spread disease to the owners. This is really something that should be watched out for so that they can be prevented or caught when it’s still early. Because, aside from it 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 veterinarian would get to know what type of cat your cat 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 allergies, if they react to any medicines, etc. These are very important, especially as your cat grows older, or if they get sick.
To make sure your cat’s teeth are healthy
Cats are carnivores and their teeth can suffer from plaque build up. Having smaller and more intricate 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.
Cats can be such a precious pet and would end up being a part of your family. It’s imperative to make sure that they’re living their best life by bringing them to animal or cat professionals who know how to make this possible.
