I had no idea how often I was supposed to take my cat to the vet when I became a cat owner. I’m glad I found a great veterinary practice to set up my Chelle with vaccinations and wellness checks. I was even more grateful to have my vet’s help when my Chelle started having some of those classic Maine Coon weight struggles.
Vet Visits 101: Here’s How Often Your Cat Needs Exams
Let’s cover everything from when to start routine visits to how to know that your cat is having a health emergency. I’ll start by laying down the basics on how frequently you should be taking your cat to the vet based on age.
Taking Cats to the Vet at Different Ages
Frequency of vet visits shifts with age. Using information shared by Cumberland Animal Clinic, I’ll break down how often to bring your cat to the vet at all stages of life.
Kittens
Book a first appointment with a veterinarian as soon as you get your kitten home. This applies to both adopted and “litter” kittens.
The reason why a prompt first visit is important is that kittens require multiple rounds of vaccinations throughout the first year of life. Kittens should generally be seen once every three to four weeks during the first three to four months of life.
Establishing a relationship with a vet will help you get your cat on a vaccination schedule. In addition to the feline leukemia vaccine, your cat will get the FVRCP vaccine. FVRCP is a big one because it protects against feline viral rhinotracheitis (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), and feline panleukopenia (FPL)! All three are highly contagious, highly deadly illnesses.
A first visit with a vet is a time to talk about plans for spaying or neutering your cat. Most veterinarians recommend scheduling these procedures within the first five or six months of life. The reason for the “speed” with spaying and neutering is that cats are vulnerable to diseases and problematic behaviors once they are allowed to go through “feline puberty.”
“It is generally considered safe for kittens as young as eight weeks old to be spayed or neutered,” according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
Of course, it’s also the responsible thing to do to avoid unwanted litters of kittens in the neighborhood. While you may be planning to keep your cat indoors, it only takes one “escape” outdoors for you to be a kitten grandparent.
Middle-aged Cats
A healthy adult cat in middle age should be seen by a vet once a year for a routine examination. This applies to cats ranging in age from 1 years old to 10 years old. It’s essentially the same as scheduling an annual physical for adults.
During a routine cat exam, your vet will do a head-to-tail examination to spot telltale signs of illness. The big things vets are looking for are disease, tooth decay, parasites, weight issues, and joint issues.
This is also a time to get your cat caught up with booster shots.
In my case, these visits often turned to the topic of helping my Chelle stick to a healthy diet plan. These chats have helped me to get some great recommendations for cat foods and supplements over the years.
If all goes according to plan, your vet will dismiss you with the instructions to simply book another appointment in a year. If issues are detected, you may be advised to book another appointment for scans, testing, or treatment.
Senior Cats
Your cat is a senior citizen after reaching age 11. Veterinarians advise cat owners to book routine exams every six months when cats reach this milestone.
Cats are at higher risk for injuries and diseases once they hit their senior years. These wellness checks can help you spot trouble signs early. This is important because many common feline issues can actually be corrected with diet changes. For instance, kidney and liver issues can sometimes be managed using low-protein or low-phosphorus diets.
Vets can also recommend urinalysis or blood tests to check for diabetes, kidney disease, and other common age-related feline illnesses.
I hope these basic guidelines for how often your cat should be seeing a vet are helpful! Next, I’ll go into more detail about how to prepare for these visits.
Preparing Your Cat for a Vet Visit
If you’re taking your cat to a new veterinarian for the first time, I highly recommend taking time to ask some questions beforehand to ensure that you can get the most from the visit. After all, these appointments aren’t always cheap.
You want to make sure you don’t get stuck coming back simply because you weren’t properly prepared for the first visit.
Every veterinarian office handles things differently. While you’ll probably get a welcome packet detailing the basic rules and procedures followed at your new vet’s office during your first visit, you probably won’t have much information about office protocols when you first arrive. That’s why I recommend staying on the phone with the receptionist responsible for booking your appointment for just an extra minute.
Some veterinarian offices like to do stool testing to get a thorough picture of your pet’s health. You may be able to avoid coming back for a second testing appointment if you ask the receptionist if a stool test will be recommended for your cat. If the answer is yes, inquire about the process for bringing in the stool sample needed for the test.
Veterinarians generally ask for a fresh, quarter-sized stool sample. Stool tests can be especially important for kittens because they can confirm that your new cat is free of gastrointestinal parasites. Deworming medication can be prescribed if parasites are detected.
I want to give you a checklist for getting your cat ready for a vet appointment. These tips will help you get the most out of your visit:
- Your cat should be clean and combed prior to the appointment. Your veterinarian may have a hard time properly examining your cat if the coat is stained, matted, or oily.
- Jot down any health or behavior questions you have prior to your visit. It can be easy to forget what’s on your mind during the semi-stressful process of getting your cat in and out of the car for the appointment.
- If your cat takes any supplements or prescription medications, take photographs of the labels.
- If you have questions about weight or diet, snap a photo of the nutritional information on the cat food you feed your cat. Veterinarians are generally happy to assess the quality and caloric quality of cat foods because diet is such a big part of feline health!
Next, I’ll go into detail about some of the things your veterinarian is looking for during an exam.
What Does a Veterinarian Look for During an Exam?
Every office handles exams slightly differently. It’s smart to call ahead of time to see what’s covered in a routine exam to ensure you’re paying for what you actually want!
General Exam
During a typical head-to-tail exam, a veterinarian inspects a cat’s eyes, ears, mouth, abdomen, and skin. They will also listen to the heart and lungs to look for signs of illness or congenital abnormalities.
Weight and Body Composition
Your cat will also be weighed. I’ll be the first one to tell you that feline obesity is no joke! I suspect that any veterinarian you choose will feel the same way.
“Obesity shortens a cat’s life and makes them more likely to develop diseases,” according to the vets at VCA animal hospitals. In fact, just being moderately overweight chips away at a cat’s life expectancy. Obese cats have a 2.8-fold increase in mortality compared to lean cats.
If your cat is overweight, your vet will initiate a conversation about diet and exercise.
Oral Health
A routine veterinary exam is technically a wellness check and dental visit in one.
“Because dental disease often has few readily apparent signs, bringing your pet in for a wellness examination is the only way to ensure detection,” shares the team at Exclusively Cats Veterinary Hospital in Michigan.
Between 50% and 90% of cats age 4 and older have some form of dental disease, according to the Cornell University Feline Health Center. Most cat owners don’t notice signs of dental disease because cats with infections will often continue to eat normally.
Gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth reabsorption are the most common dental issues in cats. Veterinarians are trained to detect signs of all forms of dental disease and decay. During an oral examination, they are looking for swelling, redness, bleeding, droop, film, or signs of discomfort when your cat’s mouth is touched.
If gum probing, X-rays, or other slightly invasive examinations are required, anesthesia will be recommended for your cat’s comfort.
Blood Work
You will likely be given an option for a comprehensive “wellness” blood test. Designed to detect early and hidden signs of disease, these blood tests typically include complete blood count (CBC), biochemistry profile, and urinalysis.
I’ll briefly break down what each test does.
A CBC test provides your veterinarian with important information regarding red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
A biochemistry profile is actually a panel of tests performed to get information about organ and tissue performance. It’s useful for detecting kidney disease, liver disease, and diabetes.
Urinalysis is a test that looks at the physical and chemical properties of your cat’s urine. The main goal of urinalysis is confirming that a cat’s kidneys are working properly. It can also identify infection or inflammation that can point to urinary cancer, kidney issue, and diabetes.
While these comprehensive tests may not be recommended by your vet if you have a young, healthy cat, they are sometimes helpful for younger cats with noticeable health issues. Middle-aged and senior cats can definitely benefit from these important fact-finding tests!
What About Emergencies?
Open wounds, broken bones, sprains, lacerations, lethargy, prolonged limping, excessive vomiting, and persistent diarrhea are all signs that your cat needs to get to a vet immediately!
Don’t wait until an emergency strikes before making a plan to get help for your cat. It’s not guaranteed that your cat will need help during regular “office hours.” Do some research to pinpoint all weekend or 24-hour veterinary hospitals within a 50-mile radius of your home the day you bring home a new cat.
Get That Visit Scheduled
Don’t worry if you’ve fallen behind with veterinarian visits. Your vet will be happy to get your caught cat up! My rundown of when to take your cat to the vet has hopefully helped you to get an idea of what to expect.
Brian is a proud cat parent and animal enthusiast who lives in the Northwestern United States with two cats. In his spare time, Brian likes traveling around with his pets, exploring new places, and writing. Sharing what he learned over the years of cat ownership brings him joy, and the cats teach him something new every day.