New Cat Health Checklist
Acquiring a new cat is a very exciting time for everyone! Whether you are adopting a kitten or cat you found in the area, from a shelter, or from a friend, cats provide countless hours of entertainment, companionship, and fun. It is important to ensure your cat is healthy and happy. This blog will go over the basics in ensuring your new cat is healthy.
Physical exam and check up:
It is strongly recommended for every new cat to be examined by a veterinarian after being acquired by your family. Whether the cat is indoors, outdoors or a mixture of both environments, we will complete a full physical exam from nose to tail. We examine your cats eyes and ears looking for debris, discharge, and ear mites. Inside the mouth we look for signs of dental disease or infection and discuss ways to prevent dental disease. On the surface of his or her coat we look for scabs, parasites, wounds, or skin infections. When we listen to the lungs we determine how your cat's heart and lungs sound and if there are any heart murmurs or arrhythmias. Feeling the abdomen allows us to assess if there are any masses, pain, or constipation.
Parasite prevention:
Many new cats come with unwanted additional "friends" (parasites). We recommend you bring in a stool sample to screen for intestinal parasites such as roundworms and hookworms. We will also inspect their skin for external parasites like fleas or ticks. If your cat goes outside regularly, consider having them on a monthly flea preventative.
Disease Testing and Vaccines:
If your cat is newly acquired, one health aspect we will discuss with you is testing them for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) and FeLV (feline leukemia virus). Both of these viruses are blood-borne and are spread between cats by mutual grooming, nursing, or fighting. Once we establish your cat's viral status we will recommend the appropriate vaccines for them based on their risk and lifestyle. Vaccines are strongly recommended to protect your cat against the spread of disease from other cats and other animals. Even indoor cats can acquire certain diseases when they enter your home on fomites (dirt, shoes, clothing, etc) or pests (bats, mice, etc).
Spay or neuter:
It is strongly recommended to have your cat spayed (for females) or neutered (for males). Spaying reduces the risk of mammary cancer (breast cancer), and eliminates the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer and infections as well as pregnancy. Neutering reduces the risk of prostate cancer and infections and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and infections. It also helps reduce testosterone-related behaviours in male cats such as spraying their urine and fighting. Finally, spaying and neutering your cat helps control the pet population by preventing unwanted pregnancies which result in homeless kittens.
Give us a call today at 905-833-5401 and book a health exam for your new cat!