Take Your Cat to the Vet Day
Did you know that cats get less medical care than dogs? The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is promoting August 22 as Take Your Cat to the Vet Day in an effort to create awareness of the much needed care of our feline friends.
The AVMA say on their Facebook page, “Cats are very good at hiding their illnesses, which makes preventive care so important. Your cat may appear healthy, but he or she still needs to see the veterinarian for an annual exam. Talk to your veterinarian about a preventive care schedule that fits your cat's age, lifestyle, and medical condition.”
Credit: AVMA/Facebook
Another well-known veterinarian, Dr. Ruth MacPete, DVM writes on Pet Health Network:
Your kids go to the pediatrician once a year, you see your dentist every 6 months, and even your car gets an oil change every 5000 miles; so why aren’t people taking their cats to the veterinarian for routine care? It seems hard to believe, but according to the American Humane Society, cats go the veterinarian half as often as dogs and many people only take their cat to the vet when their cat is sick.
She mentions physical exams, immunizations, parasite prevention and lab work as necessary to keep on top of your kitty’s well-being, medical needs and to find disease in its early and more treatable stages.
Many cat owners simply don’t want to face the battle of trying to get their cat into the carrier. Dr. MacPete offers more advice:
If you find yourself chasing your cat all over the house, battling to get them into the carrier, listening to their non-stop meowing during the car ride to the vet, and dealing with a ticked off tiger at the vet, be sure to read my previous blog, “Tips for Getting Your Tiny Tiger to the Vet.” It has lots of helpful tips on how to make the trip to the vet less stressful for you and your cat.
Happy Take Your Cat to the Vet Day! Hope this information goes some way in helping you decide to keep kitty on schedule with necessary wellness exams and medical care.
Susan, Taurus and Gemini
