While cats are cherished family pets, too few make it to the veterinarian for routine health checks. Once a year visits are essential for establishing your pet’s normal parameters and identifying any risk factors that may lead to illness down the road. But as much as a yearly health exam is a great start, there is more value to a veterinary visit than you think.
Enhancing your Cat’s Quality of Life
Cat health is becoming more about trying to prevent disease by providing cats with a home environment that caters to their needs as best as we can. Over the years, so much of our cat care has revolved around making our lives more convenient. 100% dry food diets and covered litter boxes filled with scented litter are just some examples. We now know better, and as professionals, we try and get this information out to as many cat owners as possible. Simple changes to litter, diet, even playtime, can enhance your cat’s quality of life. Every year, dedicated feline specialists pass on the latest news to us about what makes cats tick, so we can help our clients do their best to keep their kitties healthy. We discuss what’s new at each visit, and go over the basics. Our goal is to not just have a healthy cat, but a stress free and happy one too.
Getting to the Clinic
It all starts with getting your cat to the clinic. This is the hardest step for many cat owners. Dr. Olinyk is well aware of the challenges owners face with scared, stressed, or angry cats having to travel to see us. Because of this, our technical staff is trained to give our clients specific advice tailor-made to their situation. When necessary, we can provide a prescription for calming medication to be given beforehand. Here are some tips for getting your cat into the carrier.
Dedicated Cat Exam Room
Once at the clinic, one of our exam rooms is a feline specific room, and whenever possible, our cat patients are ushered right in. It has its own scale, the usual towel-covered table, and warmed pillows on cold days. The whole room is infused with a cat pheromone that helps make them content.
The Discussion
The visit always starts with a discussion about you and your cat. This takes about an hour for an initial visit. I cover the basics first, then we go into more detail specific to your pet’s needs. Information about diet, water consumption, litter box routines, playtime, grooming, and activity tell me a lot about your cat’s behavior. This can help me identify any risk factors for current or future problems. Another benefit of the discussion is that during this time, the cat can relax and get settled after the journey in.
The Basics:
Here is a list to my reference articles on the most commonly discussed topics:
The Scoop on Litter
Cats need wet food daily
Cat scratching behavior
The Exam
The exam continues with a nose to tail check up and a written summary of the findings. Nail trims are always included, when requested.
View our gallery of photos showing the process:
Ellie is comfortable on the heated pillow we tuck under the towel.
