Your cat’s adult years will most likely be their fittest. However, be observant for any changes in your cat’s alertness, digestion, skin and coat, weight, hygiene, and daily habits. Here are some preventive measures that will keep your cat healthy well into their senior years.
Annual/Semi-Annual Examination
It is important to follow the examination schedule for your cat’s annual or semi-annual wellness exam even though they may seem perfectly healthy. Early detection can save your cat’s life, especially in the areas of:
- Dental disease
- Diabetes, kidney or liver disease and thyroid problems
- Cancers
- Obesity
- Allergies
- Parasites (heartworm, intestinal, fleas, ticks)
Testing
Annual blood and urine tests can reveal problems with your cat’s liver, kidneys, thyroid, white blood cells, red blood cells, etc. Abnormalities can show up in blood test results before ever starting to notice changes in your cat. If a disease is caught early, it can be cured or maintained much more effectively. Fecal exams are also very important to run on a regular basis to diagnose and treat for parasites.
Vaccines
For our adult cats, after they have received appropriate kitten vaccination cycles, we recommend a rabies shot with a duration of one-year of immunity and therefore, needs to be repeated annually. We do not consider the 3-year vaccine that is available to be as safe for cats and therefore, do not use or recommend it.