How Often Do You Take A Cat To The Vet?

How Often Do You Take A Cat To The Vet?

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First Kitten visit to the vet

Cats are great pets, but they also need as much care as any other living creature. Cats often carry the reputation of being completely self-sufficient but it is important for pet owners to know how often to take their cats to the vet so that their feline friend lives a long and healthy life. It's not always easy to know when your cat needs to visit the vet. Cats are notoriously independent, and many people don't think that their cat will ever need a doctor until it is too late.

If you're a cat parent, it's important to ensure your furry companion is getting the proper care. But how often should you take them to the vet? This blog post will help answer that question and more.

TLDR: Bring a newly adopted cat to the vet immediately, regardless of age. For a regular adult cat, a visit once a year should be sufficient. For older cats, you may want to get checkups every 4 to 6 months. There are also a bunch of signs to watch out for that should prompt you to schedule a vet visit quickly.

vet holding kitten

Your kitten is going to be a little over two weeks old when they first meet the veterinarian. They'll still have their baby teeth, fuzzy fur, and innocent eyes, but all that will soon change as they grow into adulthood.


During the first vet visit, you will receive a lot of information about your kitten's health status, which will be helpful when deciding on what kind of food they should eat and what are the necessary vaccinations for them. The best thing you could do would be to get an appointment with your vet right after your kitten has opened his eyes.

Adult cat visit

Adult Cats should be taken to the vet at least once a year for their routine checkup. It's important to get them vaccinated and monitor any new health changes that are happening in your cat. Some people think they can just take care of their pets themselves and avoid going over-budget with an expensive visit from the veterinarian every six months or so.

Your vet will be able to ensure your cat is up-to-date with her vaccines and perform different health checks at this age.

Senior cats vet visit

As your cat gets older, she'll need to visit the vet more often. Older cats tend to have health problems that can be detected early on with regular examinations by a veterinarian. Annual checkups will allow for an earlier diagnosis and treatment before minor issues become major ones.


As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that they are in good health and making visits for checkups at least once every three to four months to keep them healthy.

As your cat gets older, it becomes increasingly difficult to care for them on the same level you did when they were younger. Once cats reach ten years old, some adjustments need to be made to give them their best chance at living a long and healthy life.

Alarming Signs That Show Your Cat Need To Go To Veterinarian Now

Other than their age, there are certain problems in which your cat needs a visit to the vet. Some common problems are:

1. Lethargy

depressed tired cat

Lethargy is a bad sign for any cat, but especially if it's your senior feline. It signals that he or she might be getting sick and needs medical attention ASAP. Lethargy can mean different things to cats than what we know about the word in human terms. A loss of energy means something could be wrong with them health-wise, so take action quickly before they get even worse!

2. Vomiting

Cat throwing up in a backyard

Vomiting is a sign of illness in cats. Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell what the cause might have been without consulting your veterinarian. Vomiting is usually an indication that something isn't going well, and not every cat will experience this symptom because different conditions produce different reactions within each individual's body. Some may vomit as little as once, while others become violently ill more than once per day during their sickness phase (vomit up hairballs too!).

3. Fever

Your cat is suffering from a fever. It's important to act quickly when they have this symptom because not doing so could lead them to develop severe symptoms, requiring urgent medical treatment and an expensive visit with the vet.

Your pet may be feeling hot all over or experiencing chills if it has a high temperature. Be sure that you take your cat for emergency care as soon as possible if one of these signs occurs in order to avoid any further complications down the line.

4. Diarrhea

It would be best if you were extra vigilant when you notice your cat is not acting their normal self. The first thing any pet owner must remember about cats is diarrhea, especially in the case of chronic or persistent diarrhea. They are likely suffering from an underlying illness.

It is important to realize that if your cat has diarrhea, it means they are not feeling well, and you should immediately take them to the vet.

5. Loss of appetite

The first sign of illness in cats could be loss of appetite. It is important to take note and provide them with the necessary medical care they need as soon as possible because this can rapidly worsen if left untreated.

6. Coughing

If you find that your cat is coughing, it could be a sign of illness. They may sound like they have pneumonia or bronchitis and might not eat as much food when sick.

Coughing from cats can either mean they are just trying to get rid of something in the throat by shaking out saliva through the nose, but if they continue to cough for days at a time, there's probably something more serious going on, such as an infection which should be checked with veterinary care immediately.

7. Discharge from eyes and nose

Cat discharge is often a sign that they are not feeling well, but it can also be due to stress. If you notice more than just the occasional small amount of discharge from their eyes or nose and your cat looks unhappy all the time, then take them in to see a vet as soon as possible

8. Urinating outside the litter box

Cats often feel stress when they are not feeling well. This is because their immune system becomes compromised, and the cat's body cannot fight off infection as it should, making them more susceptible to getting sick in a stressful environment.

Cats can show signs of being stressed, such as hiding or urinating inappropriately outside their litter box, which signals that something isn't right with your cat's health.

9. A lump or bump on the cat body

cat lump on stomach

You may be the best judge of whether or not your cat is feeling well, but if you have noticed any unusual lumps on their body recently, it might be time to take them in for a checkup. Cats are known for hiding illness and pain, so even though they could look fine, there could still be something wrong with them that needs attention from a veterinarian who can find out what's going on inside.

10. Dragging their back legs

Cats can be quite clever and complex pets. If they drag their back legs when walking, it is a sign that your cat may not feel well. They will also be slow and lethargic, have less appetite for food or water than usual, and might even start vomiting or coughing up hairballs.

11. A Big Fall

cat wagging tail in tree

Cats love climbing trees to great heights and sometimes, getting a cat down from that tree can be a big problem. If your cat leaps from any great height, it’s probably worth it to take your furry loved one to the vet to make sure they didn’t break or fracture anything. Cats tend to hide physical injuries and pain by instinct. A quick checkup can save your kitty from lots of pain and potentially long lasting mobility issues.

Conclusion

It is important to have your cat checked by a veterinarian at least once every year. If you notice any changes in your cats' behavior or if they seem sick, it may be time for an appointment! Cats are very independent animals and can often hide when they're not feeling well. This means that we don't always know when our furry friends need help until it's too late. Make sure to take the initiative of scheduling regular vet visits for your cat so that we can catch something early on before things get worse.

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3 comments

My cat’s side of her leg had an extremely strange lump on it yesterday when I was combing her. While it wasn’t particularly large, she reacted negatively when I touched it, so I should definitely take her to the veterinarian. I appreciate you stating that as your cat ages, she will require more frequent veterinary visits because older cats frequently experience health issues that may be identified early on by routine checkups by a veterinarian. This week, I’ll most surely take her! https://www.staplesanimalhospital.com/services

Taylor Abrams

Yesterday I was brushing my cat and I noticed a really weird bump on the side of her leg. It wasn’t too big, but I noticed she squirmed when I touched it, so I should probably take her to the vet. Thanks for mentioning that cats are good at hiding illness or pain. I’ll definitely take her this week! https://www.lillianvethospital.com

Eve Mitchell

For the past three days, my cat has been peeing outside of her litterbox. Thanks for mentioning that this can be an indicator of stress or infection. She’s really old, so I definitely don’t think that I should take her to the vet instead of leaving her to figure it out. https://bovh.com/

Eve Mitchell

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