New Feline Visits

Bringing home a new cat is an exciting time, but is also a commitment to a furry family member. Cats can provide great stress relief and fun, but also require a lot of time, enrichment, and research to be sure you're providing the best care for your new friend. We're here to help you understand the ins and outs of cat ownership!

Preparing for Your Visit

One of the best tidbits I've ever been given is that cats are not small dogs. In context, they were referring to medicine, but in this instance I'm referring to transportation. Everyone loves the idea of a cat on a leash, but the logistics aren't as sound as one would hope. Even a well-fitted harness isn't guaranteed to keep your cat contained - in fact, most cats are capable of squishing down and wiggling out of most tight spaces, so a flexible lead is hardly a safe way to transport your cat. We recommend cats come in sealed carriers designed for them - no cardboard boxes, laundry baskets, pillow cases, or crock pots (we've seen it all, folks!). I also do not recommend carrying your cat in without any sort of confinement. Cats are skittish and scare very easily. Even the most docile cat is only one loud noise away from bolting off across the parking lot. With busy roads and thick forests around, a loose cat can be very difficult and dangerous to track down. To avoid such risks, a cat carrier supported from the bottom when carrying them is the best way to get a cat into the clinic.

For tips on training your cat to be comfortable in the carrier, Click Here

If you know that your cat has fear of traveling or fear at the vet hospital, let us know ahead of time! Using calming products such as Feliway can help many cats. If that isn't enough and we've seen them within the last year, we can often prescribe medications to help them feel more calm during the trip and appointment.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

Each year, we recommend that cats be evaluated for intestinal parasites. To do this, we need a fresh fecal sample (yep, poo) to send to the lab. This sample should not be dried out or frozen. Samples collected greater than 1 hour before the appointment should be sealed and kept cool. Many intestinal parasites are zoonotic, meaning they can infect humans. We always recommend thorough hand washing after handling any fecal material.

In addition to this smelly sample, we recommend you bring a list of medications your cat is on. This includes any flea or tick prevention, supplements, or vitamins you provide. We recommend that you write down the dose as well as when you administer this medication. It's easy to forget about different medications once you're in the exam room, so having a list helps to be sure nothing is missed.

At the bottom of your list, you might want to include what diet your cat is fed. This may be canned or kibble. Add in any treats, snacks, or table scraps as well. This helps us have a well-rounded idea of your cats diet. Diet plays a huge role in maintaining a healthy cat, so the more information we have, the better we can help guide you when it comes to medical decisions and care.

Vaccination Recommendations

Just like we do with dogs, we create a vaccination plan tailored to your cat based off of their lifestyle and risks. In New York State, a cat must be rabies vaccinated by a veterinarian even if they never leave the home. Rabies vaccines are available in 1 year and 3 year preparations. We have recently reintroduced the 3 year feline rabies vaccine back to the hospital and are happy to discuss this with you.

The next vaccine is feline distemper, or FVRCP, a combination vaccine offering protection against Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR), Feline Calicivirus (C), and Feline Panleukopenia (P). These viral infections can be deadly in cats, so we typically recommend all cats be vaccinated, regardless of indoor or outdoor status. This vaccination is given every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age, once more the following year, then every 3 years after.

The final commonly recommended vaccine is Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). FeLV is a contagious virus spread by close contact between cats - bite wounds, sharing water sources, mutual grooming, etc. Per Cornell University, between 2-3% of all cats in the United States are affected by this disease. It is the most common cause of cancer in cats and weakens the immune system, leading to secondary infections that can cause devastating illness. While an infected cat with no clinical signs can go on to lead a normal life if precautions are taken, they are a constant reservoir of disease and pose a threat to other unvaccinated cats. This vaccine is first administered twice, 2-4 weeks apart, once the following year, and then every 2 years thereafter under typical situations. For a non-infected cat living in close proximity to an infected cat, yearly vaccination is often recommended. This vaccine is not always recommended to indoor-only cats with no exposure, but a thorough lifestyle history helps to determine if this is the case.

Viral Testing

At our hospital, we recommend newly acquired cats and outdoor cats who are not fully vaccinated have a SNAP test performed. This blood test is run in about 10 minutes and evaluates exposure to heartworm, Feline Leukemia Virus, and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.

As discussed in our post about puppy visits, heartworms are parasites in the vessels of the lungs that are spread by mosquitoes. These worms reproduce and as their numbers grow, they can push back into the heart. Ultimately, these worms can cause heart disease and lung disease. Heartworm disease in cats comes with significantly higher risk when it comes to treatment. With no medication labeled for treatment of heartworm in cats, veterinarians can use the canine medication. However, this treatment results in dead worms traveling through the blood stream which can cause severe allergic reactions and death in the cat. Some cats receive treatment for their clinical signs (coughing, asthmatic symptoms, vomiting, and more), while waiting for the worms to die a natural death - that being said, dying worms still pose the same threat as those dying from treatment. Finally, treatment can include surgical removal of the worms. This procedure is performed by a specialist and is typically only performed on those with severe disease. The surgery has significant risks associated with it as well. Fortunately in our area, heartworm disease is quite rare, even more so for cats. Many prescribed flea and tick preventatives will also offer heartworm prevention as well. We recommend this prevention year round.

We touched on feline leukemia virus above. Those who test positive should be indoor-only cats to prevent spread throughout the cat population and to reduce their risk of exposure to other disease. There is no specific treatment to FeLV, only to treat secondary infections and help to prevent them. They can have a normal life-span if not showing clinical signs at time of diagnosis and the proper steps are taken to limit exposure to disease-causing pathogens and infections. It is not typically recommended to vaccinate a cat for FeLV if they are already infected.

Finally, the test evaluates for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). This is also referred to as feline aids as it acts very similarly to HIV in humans. This disease is spread through blood contact (fighting) and mating. There is no vaccine available at this time. We recommend screening new kittens and cats for this disease, as well as outdoor cats regularly, to be sure they are not infected. This disease limits the ability of the immune system to do it's job. As such, secondary infections are common and can be fatal. It is recommended that positive cats remain as indoor-only cats to reduce spread throughout the population as well as limit their exposure to other infections. These infected cats can lead fairly normal lives so long as precautions are taken to reduce secondary infections.

Spay and Neuter

We recommend all cats over the age of 6 months be spayed or neutered. Female cats left intact are at an increased risk of mammary cancer development. They also can develop an infection of the uterus, also known as a pyometra, that can be life threatening and require emergency surgery to correct. Male cats who are left intact are much more likely to have roaming behaviors and inter-cat aggression. They are far more likely to develop urine marking behaviors in the home, as well. Those who develop these habits and are neutered later do not always outgrow these behaviors. Of course, spaying and neutering your pets helps decrease the overall pet population which is currently leading to over-populated shelters and stray support programs.

Parasite Prevention

As we've mentioned in previous posts, we recommend year round flea and tick prevention. Many prescribed preventatives also provide heartworm prevention as well as protection against many intestinal parasites. Parasites are NOT just summer pests - we see them year round. As such, we recommend that cats be treated with prevention all 12 months of the year.

Senior Pets

We recommend cats be seen by a veterinarian yearly, regardless of being due for vaccines or not. Senior cats, or those over the age of 7, should have yearly lab work to evaluate their liver and kidney function, blood glucose levels, electrolytes, and blood cell counts. Early detection of disease is key in providing care to help them live long, healthy lives.

Still have questions about visits with your cat? Give us a call at 607-656-4285 and we'll be happy to help!