How often do you take your adult indoor cats to the vet?

[BedHead]

Ours haven't been since they were fixed at 6 months. They're 3 and 4 and healthy. They both had their kitten vaxes and that's it. There's no legal requirement where we live for any more vaxing. Is there any reason to take them to the vet?? I grew up with farm cats that never saw a vet in their life, but I keep hearing about people taking their cats in for a check up every year, vaccinations etc. I just don't see a need, but maybe I'm wrong.

I don't want to vax them any more, they eat raw food, and I would want a vet who isn't going to freak about those choices, if one even exists!

[Thalia the Muse]

My vet is fine with indoor cats not staying on the vaccination schedule -- although if you ever need to board them, they'll need to catch up. Since our cat is now only indoor or in our back yard (she can't get out), we only take her to the vet when she seems to need it. The vet trip is so stressful for her that I think it would outweigh any potential benefit from routine check-ups.

When they get older, you'll want to have their teeth checked and cleaned at least occasionally -- they can get chronic gum infections that cause heart disease.

[rhiOrion]

I take my pets once a year (and I suppose the dog actually goes twice a year, but once is only for a HW test). BUT, I vaccinate. AND my cat has pee pee issues.

But I think in your case once a year may not be necessary. Just make sure you KNOW what the laws are regards to if some animal with questionable rabies status did somehow bite one of your cats.

Here are the things off the top of my head that a vet might catch that you might miss: worms, heart issues, teeth issues.

I agree with the PP that it's going to be more important later on. You'll definitely want to have a dental check at some point, and once they're considered "elderly" you might want to have blood work done every once in a while (cats are notorious for kidney problems).

Just make sure you have your file on record at a vet office in case of sudden illness...but it sounds like you do.

[Shenjall]

We have 3 strictly indoor cats. Our vet would prefer we do some vaxes, but we are still opting out. And he's okay with that. He just asks that we try to come in for an annual checkup. We're okay with that. However, that being said, its been about 2 years since we went for just a "checkup".

[MomtoAshlee]

Our 4 cats are stictly indoors only! We take them to the vet once a year for their annual checkup. Our 2 outside dogs and our 1 indoor dog goes once a year for a check up. That being said, every animal gets grooming done at least every other months.

[Pepper44]

I think your only concern would be worms and teeth. You can keep an eye on their teeth yourself and notice if there is plaque build-up or red gums.

Worms often don't have any signs until the cat starts seeming generally unwell, and they could easily catch a parasite from raw food!

I don't regularly vax my indoor cats either, only the indoor/outdoor cat. I deworm them every spring because the outdoor cat could bring in something and spread it, plus they sometimes accidentally get fleas and those carry tapeworms.

[2xy]

From what I understand, cats and dogs who are fed a natural, raw diet tend not to have dental issues. Most tooth decay and gum disease comes from processed foods.

I haven't taken a cat to the vet in four years. My 13yo (indoor) cat had heartworms and was being treated with steroids, so she had to go semi-frequently for a couple of years. I lost a 15yo cat 3.5 years ago; she had a thyroid problem, so she went semi-frequently, too.

Right now my 13yo is as healthy as she'll ever be, and hasn't been to the vet since stopping her meds two years ago. I have a 4yo cat who hasn't been since we adopted him. And we have a ten-week old kitten who will need to get a rabies shot when we take him to be neutered, but I plan to decline all the other junk they'll want to pump into him. He's already been wormed.

[rhubarbarin]

As-needed for health issues. They only got their vaxes as kittens. Mine are raw fed - no tartar, no vomiting, no urinary problems.

My cats are 3 and 5 now, I will probably start doing a check-up once every year or two when they get to be seniors.

[EFmom]

This thread is making me feel better. Our vet started sending us reminders for our cat to come in. Dh was there picking up something, and he said to the receptionist that there must be some problem with their records because she'd been in several months earlier.

The receptionist verified what he said, and then explained that the vets were now recommending "well cat visits" every six months. Dh told her that when our pediatrician wants to do well child visits every six months, we'd consider taking the cat in more often, but until then, once a year was more than plenty.

[BedHead]

Once every 6 months?!?! That's crazy!!

[katelove]

Our last cat went to the vet to get desexed at aound 6m.o. and didn't see a vet again (he lived until he was 12). However, we lived in an isolated area where there were no other cats, so chances of catching anything were low. We wormed him regularly with a supermarket wormer and he had a flea collar until he learned to take them off.

My current cat has yearly vaccinations but we don't live isolated now. I still worm him and flea him myself. So, it would normally be yearly but he has ahd a few other visits - tick paralysis, chest infection, cut which needed staples.

If you're not vaxing and you are happy to manage worming and keep an eye on their teeth yourself I think it's fine not to go to the vet.

[Ola_]

Originally Posted by Pepper44

Worms often don't have any signs until the cat starts seeming generally unwell, and they could easily catch a parasite from raw food!

I think you're misinformed about feeding pets raw. Do you think the meat you purchase at the grocery store for your family has parasites?

I've been feeding my two dogs raw for almost 5 years now and of course they go on lots of walks, etc. We don't give worming medication unless needed (one of our dogs came to us with worms), but on occasion the vet has recommended that we test a stool sample - it's never come out positive.

[honey-lilac]

We don't.

I don't even get a medical check up once a year. Heck, we don't even do well-baby visits and we don't vax. So why should the cat? It doesn't make sense to me.

[outlier]

Well cat visits! That's hilarious. So if that doesn't drum up enough business for them, will they be forced to make it every four months?

I take mine in if there's a problem, meaning once every few years. Any more than that and I feel like I'm setting myself up to be sold some unnecessary treatments.

[VWChick]

I do 99% of my own vet care. We currently have 1 dog, 3 cats, and 5 chickens.

Two of the cats are indoor/outdoor and they get vax'd (by me not requiring a vet visit). The dog also gets vax'd by me. The indoor only cat has had no vaccines in well over 10 years. Everyone gets wormed fairly regularly. Our vet handles mostly farms in the area and is very used to people doing their own vet work except for emergency stuff. There is no pressure from his office ever... and that's why I use them!

[Pepper44]

Originally Posted by Ola_

I think you're misinformed about feeding pets raw. Do you think the meat you purchase at the grocery store for your family has parasites?

I've been feeding my two dogs raw for almost 5 years now and of course they go on lots of walks, etc. We don't give worming medication unless needed (one of our dogs came to us with worms), but on occasion the vet has recommended that we test a stool sample - it's never come out positive.

Yep, the meat you buy at the store can have parasites! That's why if you eat raw meat it's recommended you freeze it for a certain number of days first. Google it!

[outlier]

Originally Posted by Pepper44

Yep, the meat you buy at the store can have parasites! That's why if you eat raw meat it's recommended you freeze it for a certain number of days first. Google it!

The risk of getting parasites from store-bought meat is extremely low. Think about how quickly food recalls are issued if there's a chance a batch of meat has been contaminated with E. coli bacteria, let alone worm eggs. I realize they don't catch all contaminations in time and some people get sick, but again, look at the odds of that happening. And I'll look this up later to be sure, but I doubt freezing food for a few days would kill worm eggs. Adult worms, yes, but their eggs and cysts are pretty resistant to harsh conditions.