Do Cats Need Check Ups?

[47jennifer]

I have two cats, one is about 3.5 and the other is 3. They both last saw the vet when they were 2. They had a check up and got shots. The vet's office has been calling a lot to remind us to come in for check ups and shots.

My cats are both very healthy (at least it appears to me). They are indoor only cats, and we have no other pets. We feed them a high quality dry food. They are two of the only housecats I know of that are not overweight...my cats a tiny compared to other cats I know!

Do I need to take them to annual check ups? How important is the check up for indoor cats? What about the shots? Since it costs a couple hundred dollars each time we go, I want to know whether its really worth my money...any thoughts?

[lonegirl]

Yes
The most important aspect, imo and the opinion of the vets I work with, are the annual physicals. In a year you are looking at your cat aging around 4yrs (approx age of a 2y old cat is 20 and then 4 years for every year after)...a lot can go wrong in that time...

[womenswisdom]

I'm gonna agree w/ lonegirl. It's important to have them checked once a year when young and then twice a year as they get closer to 9 or 10 years old. The reason is that the rate at which their bodies age is many times faster than the way we age so going a year between checkups is like going several years between checkups for people. Cats are *very* good at hiding signs of illness - they have to be (in the wild) to avoid predators seeing them as weak and picking them off.

One thing we look for on an exam is weight loss, which is usually severe by the time an owner notices, because it's usually gradual and they see the cat every day. Even a 1# weight loss on a 10# cat is a significant body weight percentage. We also check for an elevated heart rate or heart murmurs, palpate the abdomen for masses or organs/structures of abnormal size, check eyes and ears more thoroughly than you are able to as an owner, check for thyroid nodules, loss of muscle mass, and so much more.

If you don't want to do vaccines, don't do them, but the exam is really the most important factor is detecting illness early. As your cat gets older, a twice-yearly exam can help find things like early kidney disease, diabetes and hyperthyoidism early, when they can be treated more effectively and at less cost to the owner. If I had a nickel for every time a critically ill cat came in and the owner said the last time they were seen were as kittens but "they've been fine until a week ago", I'd be rich. Let me tell you, chronic kidney disease does not happen in the span of a week. If those cats had been seen for regular checkups, they would've been in much better shape. At that point, the treatment is usually several hundred dollars with a poor prognosis and/or the owner decides the cat is too sick to treat and euthanizes. Makes me sad...sorry, off my soapbox now.

[lonegirl]

Originally Posted by womenswisdom

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If you don't want to do vaccines, don't do them, but the exam is really the most important factor is detecting illness early. As your cat gets older, a twice-yearly exam can help find things like early kidney disease, diabetes and hyperthyoidism early, when they can be treated more effectively and at less cost to the owner. If I had a nickel for every time a critically ill cat came in and the owner said the last time they were seen were as kittens but "they've been fine until a week ago", I'd be rich. Let me tell you, chronic kidney disease does not happen in the span of a week. If those cats had been seen for regular checkups, they would've been in much better shape. At that point, the treatment is usually several hundred dollars with a poor prognosis and/or the owner decides the cat is too sick to treat and euthanizes. Makes me sad...sorry, off my soapbox now.

That and they usually wait until friday late afternoon before coming in.

I am going to assume you, too are a tech?

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

My cats only went in when they are sick the trip was such a huge stress for them I didnt see the point.

My last died at 16y1m old and was a happy healthy cat and she had a full check up the Tues. before, had her put down that Friday and she checked out perfect other than a bit of loss on kidney function but normal for her age.

She just went that fast. Either from a pnumonia or tumor which I suspect.

According to my vet once the kidneys start to go there is nothing to be done other than giving IV's and that only prolongs life for a few months at best.

[lonegirl]

Originally Posted by MCatLvrMom2A&X

According to my vet once the kidneys start to go there is nothing to be done other than giving IV's and that only prolongs life for a few months at best.

In some cases this is true....but I have given Subcutaneous fluids to many cats and for many they lived an additional 2+years with the SQ fluids. Owners were told to monitor quality of life during this time and to reevaluate as they went along.

Also as a pp mentioned....cats are great at hiding problems until they are seriously into the disease. This is why an annual checkup at minimum with Annual Bloodwork (starting around 7/8y)is a good idea. Bloodwork can be monitored from year to year for any systemic changes and treatment can beging early. Kidney disease is very common in senior cats...such that they have developed many supportive meds to help the kidneys process the waste....before the cat is in renal failure.

[~Adorkable~]

I think one of the most useful things about annual checkups is having a baseline so that when something changes, you recognize it as a change.

Most vets are very relaxed on vax lately and skip years even for those that give them.

I know that a good relationship with a few vet over the happy 16 years so far of my kitty has helped us catch a hand ful of small and big issues.

My cat gives me so much, a reliable life of care is the least I can give him.