Why Should Every Cat Have An Annual Exam? – Part one

 I’ve been a “cat doctor” for over 23 years, and I’m still in love with my profession. I work with amazing people who love their cats and want the best for them, including a long, healthy life.
When I’m asked what is most important in increasing a cat’s chances for a long, comfortable and happy life, I feel there are two major contributing factors. The first is a consistently high quality diet that helps your cat maintain a healthy body weight. It can be dry or canned or fresh, but ideally it comes from an established pet food company, working with American or Canadian ingredients, with quality control standards meeting AAFCO standards. I especially like those pet food companies who maintain well cared for cat colonies, allowing their nutrition scientists to monitor the response of a group of cats to a diet over time. This allows even subtle problems to be caught. Three such companies are Hills, Royal Canin and Purina.
A second equally important factor is regular veterinary care.
Why is regular preventative veterinary care so important, even for a strictly indoor cat? Even though an indoor cat is unlikely to carried off by a coyote or hit by a car, and probably won’t be exposed to infectious diseases by a stranger cat, there are many problems they can develop.
Indoor cats have teeth, hearts, livers, kidneys, skin and other organ systems, which are not protected by being indoors.
The two most common problems I see are dental disease and obesity, often starting at just two to three years of age. Both conditions are very easy to manage, or better yet prevent with the help of your veterinarian. During an annual visit, your veterinarian should weigh your cat, compare his or her weight to the last visit and discuss any concerns about your cat’s body condition. We have formulas to help you know how many kcals your cat should be consuming daily. One tip is to switch from kitten food to adult food at nine months instead of 12 months, which helps prevent early onset obesity.
Starting your kitten out with regular at home dental care, such as very gentle teeth brushing with a soft toothbrush designed for cats or adding a dental care additive to your cat’s water can help decrease the development of plaque and tartar which can lead to periodontal disease. While some feline dental disease is not currently preventable (feline resorptive lesions), at least these painful lesions can be detected during an annual exam and treated earlier rather than later.
If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment, please call 661-259-5288 or go to our website, www.catdoctor.com for a virtual tour and the ability to request an appointment online. We are located at 26055 Bouquet Canyon Road between Magic Mountain Parkway and Cinema Drive.