Wellness Visits: Cat Care

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Preventative Care Visits

Preventative Care Visits are the foundation of our care. These annual (or semiannual for senior pets) checkups give us a chance to review everything you’ve seen at home, perform a thorough physical exam, and collect lab samples to screen for infectious and chronic illnesses, before your pet feels ill. They are also a chance for us to review your pet’s lifestyle and any upcoming changes to it, so we can provide the best care recommendations.


Lab Tests

Annual Lab Tests give your cat a voice that would otherwise be lacking. They tell us whether we need to perform deworming, whether organ function is changing, and what medications and supplements are best for your pet.

  • Intestinal Parasite Screening is performed by checking a stool sample; you’ll receive a container ahead of time to collect a small sample from the litterbox the morning of our visit. Even indoor-only cats can be exposed to parasites through house flies, potting soil, and parasites brought into the building on our shoes (or our neighbors’ pets!). 
  • Blood Tests for organ function (including kidney and thyroid disease), anemia, and inflammatory diseases let you know that there aren’t lurking health concerns; they also provide a baseline for comparison over time. 
  • Urine Analysis helps round out our health assessment, providing additional information about kidney function, and screening for diabetes; you’ll receive a sample collection kit that makes checking urine a breeze for you and your cat.

Nutrition

Nutrition Assessment is crucial to ensuring your cat feels her best. Navigating the seemingly endless choices in available diets, as well as supplements, is something we enjoy doing! We will help you determine if the current food and portions are the best option, and if not, what alternatives are a good choice. We’ll help you create a portion plan that keeps your cat at her healthiest weight and minimizes the risks of arthritis, diabetes, and liver disease.


Vaccinations

Vaccinations are a powerful tool and we use them judiciously to ensure your cat is protected from viruses he may come in contact with. We use the safest vaccines available for cats, and work with you to design a vaccination plan that works for your pet, not against him. 

  • Rabies Virus Vaccination is legally required for all pets in New York and New Jersey. We use a vaccine specifically created to be as safe as possible for cats, and after the initial one year dose, administer it every three years, to keep the risk as low as possible for your cat. 
  • Distemper or FVRCP Vaccine protects your cat against several viruses that he will be exposed to in the environment, either through direct/indirect contact with other cats, or through the germs we carry into our homes. After the initial kitten series and one year booster, we administer this vaccine every three years, minimizing the total number of doses your cat receives. 
  • Feline Leukemia Virus Vaccine is important for any cats going outside, where they can come into direct or indirect contact with cats carrying this fatal disease. If you cat is at risk of exposure, we will help arrange vaccination to keep her safe