A Letter to Cat Owners

March 3rd, 2015

Dear Cat Owners,

I've had several cats these last few weeks come in with the history of only being sick a few days yet, these cats were in serious trouble.  Unfortunately, they were so sick that we could not save them.

Felines are an incredible species. God created them to be very resilient. Sometimes they do seem to have nine lives. A cat, when sick, will turn down it's energy output and separate itself from outside influences. Since they may go hide for weeks until they recover, you may not pick up that they are sick till it's too late.

As we age, the likelihood of problems increase.  In order to catch potential problems early, yearly physicals are encouraged. For aging humans, it is recommended that at the age of fifty they start having regular examinations by their doctor.  For a cat, who ages faster that a human; we always recommend yearly examinations.  The age we at which recommend twice yearly physical exams and yearly blood work begins at 7 years of age.

Many owners believe their indoor only cats don't necessarily need  vaccinated.  This is not the case, as it depends on their risk of exposure to the preventable diseases. In addition to disease that may be prevented by vaccination; heart disease, diabetes, renal failure, and liver disease can be caught early and extend a cat's life many years.

I was very saddened to see several cats lose their lives, especially cats that I feel may have been saved if their condition was picked up on a routine senior health screening. At Akron Barberton Veterinary Clinic, we are looking into providing some low cost screening tests for our feline friends.  

Dr. Gregory A. Roadruck

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AAFP Guideline to Cat Vaccinations

This letter written by Dr. Greg Roadruck for use on the Websites that are owned and operated by Orrville Veterinary Clinic, Inc.

Article edited and posted by Dr. Jeff Fink