Because  cats don't talk, the art of veterinary medicine is combining the observations you make with our physical and test findings to interpret the state of your pet's health. This article describes needed routine veterinary care for your cat.

AN ADVOCATE: You speak for your pet at every visit, providing a detailed history of diet, behaviors, well-being and/or signs of illness. We encourage you to be a good observer of litter box use, appetite, drinking habits, energy level, and mental status. Our team asks questions to expand on these elements to create a complete picture of what is happening in your cat's life. Because  cats don't talk, the art of veterinary medicine is combining your history with our physical and test findings to interpret the state of your cat's health and how best to help.

WEIGH-IN: Weight is a simple method to follow health trends. Is your kitten growing appropriately? Does you cat weight too much? Is your cat picking up a half pound each year? Half of all adult cats are overweight. Studies show that pets in the ideal weight range live 2-3 years longer than those that are overweight. Overweight cats are at risk for diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, liver disease, and heart problems. We can catch creeping ounces and pounds and put your cat on a healthier path. Or ... Has your cat lost weight? Unexplained weight loss, even in increments of tenths of a pound for cats, may be our first clue of illness.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION: The physical examination is the single most important element of your veterinary visit. A thorough physical examination lets us evaluate all the major body systems to validate health or detect abnormalities --- minor or major. Kittens receive an exam every 3 weeks through their vaccination series. Young and middle-aged cats receive an annual exam. Senior cats, 7 years or older, receive an examination every 6 months to stay on top of the changes that come with aging. The three most common conditions affecting the senior cat are dental disease, obesity, and kidney disease. All can be treated or managed to benefit your cat.

VACCINATION: Protection against infectious disease is an essential part of all wellness programs. In Franklin County, rabies vaccination is required by law to protect both cats and their humans. We consider the core vaccines for all cats to be rabies and the combination vaccine, feline distemper (panleukopenia) and respiratory viruses (herpes and calici). We use the vaccination guidelines of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Veterinary Medical Association. Core vaccination boosters are every 3 years after immunity is established. Need for others is based on age, risk factors, and life-style. We assess this with you on a regular basis. We test for vaccination titers (level of protection) when this is a better alternative.

PARASITE CHECK: Intestinal parasites (worms or protozoans) are common in cats and need to be eliminated, both for your cat's health and as protection against those that can be shared with people. We recommend yearly stool checks, as a minimum, for adult cats. Looking for external parasites --- fleas, ticks, and less commonly mites or lice --- is part of every visit.

PARASITE PREVENTION: We recommend year-round heartworm prevention and seasonal protection for fleas and ticks. More on heartworms, fleas, and ticks can be found by checking the web links. Heartgard for Cats is a monthly chewable tablet that prevents heartworms and kills hookworms. Revolution is a monthly topical medicine that provides heartworm protection, kills fleas and some ticks, and treats hookworms, roundworms and ear mites. Revolution is safe for kittens as young as 6 weeks, for breeding males and females, and pregnant and nursing cats. More information is available at www.revolutionpet.com. Heartgard and Revolution are equally effective at preventing heartworm infection. Frontline is a monthly topical for flea and tick control.

LABORATORY TESTS: Laboratory tests afford a wealth of information on how body systems are working. Kittens and new cats start with a test for feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus. If your cat spends unsupervised time outside, this viral screen is an annual test. Lab testing is done prior to all surgeries. We recommend a senior profile yearly for our older pets to look for the earliest indicators of dysfunction and for ways that we can extend both the quality and length of life. Laboratory tests on blood, urine, stool, and/or aspirates from growths are critical to help diagnose and monitor your sick cat.

SPAYING AND NEUTERING: We recommend spaying or neutering by 6 months of age, which is prior to sexual maturity for most kittens. These sterilization procedures help decrease the unwanted pet population while providing medical and behavioral benefits --- decreased mammary tumors, decreased marking and spraying, decreased desire to roam.