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FURRY FELINE FRIENDS
Our furry feline friends
Our furry feline friends often take a back seat to our canine companions
when it comes to medical care. The veterinary world often
wonders why but I think we have to take a step back and see it
from the owner’s perspective. The majority of cats are indoors and
therefore owners perceive that they have less risk than their outdoor
loving canine counterparts. Dogs are exposed to other dogs, people,
and wildlife. Cats that live indoors do have lower risk but that does
not mean that annual examinations should be skipped. Indoor cats
should still be vaccinated. In this day and age, rabies still very much
has a presence, and there is just no reason why a pet should be put
at risk. Although not an everyday occurrence, bats do make their
way into homes and an exposed unvaccinated cat faces a real risk.
Heartworm disease is also a real issue in cats and there is no cure.
Heartworm disease is spread via the bite of infected mosquitos and
I don’t think there is one person out there that can say they have
never seen a mosquito in their house. Fleas also can pose a threat.
Fleas can transmit disease (plague, bartonella, typhus, and tapeworms)
and even though your furry feline may not go outside, dogs
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Cats hide disease very well and often owners are not aware that
anything is wrong until the cat is truly very ill. Annual examinations
by your veterinarian allow abnormalities to be detected early. Well-
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and Urinalysis), especially in senior cats can help detect disease early
and therefore patients can be managed for a longer period of time
in comparison to cats that only visit the veterinarian when an owner
notes a major change in their pet’s behavior. Often by the time these
patients present, very little can be done. Chronic kidney disease and
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cats and if detected early can be managed for a good length of time.
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