A preventive care examination or check-up should occur at least once a year for all cats, and more frequently for senior cats with chronic medical conditions. These visits are important to a cat's healthcare plan. During this visit, the veterinarian will assess the cat's nutrition, lifestyle, environmental enrichment, disease and parasite prevention, and behavior.

Annual visits are important because:

• Cats age more rapidly than we do, so a preventive care examination is a crucial part of ensuring a healthy lifestyle for your cat.
  
  
• The information provided to the veterinarian along with the findings of the thorough physical examination will help the vet determine an individualized plan to help the pet remain healthy.
   
• During the physical examination, a veterinarian can often detect conditions that may affect a cat's health long before they become significant, so they can be managed or cured before they become painful or more costly.

What the vet examines during a check-up:

• Abdomen and body condition
• Muscle tone and weight
• Coat, fur, skin
• Eyes and ears
• Mouth, teeth and gums
• Heart and lungs
• Joints and spine
• Lymph nodes 
• Under the tail
• Exam may include blood and/or urine tests
  
  

As a member of the family, every cat deserves the best possible care. Together, pet owners and their veterinarian can best decide how to accomplish that by meeting at least annually to talk about the cat and any changes that have taken place in their life. With the information the pet owner brings coupled with a good physical examination, a plan will be created that meets the needs of the individual cat and their family.

Contributed by:  American Association of Feline Practitioners