Annual checkups

I'm pretty new to preventative cat health care (and to cat guardianship too, for that matter, my first cat joined the family about  a year and a half ago), so I'm just seeking to learn all that I can to keep my fur babies healthy for many years to come.

When I should I do my annual check up for my kitties? Should I just write down a list of concerns or questions and sort of double it with their rabies booster shot appointment?

What should be done? What do you do with your kitties? Is there certain bloodwork or urinalysis that should be done? If so, what are they checking for?

Any insights on what you do are much appreciated.

I pretty  much only take my kitties to the vet for an annual check up and when they're sick.  Annually, they should go in and have a check up. Depending on the age of your kitty, you may or may not elect to have bloodwork.  If you've got a young, healthy kitty, then you probably won't need bloodwork.  If your kitty is 10 yrs old or older, then you'll want a senior bloodwork panel done at least annually.  As your kitty gets older, you'll want it done every 6 months.

You should educate yourself on vaccination protocol and decide if you want your kitty vaccinated annually or not.  Also, see if your state requires a rabies vaccination.  Talk to your vet about what shots should be done and how often.  Personally, I choose not to vaccinate my indoor only kitties past the completion of their kitten shots and first rabies shot.  If I get the rabies shot, I only do it every 3 years.  I have one kitty with Feline Herpes, and after consulting with our vet, we decided that due to her compromised immune system, we'd not vaccinate.  She also can't have the combo shot (FVRCP) because she has a reaction to the "R" part of that shot.

Crazy4Strays said:

 
When I should I do my annual check up for my kitties? Should I just write down a list of concerns or questions and sort of double it with their rabies booster shot appointment?

What should be done? What do you do with your kitties? Is there certain bloodwork or urinalysis that should be done? If so, what are they checking for?

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It doesn't matter when you take your cats in for the annual exam. Just make it a point to schedule it around the same time every year if possible.

Usually at the annual exam the vet will give vaccinations if your cat is due for them. Feel freet to ask any questions and bring up concerns during the exam. At any exam, really, you should discuss concerns with the vet even if its not related to why your cat is there in the first place. The vet will do a basic exam: listen to heat, palpate abdomen, check eyes, etc. Blood work and urinalysis are generally not done at the annual exam unless cat is already feeling under the weather or is a senior. Or if the owner insists on it and will pay for the addtional tests that probably won't show anything other than the cat is healthy.

I take both cats to the vet at the same time every year for their annual check up and rabies shot (I do the one year PureVax) and FVRCP if needed. Sometimes I'll get a refill for Revolution or HeartGard while I'm there. My cats are healthy so I don't usually have concerns to ask the vet about. Mostly we talk about how uper active and crazy my Aby is

Do you have a vet yet? It's important to find a vet who you feel comfortable with and can freely discuss concerns with. Any vet can do a basic exam but if your personalities clash or if you disagree about something (food is usually a hot topic) it's not worth your cat's health and well being.

Yes, I luckily have a really great veterinarian. He put my older cat on anti-anxiety meds which helped solve his litter box problems.

Then I took my younger cat in this last summer and did feline leukemia testing and vaccine, as well as distemper vaccine.

Before I found my current vet, my kitties got microchips at the vet clinic, one got his rabies shot at the vet clinic, and the other got a rabies shot at a different vet. Never again will I do vaccines at a vet clinic though. Way too pricey! They charged me $40 just for the rabies shot at the vet clinic.

Just kind of wondered what sort of routine "maintenance" is recommended.

Just kind of wondered what sort of routine "maintenance" is recommended.

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Good food, clean water, lots of love, and a safe environment are pretty much the only "maintenance" kitties require.

So from the sounds of it, just a basic head to tail exam plus booster shots is good for most young cats.

I'll have to talk to the vet more in depth about my older cat. He needs a dental cleaning, so we'll have to figure out what bloodwork should be done before anesthesia.

You've pretty much got it. Of course, if something comes up in between visits, then off to the vet, but other than that, there's really not much to it.  If you have a dental done on your kitty, most vets will do a basic blood panel prior to anesthesia.  Educate yourself on vaccinations, how often, and possible side effects before deciding to do yearly boosters.

There's so many conflicting opinions on vaccines I don't know where to start.

The only thing that I'm sure of is that I will always get them rabies shots boosters on the vet's recommended schedule and I still am happy that I microchipped them. Other than that, I don't know.

Is running a titer test to check for immunity something that a vet would do?

Yes, the vet can do the titer for immunity.  That's what my vet will do if I ever need to move or there is an epidemic of something.  If your cats stay inside, you don't foster, and you don't have other cats over, then the likelihood of them coming into contact with the things the vaccines cover is minimal and your kitty won't need to be vaccinated as often.

I do foster. I do it through a local rescue though and the animals are fully vetted before coming to me.

I do not ever intentionally let my cats out the door unattended, but one of the kitties is a great escape artist and despite my best efforts sometimes slips past one of the kiddos and runs out. Luckily, my kids are getting better at catching him and bringing him back in.

I also have harness trained both cats so that they can safely walk outside. But I imagine a leashed cat isn't really at high risk of catching disease outdoors, since they're supervised and thus not getting into cat fights.

So, it looks like either annual boosters or titer is the way to go for you.  Check with your rescue group as they may have certain requirements for your resident animals, too.

I only do rabies shots for my cat that never tries to escape. I told the rescue that, as well as what shots my other cat has, and they were fine with it.

I'll have to ask my foster coordinator about boosters in more depth.