Cats from shelter questions

I posted a tapeworm question in the Health and Nutrition forum, and I also asked a few more questions that haven't been answered. So I thought I would ask them specifically here.

When getting a cat from a shelter (SPCA) - would it be too traumatic and horrible to take the cat directly to the Vet for a physical checkup, blood work and also to take to to the groomers to make sure I'm not bringing fleas or other problems into the house?

I tried to figure out what the SPCA fee includes from their website but couldn't find it. I'm just wondering if they offer a vet check if you agree to adopt or what else they do.

Thank you!

I'm not sure if that would be too traumatic, my instinct is to say no and get it over with, but I really don't know.

You should call the SPCA to find out. My local one gives a certificate for a vet visit w/ a large vet-chain with every adoption, but not all SPCA's are the same.

My local Humane Society provides a vet check, before the cat goes home. As a matter of fact, the pet CANNOT go home until he/she is spayed/neutered.

Barring this pre-adoption checkup, I think that it is a great idea to take the pet to a vet ASAP. You don't want to introduce any diseases or parasites to your existing household.

De-flea and - ticking as well as checking for ear mites is a good idea, too. If you can't take the pet directly to the vet, keep it isolated until it gets a clean bill of health.

At my shelter, a vet check is provided on admission, as needed during the cat's stay at the shelter and immediately before release at our in-house full service vet-clinic. In my city, I haven't ever heard of a shelter NOT having a vet clinic and I'm going to assume that most shelters do. Generally, adoption fees cover an initial vet check and then any care that is needed while teh cat is at the shelter.

Also, I've always heard staff reccommend going straight to the vet, and both times I adopted from a shelter, I took my kits right to the vet and the petsmart

Now this is probably a really, REALLY dumb question - but do vets do grooming as well? Or would I have to take her to the pet store grooming service near my house? Poor baby, that would be TWO traumatic trips, no THREE including my taking her away from the shelter!

Originally Posted by journey

Now this is probably a really, REALLY dumb question - but do vets do grooming as well? Or would I have to take her to the pet store grooming service near my house? Poor baby, that would be TWO traumatic trips, no THREE including my taking her away from the shelter!

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My vet has a groomer come in two days a week. I imagine it's different depending on the vet.

The vet can check for fleas, too. If s/he finds fleas or other parasites, they can give you a treatment. Or you could go to the vet then the groomer. Either way, the cat has a traumatic day.

But once s/he is home, the kitty can settle in and not worry about any more trips for a while.

Call your shelter ahead of time. From cruising petfinder, I think some shelters do vet checks, others don't. So you will have to find out their policy.

It probably really depends on the shelter. Mine gave a certificate for a free vet checkup and free neutering. I didn't take Lucas straight away because I was dying to have him home with me, and also because I picked him up at 7pm on a Friday. The following Monday after work I took him to the vet, and he had to stay overnight to be neutered. We had a huge thunderstorm that night too, I kept thinking about my poor baby alone in a cage in the dark

I also agree with what Beckiboo said, if you can get it all out of the way, though it'll be traumatic, it's probably better than taking him on multiple trips which will probably delay him getting settled at your place, so might as well get it over with and let him/her rest afterwards!

I am inclined to say no - IF the shelter already vetted him - , take him home and his first experience with you will be a happy and positive one rather than starting out at a place kitties tend to not be thrilled with (tho I give my YY and the fosters treats and they see (and smell ) the vet and her nurse (my cousin) at my home on occasion so they are not totally unhappy with it now.

There is also the argument to be made for getting all the bad stuff over at once but your kitty will no doubt have future vet visits (checkups, and other things) so why make his homecoming traumatic by a detour to the vet?

Just my two cents...

I take all new animals to the vet within 72 hours