Wellness and Preventive Care for Cats and Kittens

All cats, even indoor cats, are safest when they maintain immunity to a short list of infectious diseases; however, vaccines carry their own dangers. We evaluate both immunity and risk for each individual cat, and we only recommend vaccination when; a) it is necessary for a desired immunity, b) there are no contraindications (such as active disease processes), and c) you, as the cat parent, are in complete and fully-informed agreement. We do not use adjuvanted vaccine products.

At UCVC, we believe that a carnivore-appropriate diet is the foundation of excellent feline health. Nutritional care is at the heart of everything else we do. We can help you find the right food for your cat and assist you through the dietary transition period. We sell no cat food at UCVC, and we do not stock or recommend any of the so-called "prescription diets." Because we do not sell food, you can be certain that the foods we recommend are what is best for your cat, not what is best for our bottom line.

Most overweight cats will lose weight naturally once placed on a species-appropriate diet, but a few need more help. Successful weight loss management for those cats nearly always requires regular weighings. (Visual assessments are notoriously inaccurate!) Because we passionately believe in the crucial importance of achieving a healthy body weight to the lifetime health of your cat, we offer in-clinic weighing services free of charge to established patients.

All kittens need good veterinary care in order to get off to a good start! Kittens develop very rapidly during the first two years of life. A kitten reaches the approximate human age of 15 by his/her first birthday, which is why we recommend that your kitten's first visit to us happen as soon as possible after adoption.

During a Kitten Wellness visit, you can expect:

• History review
• Nutritional review and counseling
• Immunity evaluation, and vaccination if necessary and safe
• Weight and body condition score evaluation
• Full physical examination
• Diagnostic testing for retroviruses, as indicated
• Comprehensive wellness laboratory screening tests, as indicated
• Parasite treatments, as indicated
• A complimentary pedicure, if desired
• Preparation for spay or neuter surgery, if not already done
• Microchip placement or scans; entry into database
• Discussion of any risk factors particular to your kitten
• The opportunity to discuss any questions or concerns with your veterinarian
• A full email report after any diagnostic tests are done

It is generally advisable for kittens to have several veterinary visits in their first year of life. We recommend visits for spaying or neutering if not already done (we recommend full diagnostic screening prior to the desexing anesthetic event, for optimal anesthetic safety): for any needed vaccinations (given one vaccine at a time if multiple vaccines are indicated, separated ideally by at least 3 weeks); for monitoring for healthy weight gain and normal development; and of course for medical care if any illnesses should occur.

We highly recommend microchipping all kittens, which can be done at any time. It is often done during desexing surgery, but can just as easily be done along with any other visit.

Cats age more rapidly than humans. By the time your cat is 2 years of age, it is equivalent to a 24-year-old human. After this, cats age approximately 4 years for every one human year. So, an annual exam is like you visiting your doctor once every 4 years, which is why we recommend your healthy adult cat visit their feline veterinarian at least once per year. Your kitty will benefit greatly from these annual health evaluations.

An important part of these adult evaluations is to generate sufficient laboratory data to understand what is normal for your own individual cat (not just for the population in general), so that as your kitty ages we can identify problems earlier, making intervention more likely to be successful. We recommend that wellness labs be performed at regular intervals for best results. For adults ranging from 1 year to 7 years old, annual wellness lab screening is usually sufficient. Different intervals and tests may be recommended based on your own cat's specific needs.

Regardless of life stage, an evolutionarily appropriate diet is crucially important to your cat's health. We will work with you to ensure that your beloved cat is eating a healthy diet.

During Adult Wellness evaluations, you can expect:

• History review for new patients
• Current status evaluation
• Nutritional review
• Immunity evaluation
• Weight and body condition score evaluation
• Full physical examination
• Wellness laboratory screening as indicated
• Retroviral status review, with testing if and as needed
• Laboratory test result trend analysis
• Vaccine antibody testing where indicated
• Rabies Exemption Certificates when vaccination is contraindicated
• Microchip scans; microchip placement if indicated; microchip # entered into database
• Discussion of any specific health challenges your cat may have
• A full email report after any diagnostic tests are done

The most common medical intervention needed by adult cats is dental care. Should your cat have a dental problem that necessitates intervention, your doctor will discuss this with you in detail. All dental procedures require full anesthesia. Your doctor will go over this subject as well. Your cat's anesthetic competency will be assessed during the examination and with laboratory screening tests to measure major organ function. Any dental work your kitty might need will be scheduled as a separate visit, after the examination and wellness laboratory screening is completed.

Aging kitties are more likely to develop certain health issues. We offer Senior Care for cats aged 7 and older that includes preventive care, senior cat wellness evaluations, behavior reviews, and species appropriate veterinary care for age-related illnesses like arthritis. Visit our Senior Cat Page to learn more.