Preventative cat wellness is a large part of being a cat owner. Preventative care entails many things, including grooming, dental check-ups and yearly examinations. By taking a healthy approach to preventative cat care, you can help your pet live a long and healthy life, and avoid some of the pitfalls of old age.
Grooming
For the most part, cats are relatively low maintenance cosmetic animals and natural groomers. However, making sure to groom your cat often and appropriately can help keep him free of many skin conditions which can affect cats.
Fleas and ticks are the most common cause of skin conditions in cats. The fur on a cat provides a good home for those parasites that want to remain hidden and living. These parasites can have detrimental effects on your cat, ranging from flea allergy dermatitis to Lyme disease.
The general amount of dirt and dust that can collect in a cat's fur is enough to cause problems. Dirt and dust mites can cause skin infections and allergies.
The best way to make sure that your cat stays clear of skin conditions is to use preventative measures. No matter whether it's spring, winter or fall, you should always make sure that you use a flea preventative on your cat. This will help reduce the population of fleas and ticks that can live on your cat's skin.
If you follow a general maintenance routine of brushing, you can keep yourself aware of any changes in your cat's skin and coat, as well as detect the presence of any parasites.
Dental Care
Dental care is one of the most commonly overlooked preventative measures. There is not a dire need for you to attempt brushing your cat's teeth, but there is a dire need to have them checked every year.
The mouth is the place that carries the most germs in all of the body. It's moist and wet and provides a stable and habitable environment for bacteria to grow. By having your cat's teeth checked every year, you can help to prevent the onset of conditions such as gingivitis, rotting teeth and tumors. Remember, anything that occurs in the mouth can find its way into the bloodstream, so it's best to catch these conditions early.
Yearly Examinations
Taking your cat in for yearly examinations can help to keep you abreast of underlying conditions which otherwise might have went unnoticed. It's impossible for you to belay every single ailment that your cat can get, but you can catch them early enough so that they can be treated.
At yearly examinations, the veterinarian will do blood testing, fecal testing, urine samples and conduct a general touch examination. Blood testing is important because it can tip you off to things that are occurring internally without your knowledge, like diabetes and anemia. Likewise, fecal testing and urine samples can help to detect the presence of intestinal worms or heartworms, and check the functions of the liver and kidneys. The general touch examination will help to make sure that there aren't any unnoticed lumps or tumors that could be troublesome.
The bottom line is that cat wellness care is extremely important to make sure that your cat is safe and healthy. If any conditions do happen to be found at one these examinations, treatment can begin in the early stages and the prognosis will be much better.