Feline health examination: How often should cats receive wellness exams?

Cats should have feline wellness examinations at least once yearly.

Recently, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) jointly issued new "Feline Life Stages Guidelines". Among the topics explored in the guidelines is the frequency with which cats should receive wellness examinations.

How often should cats receive a wellness examination by their veterinarian?

The panel which issued the guidelines agreed that all cats should receive wellness exams at least once yearly. The guidelines also allow for the fact that senior and geriatic cats probably need more frequent examinations, as do cats which have medical or behavioral problems.

The AAFP guidelines also note the fact that many veterinarians advise semi-annual examinations for cats of all ages. The guidelines recognize that "further research is needed to identify the optimal examination schedule to maximize the health and longevity of the cat" but also point out that "changes in health status may occur in a short period of time; that ill cats often show no signs of disease; and that earlier detection of ill health, body weight changes, dental disease, and so on, allows for earlier intervention." Therefore, semi-annual examination recommendations may be justifiable.

What procedures are part of the recommended feline health wellness examination?

The guidelines specifically advise "observing the cat from a distance to assess breathing patterns, gait, stance, strength, coordination and vision" as well as noting any changes in body weight, body condition score or vital signs when compared to the last visit.

In addition, discussions with the cat owners regarding topics such as how often veterinary visits should occur, early warning signs of disease or pain, financial planning for feline health care, preparing for disasters, estate planning, microchipping, specific breed health care predispositions and congenital or genetic concerns, claw/toenail care and spaying/neutering are recommended. Other topics to be discussed at greater length include nutrition and weight management, behavior, parasite control, vaccinations and oral care.

What is the minimum data base for a feline health exam?

The minimum data base may include not only vital signs but also blood tests, urine tests, fecal examinations and other testing relative to the cat's age and physical condition.

Complete blood counts and blood chemistry profiles are recommended for mature, senior and geriatric cats and may also be recommended for kittens and adult cats. The same is true for the urinalysis.

Thyroid testing and blood pressure monitoring are advised for senior and geriatric cats and may also be recommended for adult and mature cats under certain conditions.

Retroviral testing (feline leukemia and feline AIDS testing) is recommended for kittens and may be recommended for cats of any age under specific conditions.

Fecal testing is recommended for kittens and cats of all ages.

Why are these exams important for cats?

Preventive veterinary care, including regular physical examinations, can help detect many feline diseases early in their course. Detecting these diseases and treating them appropriately in the early stages can prolong the lifespan as well as increase the quality of life for the cat and can also significantly decrease the cost to the cat owner over the long term.

It is believed that most cat owners are willing to seek veterinary care which improves the quality of their cat's lives, particularly if that care can decrease their long term health care costs by detecting disease early and allowing intervention before the disease becomes life-threatening. One of the primary reasons cited by cat owners for not seeking veterinary care for their cat was that they did not know it was necessary or their veterinarian never told them to schedule an examination.

Additional recommendations pertaining to feline health covered by the AAFP guidelines include:

nutrition and weight management counseling
behavior and environmental counseling
parasite control
vaccinations
dental care

These feline health care topics will be covered individually in greater length in upcoming columns. Stay tuned or subscribe to email alerts and be notified when a new article is published.

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