The Cat Clinic

Full service feline only veterinary hospital

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Check List for a Successful Veterinary Visit

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Happy Cat going to her veterinary visit
Happy Cat going to the Veterinarian
By Cassandra Kelley DVM

 

At the Cat Clinic of Plymouth, we know that our clients want their cats to have a happy and healthy life. Part of achieving this level of wellness is by scheduling preventative care visits routinely with your veterinarian. However, getting some cats to the animal hospital for their veterinary visit can be a bit stressful for both you and your cat.

 

Guide to a stress free veterinary visit

Here is a checklist for making that trip to the animal hospital to see your veterinarian much less tricky.

  • Choose the correct carrier for your cat.

 

 

  • Familiarize your cat with its carrier

 

  • Use feline facial pheromones

 

  • Ask your veterinarian if they recommend any other medications for travel

 

  • Cover the cat carrier for travel and for entrance into the animal hospital

 

  • Make a list of changes in your cat and questions that you want to ask the veterinarian

 

  • Allow your cat to familiarize itself with its new surroundings in the exam room at the animal hospital

 

  • Make an appointment at a veterinary clinic designated as a Cat Friendly Practice by the Association of Feline Practitioners like the Cat Clinic of Plymouth

Feline Dentistry

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Dental products for cats

Most people brush their teeth twice daily. They see a dentist twice yearly for dental cleanings. They floss, they whiten and they brighten. But what about your cat? What about Feline Dentistry? February is Dental Month, the month that we focus on all the benefits of oral health in cats and dogs.

Just as in humans, dental disease can be a painful problem that often goes on to cause other problems like diseases of the kidneys or heart. It is only recently that we learned of the importance of oral health in humans and that is starting to cross over to veterinary medicine. I often hear my clients say that they have never been told about the state of the teeth in their cats before. I believe this is not because disease didn’t exist but because we weren’t focused on how important it was to healthcare.

Luckily, we have many tools to help prevent and control these diseases. Preventative care begins at home.

Brushing

The gold standard for every mouth is brushing. There are dozens of options for toothbrushes for your cat. From small headed long handled brushes to keep your fingers away to finger caps that fit over your finger. There are also a variety of toothpastes formulated just for cats and dogs. It is best to use these as they are safer and come in delectable flavors like beef and chicken. Toothpaste flavors are integral in training your cat. Start out by offering these delightful toothpastes on the brush allowing them to simply lick off the toothpaste from the brush. Once they accept this as a daily chore start to gently introduce the brush into the pocket of the lips eventually brushing back and forth gently.

Oral Rinses

So not everyone has the type of relationship with their cat that would make tooth brushing possible and that’s ok. We have other options. Oral rinses go a long way towards decreasing the amount of bacteria on the teeth which prevents tartar build up and gingivitis. The best ones have a sports bottle type of design that allows a narrow straw to enter the corners of the mouth and with a gentle squeeze deliver some of the rinse into each side of the mouth.

Food and Water Additives

Ok, Ok, so you can’t even pat your cat! I get it but you can still help prevent oral disease with additives. These liquids or powders can be added to the food or water. Most cats tolerate them very well and they work similarly to the rinses in that they try to decrease the amount of bacteria on the teeth. I prefer the Food Additives because most healthy cats don’t drink enough water to make the water additives worthwhile.

Food

By using food in addition to one of the above, home dental care will really show results. Most people think that by feeding dry food it will help keep the teeth clean. Research studies show that cats who do not brush their teeth daily get equal amounts of dental disease whether they eat canned or dry food unless that dry food is formulated to decrease the tartar. Products like Hill’s Prescription T/D diet and Royal Canin Dental Diet are specifically formulated to remove tartar from the teeth.

Using a combination of these dental products can go a long way to increasing the length of time between cleanings saving time and money. Make an appointment today to have your cat’s teeth evaluated.

Finding Time for Preventative Care for your Cat

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preventative care
cat at the veterinarian

We have already talked about why cats need preventative care. How important it is to get them checked out by their veterinarian at least yearly to avoid missing diseases and problems until they are severe. Cats are stoic animals that don’t show symptoms until the disease is advanced.

Also, we have spent time learning how to make veterinary visits less stressful and more pleasant for all involved. Picking out the perfect carrier and learning how to easily get your cat into the carrier has all been discussed.

But we still can’t get our cat to the animal hospital. Why? Because we work too much.

If you are a professional who is already struggling to maintain that work life balance that we all hear so much about then you know how hard it is to make it to your own appointments let alone get your cat to the veterinarian.

At the Cat Clinic of Plymouth, we strive to make sure that we make taking your cat to their appointments as convenient as possible.

  • Drop off appointments are available by appointment. Drop off your cat for the day and we can arrange to complete the services needed and contact you by telephone with the results.
  • Later hours on Tuesday and Thursday. We are open until 7 pm to allow for later appointments of later pick up times for cats that have spent the day with us.
  • Saturday openings. We are open until 2 pm every Saturday for those Monday through Friday 9 to 5 ers.
  • Conveniently mailed medications or after hours pick up. Just call or email ahead and we will have your medications waiting for you.

Let us know what else we can do to make it convenient for you, the professional, to get the cat care they deserve! We are willing to try!

The Purrfect Litter Box for your Cat

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Hopefully, you have never had a cat that refused to use their litter box. If you have, I’m sorry. It is probably the worst problem to have and one that I encounter all too frequently at the Cat Clinic of Plymouth.

Of course, many times the issue is a medical one and why I always recommend meeting with your feline veterinarian and having your cat examined. However, often times the issue is one that we unknowingly have created. So here are some pointers to avoid, prevent or even fix your cat’s unwillingness to use the litter box 100% of the time.

Cats are by nature very clean and want a desirable place to deposit their wastes. They are not much different from us in that respect. How many times have you walked into that lavatory only to walk out immediately deciding that being uncomfortable was worth not spending any more time in that room. I know I have done this many times.

Where is the litter box?

The first rule of thumb is making sure that there are adequate numbers of litter boxes in your home. This usually means one box per cat plus one. Having litter boxes in different living areas and different floors also helps. This insures that cats are not being blocked by other cats or humans in the household from getting to a litter box.

What is the litter box?

The next issue to consider is the box itself. They should be of adequate size to accommodate the size of the cat and allow them to turn around and comfortably posture for elimination. Litter box hoods are often a cause of concern for a cat making them uncomfortable getting into the litter box.  Using a taller box without a hood can sometimes keep the litter in while still allowing the cat to feel comfortable.

Just as we would not want to use a dirty bathroom, cats don’t like a dirty litter box. Use a scooping litter that allows you to scoop waste at the very minimum daily. Having a larger number of litter boxes also helps to keep at least one acceptable at all times.

Good litter box
Healthy Cat

Cats tend to have a preference for the type of litter that is used as well as the amount of litter. Most cats seem to prefer 2-3 inches and tend to avoid litter liners. If you are using a scented litter try unscented. If you are using a pelleted product try a sand product. Every cat can be different on the type of substrate they wish to scratch in to cover their waste. Instinctively, they want to cover their waste to avoid detection from predators.

These simple tips may avoid a problem in the future but what about fixing a problem that has already started? Again, I recommend a meeting with and a full exam from your veterinarian complete with lab work to rule out a medical condition. Often times, infections or metabolic diseases can contribute to an ongoing problem and the litter box issue may be the only symptom.

Once a medical condition is ruled out, your veterinarian might suggest medications to help with stress if that is appropriate. However the above rules still must be followed to ensure success. Adding litter boxes, moving them to the desirable locations and addressing stress with Feliway Diffusers and environmental stimulation also will help. See my blog on www.catclinicplymouth.com/blog.

By Cassandra Kelley DVM

Check List for a Successful Veterinary Visit

By

Happy Cat going to the Veterinarian

At the Cat Clinic of Plymouth, we know that our clients want their kitties to have a happy and healthy life. Part of achieving this level of wellness is by scheduling preventative care visits routinely with your veterinarian. However, getting some cats to the animal hospital can be a bit stressful for both you and your cat.

 

 

Here is a checklist for making that trip to the animal hospital to see your veterinarian much less tricky.

  • Choose the correct carrier for your cat.

 

 

  • Familiarize your cat with its carrier

 

  • Use feline facial pheromones

 

  • Ask your veterinarian if they recommend any other medications for travel

 

  • Cover the carrier for travel and for entrance into the animal hospital

 

  • Make a list of changes in your cat and questions that you want to ask the veterinarian

 

  • Allow your cat to familiarize itself with its new surroundings

 

  • Make an appointment at a veterinary clinic designated as a Cat Friendly Practice by the Association of Feline Practitioners like the Cat Clinic of Plymouth

By Cassandra Kelley DVM

 

Stress Free Veterinary Visits for your Cat

By

Happy Cat going to the Veterinarian
Happy Cat going to the Veterinarian

Check List for a Stree Free Veterinary Visit

At the Cat Clinic of Plymouth, we know that our clients want their kitties to have a happy and healthy life. Part of achieving this level of wellness is by scheduling preventative care visits routinely with your veterinarian. However, getting some cats to the animal hospital can be a bit stressful for both you and your cat.

Make the Experience Stress Free

Here is a checklist for making that trip to the animal hospital to see your veterinarian much less tricky.

  • Choose the correct carrier for your cat.
  • Make the carrier a place of comfort. See our blog.
  • Familiarize your cat with its carrier
  • Use feline facial pheromones for a stress free ride
  • Ask your veterinarian if they recommend any other medications for travel
  • Cover the carrier for travel and for entrance into the animal hospital
  • Make a list of changes in your cat and questions that you want to ask the veterinarian
  • Allow your cat to familiarize itself with its new surroundings
  • Make an appointment at a veterinary clinic designated as a Cat Friendly Practice by the Association of Feline Practitioners like the Cat Clinic of PlymouthCat Clinic Plymouth MA

By Cassandra Kelley DVM, veterinarian and owner Cat Clinic of Plymouth