The Cat Clinic

Full service feline only veterinary hospital

Cat Care

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

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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

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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

How to Choose your Veterinarian?

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Veterinarian
Veterinarian examining a cat

I was going to title this blog “Why are you mad at your veterinarian?”

Sometimes as a veterinarian during my examination of a cat, I start to give some options for dealing with some of the everyday problems that the cat parent has brought to my attention for instance, occasional vomiting, bad breath, itchy skin, etc. Every once in a while, a cat parent becomes quite agitated with my suggestions. Their face clenches, their words get clipped, the voice is raised and I am not sure why. Why are they mad at me? Maybe they feel I am suggesting that they do the impossible. Maybe they feel they can’t afford some of the recommendations. Maybe they feel that the problem isn’t actually a problem. I really don’t know because the conversation becomes almost impossible to navigate because of the agitation level.

I always feel terrible when this does happen because I feel that I felt short of doing my job which is to be a health advocate for the little cat that is my patient. And I think if everyone who is interested in the best care for their pets would pick the right veterinarian for them, we could avoid this unpleasantness altogether.

Choosing your veterinarian

Now I believe that all veterinarians are kind hearted people who were called to this profession because of their love and commitment to animals. Believe me. No one chose this job because they were in it for the money, hours, lack of stress, emotional or physical comfort, etc. We work long hard hours to make sure your pet is well cared for while we miss dinner with the family every night. We drive our old cars so we can pay our student loans. We cry after we euthanize your pet.

So beyond making sure that your veterinarian is a qualified, up to date, skilled practitioner of veterinary medicine, make sure you like this person. You should feel able to ask questions of this person, learn from this person and communicate easily with this person. Most pet parents eventually have an emotional and difficult conversation with their pet’s veterinarian. So make sure before that happens that the discussions about at home dental care, flea control and diets aren’t difficult. Everyone communicates differently and has different personalities. That’s why there is more than one veterinarian. Make sure you pick the best one for you!

Check out some of the testimonials from clients of the Cat Clinic of Plymouth.

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

Cat Scratch Fever

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Cat Scratch Fever
Preventative Care can protect a cat from disease

What is Cat Scratch Fever? A visit to your veterinarian could prevent this disease.

Not only is Cat Scratch Fever a groovy song from the 70’s, it is also a bacterial infection that can affect humans. It is transmitted through bites and scratches from cats. Cat Scratch Disease can also be transmitted from an infected cat to a human if the cat comes in contact with the human’s open wound or eyes.  This makes it a zoonotic disease, one that can be passed from animal to human.

The bacteria are Bartonella henselae and are one of the most common bacteria in the world. About 40% of cats will carry these bacteria at some point in their lives, very commonly when they are kittens. It is believed that the bacteria are transmitted to cats through fleas, another important reason to protect your cat against fleas all year round. For more information on flea prevention see Infested .  The bacteria are transmitted to the cat when it grooms itself and inadvertently ingests the feces of the flea. Humans cannot contract the disease directly through fleas but the disease can be transmitted to humans and cats through ticks.

Cat Scratch Disease symptoms

Most cats are not clinically sick when they are infected with Bartonella henselae. Occasionally, a cat will present with fever, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes to the veterinarian but treatment is not always required. While most cases in humans are generally mild, it is estimated that over 25,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized each year for symptoms of Cat Scratch Disease.

Symptoms usually appear 7-14 days after exposure and can include….

  • Reddish small solid rounded bump or papule at the site of scratch or bite
  • Swelling and appearance of infection at site
  • Swelling of lymph nodes nearest the site of scratch or bite
  • Mild fever
  • Chills
  • Fatigue
  • General malaise
  • Lack of appetite
  • Muscle pain (myalgia)
  • Nausea or abdominal cramps
  • Occasional serious effects on internal organs in children under 5 or those immunocompromised individuals.

However sometimes symptoms don’t occur for months making diagnosis difficult. When I was finally diagnosed with Cat Scratch Disease years ago, I had already been tested for HIV and my affected lymph node was biopsied for cancer. Luckily those tests came back negative and revealed that I had simply been infected with Bartonella henselae!

Prevention of Cat Scratch Disease

Fortunately Cat Scratch Disease is not fatal in humans but can cause serious issues for immunocompromised people.  Here are the CDC’s (Center for Disease Control) recommendations to prevent Cat Scratch Disease in people.

People

Do:

A cat’s paw with long sharp nails.

  • Wash cat bites and scratches right away with soap and running water.
  • Wash your hands with soap and running water after playing with your cat, especially if you live with young children or people with weakened immune systems.
  • Since cats less than one year of age are more likely to have CSD and spread it to people, persons with a weakened immune system should adopt cats older than one year of age.

Do not:

  • Play rough with your pets because they may scratch and bite.
  • Allow cats to lick your open wounds.
  • Pet or touch stray or feral cats.

Cats

Do:

  • Control fleas
  • Keep your cat’s nails
  • Apply a flea product (topical or oral medication) as directed by your veterinarian.
    • BEWARE: Over-the-counter flea products may not be safe for cats. Check with your veterinarian before applying ANY flea product to make sure it is safe for your cat and your family.
    • Check for fleas by using a flea comb on your cat to inspect for flea dirt.
    • Control fleas in your home by
    • Vacuuming frequently
    • Contacting a pest-control agent if necessary

Protect your cat’s health

  • Schedule routine veterinary health check-ups.
  • Keep cats indoors to
    • Decrease their contact with fleas
    • Prevent them from fighting with stray or potentially infected animals

From http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/cat-scratch.html

Although most humans do not require treatment, alert your doctor if you have any symptoms of Cat Scratch Disease. Just because Cat Scratch Fever is a groovy song, I can assure becoming symptomatic due to Cat Scratch Fever is not groovy!

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