Your cat's health
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A sprained paw from falling off the balcony! |
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Cat Care
Indoor
cats have less health risks than outdoor cats. Outdoor
cats may be attacked by other animals, be poisoned by
pesticides, be hit by a car, or be exposed to cat
disease.
Being an indoor cat also has risks such
as falling off a balcony or being poisoned by houseplants
like azalea, ivy, berries (holly, mistletoe) or philodendron.
Be sure to cat proof your home and put
such items out of reach from your feline nibbler. Keeping
your cat current on shots will also help prevent cat disease
and cat allergies. |
- Selecting
a Veterinarian
- Does
the staff really seem to care about animals?
- Do
the veterinarian's employees seem friendly, calm, cheerful
and competent? How does the place feel to you?
- Is
the facility clean, modern, well organized and well
maintained? Is the examining tables sterilized after
each patient (some of whom may be contagious with various
cat diseases)?
- What
are the veterinarian's credentials? How many veterinarians
work at this practice? What is their education, experience,
background and specialties such as surgery, behavior,
and cardiology etc.? If not, do they refer to such specialists?
- What
tests and procedures are they prepared to do on-site?
Will they do X-rays? Blood testing? Ultra sound? Complex
surgery?
- Which
emergencies are the veterinarians prepared to deal with
on premises? What kinds of cases are referred to a larger
hospital or clinic?
- Searching
for a Veterinarian
- Ask
your friends and relatives who owns a cat for a referral.
- Check
with the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).
AAHA member hospitals meet certain standards in equipment,
facilities and quality of care. In United States call
1-800-883-6301 or http://www.healthypet.com
- Look
up American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP).
They are veterinarians with a special expertise of interest
in the care of cats.
1-800-204-3514 or http://www.aafponline.org
- In
the phone directory look under "Veterinarians" and "Animal
Hospitals"
- It's
a good idea to visit several veterinarians, sometimes the
best one may not be the closest. Check out their facilities,
observe and ask questions to get a better feel of the place.
Cat Care starts with prevention. A visit to the vet can
help prevent cat disease and cat allergies and is much less
costly than waiting for a serious problem to arise.
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