Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a retrovirus that affects cats and is most efficiently transmitted through deep bite wounds. A positive FIV status does not mean a cat is currently sick or will become ill immediately. Many infected cats can live for years with good quality of life when they receive appropriate preventive care, dental…
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus that can affect a cat’s immune system, blood cells and long-term health. It spreads mainly through close cat-to-cat contact and can also pass from an infected mother to kittens. Testing, exposure prevention and vaccination of appropriate cats are central to prevention, but one screening result does not always…
Rabies is a nearly always fatal viral disease that can infect cats and people. Vaccination is an important public-health and animal-health measure, but the legal requirement and booster schedule are not identical everywhere. In the United States, CDC guidance says cats should be vaccinated according to local law, and schedules can vary with the licensed…
Cat Vaccination Schedule: Kittens, Adults and Lifestyle-Based Boosters A cat vaccination schedule should not be copied from a generic calendar. Current AAHA/AAFP guidance uses core vaccines plus non-core vaccines selected through an individual risk-benefit assessment. Age, maternal antibodies, previous vaccines, health, indoor or outdoor lifestyle, boarding, travel, exposure to other cats, product labels and local…
How Often Should Cats Go to the Vet? Kittens, Adults and Seniors Most cats should see a veterinarian at least once a year for a preventive examination, even when they appear healthy. That interval is a baseline rather than a universal rule. Kittens need a series of early visits, senior cats often benefit from more…
Preventive care is the part of feline healthcare designed to reduce avoidable risk and identify changes before they become obvious emergencies. It includes regular veterinary examinations, individualized vaccination and parasite plans, dental assessment, weight and muscle monitoring, nutrition review, permanent identification and close attention to changes in normal behaviour or litter-box habits. Prevention is not…
Adopting a senior cat can be a good fit for a household that wants a companion whose adult temperament may already be easier to observe. Older cats are sometimes overlooked in shelters, but age alone does not tell you how social, playful, independent or medically complex an individual cat will be. The most useful preparation…
Quality-of-life decisions can feel difficult because a cat’s day is rarely simply “good” or “bad.” An older cat may eat breakfast, enjoy time in a sunny window and still have a painful period later in the day. Looking at trends across comfort, appetite, hydration, toileting, mobility, grooming and interaction can give caregivers and veterinarians a…
A senior veterinary appointment is more useful when the veterinarian can compare current findings with what has changed at home. Weight, appetite, drinking, urination, stool, mobility, sleep, grooming and behaviour may shift slowly enough that they are difficult to summarise accurately from memory. A senior cat vet checkup should therefore begin before you leave home….
Older cats still benefit from opportunities to hunt, investigate, scratch, solve simple problems and interact with people. Senior cat enrichment does not need to be physically intense. In fact, the best activities often preserve familiar behaviours while reducing the need for high jumps, fast turns or long sessions. Start with health and mobility. A cat…
