Owning (or perhaps being owned by) a cat is one of life's greatest pleasures!
Cats are both independent and incredibly loyal and loving but ownership is a big responsibility.
Abbey Vets will help in any way we can to give your cat the very best of health care throughout their life.
Is it necessary? Yep, almost always.
Unless you are intending on using your cat for breeding
purposes, we advise your pet is neutered.
Male cats spray and stray. Female cats will call and fall pregnant.
Neutering means having an operation under general anaesthetic
where we surgically and safely remove the sex organs. In male animals we remove both testicles
(called a castration). In female animals we remove both ovaries and the uterus
(called an ovariohysterectomy or ‘spay’).
Neutering is routinely discussed during your kitten's first course of vaccinations and is performed from around 4 or 5 months of age.
The breeding season for cats occurs over spring and summer.
Cats are very efficient breeders and females can come into season as often as
every few weeks. Therefore we recommend spaying your cat if unwanted
pregnancies are to be avoided. Having your cat spayed will also eliminate the
risk of developing a life threatening infection in the uterus called a pyometra
and reduces the risk of developing mammary (breast) cancer later in life.
Entire male cats will also stray to find an in-season
female. This increases the chance that they may become lost or involved in a
road traffic accident. They are also more likely to fight with other cats,
which can result in injuries and abscesses.
There are also several life threatening diseases,
particularly Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukaemia Virus
(FeLV) that are easily transmitted through mating and fighting. Therefore,
neutering your cat will reduce the risk of contracting these diseases.
We recommend neutering your cat from 4 to 5 months old.
The commonest disease cats suffer from is....oh we gave it away already
Dental disease is the most common medical condition in cats. It can be prevented by limiting the amount of plaque build
up on your cat’s teeth. If left untreated it can lead to permanent problems
with the teeth, gums and bone of the jaw.
PLaque that lives on tartar contains bacteria, which will attack the surrounding
gum tissue causing inflammation (gingivitis) and infection that can
track down to the tooth roots (peridontal disease). Infection can build up in the roots causing
an abscess to form. Inflammation and infection also erodes and weakens
the tissues and as the disease progresses teeth will loosen and fall out. If the bacteria build up in enough numbers
they can enter the blood stream and cause damage to other major organs such as
the heart and kidneys.
If your cat has significant dental disease, you may notice a
foul smelling breath, discomfort when eating, unusual swellings on the jaw or
nose, salivation or pawing at the mouth. However, most of the time there are no
outward signs at all and disease it picked up during routine health checks or
other consultations. This is one reason why it is important for your cat to
have regular health checks with the vet.
Using
a toothbrush to regularly brush your cat’s teeth is the best way of preventing
plaque build up and dental disease but not easy and often requires alot of patience to get them used to it. For this reason, it is a good idea to get your cat used to
brushing from an early age. Cat toothbrushes and toothpaste are available at
all of our branches. We are happy to organise a free consultation with one of
our nurses to show you how to brush your cat’s teeth effectively. If your cat
will not tolerate tooth brushing there is a special diet your cat can be on to
reduce plaque build up. This is a dry food with slightly larger and tougher
kibble, which helps in breaking down plaque and contains a formula, which
prevents the build up of bacteria. This can be fed as a complete diet or added
as a component of your cat’s current diet.
Life saving, essential but something to be discussed for each individual
Making sure your cat is vaccinated against infectious
diseases is an important part of pet ownership. Vaccination provides your cat
with immunity (the ability to fight infections) by exposing them to a safe dose
of the disease in question.
The risk of these diseases is related to your cats lifestyle. A bold cat who is frequently outdoors and has a large territory is more likely to meet more cats in the local area; cats that frequently go into catteries or stay with friends with other pets will be exposed to more possible disease risk than a more shy indoor cat. All the various options for vaccination can be discussed with our vets. Abbey Vets provide a personal approach that ensures they are covered for what they need in accordance with the very latest expert opinions.
This immunity does not last forever and will wane over time.
Therefore we advise your cat have annual health check to discuss the frequency of their ‘booster’ injections to maintain their
immune status. These appointments are also a good opportunity for your cat to
receive a full health and dental check and detect any early signs of diseases or problems.
For any questions regarding vaccinating your cat or to check your cat’s vaccination status please contact your local clinic .
The absolute "number 1" parasite we see just about every day
Fleas are the most common external parasite seen in
veterinary practices in the UK. Fleas are easily and quickly spread between
animals and can also live in the environment for long periods of time,
including in carpets and furniture.
You can protect your catt from flea infestations by
regularly using the flea treatment available at the clinic. Most flea
treatments are required monthly but this does vary depending on the product
used.
Signs that your cat may have fleas are;
However, sometimes cats do not show any outward signs of
having fleas. A good way to check if your cat has fleas is to comb the hair
over the back with a flea comb or another very fine-toothed comb. If you then
wipe the debris from this comb onto damp white paper/tissue, you will identify
flea dirt if the flecks of dirt from the comb turn red. You may well not see
any live fleas, in fact, if you do see live fleas this is often an indication
of a heavy infestation.
If you find that your cat has fleas, using one of our flea
products will kill them within 24-48 hours. here is a video that demonstrates the technique - https://youtu.be/yqBQ9ejGP2Y
However it is very important that
you treat any other pets you have with a species-specific flea product at the
same time. It is also important that you use a product to treat your carpets,
floor and furnishings to kill any fleas living in your house.
If this is not done, untreated fleas from other pets or from
your house can re-infest your pet once the flea treatment has worn off and they
may start biting you and your family instead.
Flea infestations can be frustrating and difficult to get
rid of. Therefore once you have controlled the fleas among your pets and house,
it is important to regularly treat your pet with a suitable flea product to
prevent an infestation re-occurring.
For
advice on which flea product to use for your cat or if you are worried your cat
may have fleas, please contact the clinic.
Nasty little critters with a potential sting in the tail (or bite)
Ticks are brown, oval shaped insects that attach to your cat
by their mouthparts when they bite and feed off their blood. When they are
attached to your cat they can sometimes look like a small warty growth. Ticks
are particularly prevalent in forested land, heathland and moorland areas.
However, they can still easily be picked up in suburban parks. Cats are
particularly prone to getting ticks as they are often rummaging in the
undergrowth of such areas.
To remove it we recommend an o'tom tick hook see the video (not sure why it is so noisy!!) - https://youtu.be/bJpgYn-kWFM
If you think your cat has a tick, it can be removed by a
qualified member of staff at the clinic. You can also give your pet a tick
treatment, which are available at the clinic in tablet or ‘spot-on’ form.
Please do not be tempted to pull the tick off. If you do
this, the mouthparts of the tick will be left under your cat's skin and can
cause an infection.
Not just a risk to cats but humans too. Too important to ignore.
Regular
worm control is an important part of responsible cat ownership. Not only can a
worm burden cause health issues for your cat but some worms can also infect
people and their larval stages can cause numerous health problems including
blindness, with children being the most at risk.
Therefore
regular worming with a suitable product is essential to ensure the health of
you and your cat.
The
most common intestinal worms can be categorised as roundworms and tapeworms.
Worm
control regimes depend a lot on the age and life-style of your cat.
Free
advice on a suitable worm control plan for your cat is available upon
consultation with one of our nurses.
Worm
control is also discussed in detail with the vet during your puppy or kitten’s
primary vaccination course and at annual boosters.
Cats get sunburn too!
Now that summer is officially here we
are experiencing some unusually hot days. This hot weather can create new risks
to your cat’s health including heat stroke, sunburn and dehydration.
Cats can get dehydrated very quickly in the heat. Therefore
it is important to make sure they always have access to fresh, clean water. It
is important they have access to shade at all times if they are outside so they
have somewhere to retreat to.
Cats with flat faces such as Persians are particularly at
risk of over heating which can lead to life threatening breathing difficulties
and heat stroke.
If you are concerned your cat is over heating, we recommend
covering them in cold, wet towels in a calm, quiet and shaded environment while
you contact the clinic for advice.
NEVER leave your pet in a parked car for ANY length of
time. Cars become excessively hot even if it isn’t that hot outside. Leaving
your pet inside a parked vehicle can result in fatal heat stroke within
minutes.
Cats with white fur and/or pink noses and ear tips are also
susceptible to sun burn. Please ensure you apply sun block to pink areas to
avoid painful sunburn and the development of skin cancer.
Care should be taken when using pesticides and insecticides
in your garden. These can be dangerous if your pet ingests them. Avoid using
these chemicals or source pet friendly versions.
If you are having a barbecue or garden
party please make sure your cat is supervised at all times. Barbecues can cause
serious burns and injuries if knocked over or jumped on and a sizzling sausage
can be very tempting for cats. Please also be cautious of giving your cat meat
from the barbecue. Ensure that food has cooled enough for your cat to eat
otherwise they can cause serious burns to the mouth and food pipe (oesophagus).
Make sure your guests aren’t getting carried away feeding your pets. Burgers
and sausages are much more fatty than your cat’s normal diet and can cause
gastroenteritis or pancreatitis if large volumes are eaten. One treat from the
barbecue shouldn’t cause a problem but it could soon mount up if everyone is
doing it! Please also make sure you fully dispose of food waste. Many cats will
scavenge through bin bags.
Finally, longhaired pets may benefit from having their fur
stripped or clipped during the summer months. This can dramatically improved
their comfort during the hot weather and make managing them in the heat a lot
easier.
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1887
Abbey Veterinary Centres established as one of first veterinary surgeons in Wales
17
Veterinary Surgeons with special interests in all aspects of medicine and surgery
365
days a year that Abbey Vets work to ensure your pets health
442
Cups of tea to revive our staff through a typical week in 2015