Vet Care

Choosing a vet

Either just before or as soon as you have your new cat, you need to register with the vet you have chosen to look after your new pet. Choosing the vet who will look after you and your animals is as difficult as selecting the right pet! Making a visit to a practice waiting-room and chatting to cat-owners can help, but the initial visit to the vet should give you enough information.

During your first visit it's important for the veterinary surgeon to carry out a health check on your new cat or kitten and you can also get advice on the different injections, and worming procedures. Make an appointment as soon as you can for a check-up, and the vet can then devise a care programme for your cat. Write a list of the questions you want to ask, so everything you want to know can be covered.

When to contact the vet

A vet would rather see healthy pets than sick ones that should have been treated earlier, so if you are worried about your pet it is always best to contact the practice. If your cat is unwell, there will have been a change in behaviour - it may be sleepier or off its food. They may be generally 'off-colour'. Owners should use their common sense about when to contact their vet; it will not make an owner popular to use the emergency service in the early hours of the morning for a trivial complaint. Remember, when a female cat comes into 'season', she will writhe around and often appear to be in intense pain!