Senior Cat Clinics
As our pets get older, their health can become more of an issue: there are lots of age-related illnesses and conditions that we can be unaware of until the disease has really progressed.
Physical and behavioural indicators that cats are in their senior years (which can start as young as 7 years old) can include:
- Slower movements
- Stiffness and arthritis
- Sleeping more
- Less tolerance of handling and interaction, particularly if their joints are sore
- Less tolerance of stress
- An increase in dental issues
- Cataracts or vision impairment
- Deafness
If your cat is drinking or urinating more frequently, is incontinent or their appetite is much reduced or excessive they could be suffering from age-related disease that needs veterinary intervention.
Our Senior Cat Clinics are designed for felines who are 8 years old and over, to help catch age-related diseases like kidney disease, thyroid disease, heart disease and diabetes early. And as well as looking for specifics, we’ll check your cat’s general health too.
Ideally, we recommend booking Senior Cat Clinics as an interim check-up between annual boosters so that your cat is getting a 6 monthly MOT.
What does a Senior Cat Clinic involve?
We’ll start by going through a health and lifestyle questionnaire to discuss how your cat is getting on generally and to talk through any concerns you may have. Your cat will then come and spend the morning with us in our cat ward, so that we can spend time running a health screen including:
- A health examination with the vet and dental check up
- Mobility scoring for arthritis
- Urine testing (checking urine concentration for kidney function, diabetes screening and checking blood protein levels)
- Blood pressure monitoring
At your feline friend’s discharge appointment, we’ll discuss the results from your pet’s health screen and any cause for concern or further action.
We’ll also share helpful advice on helping senior cats get the most from their 9 lives!
