Purrrfect timing!  And the sooner the better to help out your senior feline friend.  It's true that cats seem to age more gracefully than us dogs, but by age 9 their youngest days are over.  Just like with senior dogs, senior cats need preventative care too.  Let’s face it, cats are experts at not only hiding in general, but keeping their aches and complaints to themselves.  Many times, a condition progresses to a critical level before cats make any indication that they are in trouble. It's must easier (and sometimes less costly) to catch these conditions in their early stages. So, semi-annual exams are very important.

     If you notice your feline baby having trouble jumping on your kitchen counters, changes in appetite, excessive meowing, or a change in litterbox habits, then a trip to the vet may be needed.  Liberty Veterinary Hospital has an awesome senior wellness plan for cats!  Kitties get tested for diabetes and kidney disease (would love to see how you collect that), & to make sure all major organ systems are healthy.  Don’t worry, cats can also enjoy x-rays, eye exams, and dental cleanings just like us dogs.  We don’t want to keep all the fun to ourselves do we?  But seriously, my older feline friends need to be checked for heart murmurs and lung infections, vision loss or cataracts, and dental disease too.  Canines do not hold exclusive rights to any of those.  Check out this 2-minute video on how to care for an older cat: https://youtu.be/zPVFv4eFKmE.

     So, all my feline friends out there, you are the best at pestering your humans.  You need to step that up and do whatever it takes to make sure they get you in for your wellness exams.  Our senior years need to be comfortable and enjoyable, right?

     Join me next week with some final thoughts on senior wellness for your pet, and there may even be a short quiz to see how well you’ve paid attention these last few weeks.  Until then, stay healthy my friends, and be sure to visit Libertyvet.net for more information!