Remember I was talking a while back about cats not getting a fair shake when it comes to pet insurance and vet visits? It was in reference to a press release NAPHIA put out on the topic and the point was that while there are more cats in the US than dogs, cats are substantially underserved, compared with dogs.
For example, in 2006, owners took their dogs to veterinarians more than twice as often as cats, averaging 2.3 times/year, compared with 1.1 times/year for cats, and significantly more dogs (58%) than cats (28%) were seen by a veterinarian one or more times/year.
Well, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) have developed a new set of cat lifestage guidelines for veterinary practices to strengthen the veterinarian-client bond.
Some of the suggestions include:
- suggestions for eliminating typical cat stressors in veterinary practices,
- addressing healthcare concerns specific to the lifestage of the feline patient, and
- putting an emphasis on educating clients about behavior and environmental issues that promote a healthy lifestyle
The guidelines have some interesting nuggets. On why you might consider 2 wellness visits a year for a cat of any age:
...reasoning includes the fact that changes in health status may occur in a short period of time; that ill cats often show no signs of disease; and that earlier detection of ill health, body weight changes, dental disease, and so on, allows for earlier intervention. In addition, semi-annual exams allow for more frequent communication with the owner regarding behavioral and attitudinal changes, and education about preventive health care. Further research is needed to identify the optimal examination schedule to maximize the health and longevity of the cat.
On the importance of play for cats:
Declining play activity increases susceptibility to weight gain. In one study, three 10–15 min exercise sessions per day caused a loss of approximately 1% of body weight in 1 month with no food intake restrictions.
On sudden changes in behavior of senior cats:
Senior and geriatric cats exhibiting behavioral changes (eg, vocalization, changes in litter box usage) should always be evaluated for an underlying medical problem.
Read the rest of the guidelines here.
