Checklist Before a Wellness Examination

What is a Wellness Examination?

A wellness examination is a routine medical examination of a cat who appears healthy, as opposed to an examination of a cat who is ill. A wellness examination may also be called a “check-up” or a “physical examination”. The focus of a wellness examination is to make sure your cat is as healthy as possible.

Frequency of Wellness Examination

Pets age faster than people. In one calendar year, a cat may age the equivalent of four to sixteen years in a human's life. This is because kittens reach maturity very quickly and are essentially teenagers or young adults by one year of age; therefore, they are considered equivalent to a 15- or 16-year-old by their first birthday.

During the second year, the rate of aging slows down a little so that the average cat will be the equivalent of a 24- or 25-year-old by their second birthday. After that, the rate of aging stabilizes to about 4 cat years per calendar year. This means that cats are middle-aged by about six years of age and are considered seniors from age 10. Geriatric cats are those over 15 years of age.

Your veterinarian is in the best position to recommend how often your cat should have a wellness examination based on her age, health status, and lifestyle.

When you book the appointment with your veterinarian, you should ask whether you should fast your cat before the visit.

Check whether you should bring in fresh urine or fecal samples.

Prepare yourself with some basic information, such as the brand and type of food that your cat eats, whether your family feeds any table scraps, whether you give your cat any supplements, and whether anybody in the family has noticed any problems.

List any concerns you might have and make inquiries into optimal health maintenance strategies for your furry friend.