A frequent examination by a veterinarian is vital to your pet's health. A new pet may need several veterinarian examinations during the first few months of ownership. After that, the type and frequency of examinations depends on the general health of your pet. Healthy pets generally need only yearly examinations, however as your pet ages the necessity increases. Older pets should be examined at least twice a year to enable detection of many age-related problems. Many problems in pets can be treated if caught promptly, avoiding your pet's pain and easing your out of pocket cost for health care.

Have your pet vaccinated so that it can have a better chance to fend of infection from the many diseases that threaten them. The pet's immune system must sufficiently respond to a vaccine in order to produce antibodies against disease. Vaccinations given to animals while in a shelter are often considered temporary due to the effect of stress on the animal's immune system. That's why vaccinations are often repeated after adoption. Even house cats should be vaccinated, because there are too many incurable diseases with no guarantee they won't step out that door some day. There are many diseases against which dogs and cats can be vaccinated. Vaccines against the most common diseases are known as "core" vaccines. For cats, these include vaccines against:
· feline viral rhinotracheitis,
· calicivirus,
· panleukopenia virus,
· rabies.

The best measure for preventative health for cats is to keep them indoors. Outdoor cats generally live two to five years, whereas, an indoor cat may survive for 17 or more years. There are many hazards for cats in the outdoors, and although vaccinations assist in keeping disease away, the risks for cats are far greater than for dogs in the outdoors.

It is a cat's natural instinct to spend up to 1/3 of their waking hours grooming and cleaning themselves. Unfortunately this can add to the formation of hairballs, also known as trichobezoars or bezoars. In some cases, this accumulated hair can interfere with normal digestion and elimination. Hairballs can cause chronic vomiting, constipation, lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, dehydration, or intestinal obstruction. There are medications (reference - Vestasyl Fiber Capsule/ or Vestasyl Chewable Fiber Capsules/ or VRx Petromals Hairball Remedy.) that can be used to eliminate hairballs. The best prevention is daily brushing your cat's fur, especially during the spring and summer months, when cat's shed their winter coat.
Animals need to have a good proper diet to maintain good health. There are many choices of food to select from. It is very important for animals to be given special nutrients and vitamins during their youth. Vitamins and supplements are also beneficial to your pet, both young and old. Often times, your veterinarian will recommend supplements for aging animals to assist in their symptoms of aging. (Recommend links here for food and supplement/vitamins)

Prevent bites by treating your pet well. Pets learn their behavior from the owners who train them. Tell children not to pet an animal that they are unfamiliar with. Teach children that poking a pet and pulling on it's tail is not a nice way to treat an animal. They respond well with consistent loving discipline. Pets, who aren't treated well, learn bad behaviors. Just as with children, teaching them by the example of how they are treated will make the difference in their mannerisms.

Declawing cats is sometimes a difficult choice to make. A cat's remarkable grace, agility and sense of balance are in part due to its retractable claws, which allow them to establish footing for walking, running, springing, climbing or stretching. It is obviously a cat's best defense mechanism and any declawed cat shouldn't be allowed outdoors. Cat's claws become frayed regularly and when they scratch, it pulls off the outer part and exposes sharp, smooth claws. They often mark their territory by scratching deposit secretions from glands in their feet. The standard declawing procedure calls for removal of the claw and the first bone of the toe. This painful process is actually comparable to the removal of human fingertips at the first knuckle. There are many complications that can come from this procedure such as: removing too much of the toe, not removing enough causing claws to grow back, or bone fragments left at the surgery site that can cause infection. Both claw regrowth and infection require additional surgery.

Alternatives to declawing your cat are worth considering. You could introduce a sturdy scratching post. Cats have the need to use their claws, often they are just playing when doing so. Encouraging the cat to claw on the right things and discouraging him from clawing on the wrong things can also assist in training your cat. You also can keep your cat's nails trimmed yourself. Look for the pink "quick" that runs down the center of the nail and clip about 1/8" forward of the quick. Your veterinarian can also recommend nail caps that assist in keeping your cat's nails blunt and harmless.

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