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Free Health Checks for Senior Cats

It’s time to focus on cats! 

Throughout November and December we have been taking part in the XLVets Senior Health Campaign. Many dog owners have taken advantage of the free health check offered by our vets for dogs of 8 years or over. Most of them have been given a clean bill of health, but several pets have benefited from the early detection and treatment of age-related diseases.

In January we are offering the same free scheme to all cats over 8 years old. As with dogs, different breeds of cat age at different rates, unfortunately as a general rule pedigree cats have a shorter life expectancy than your average moggie. 8-10 years can be considered ‘senior’ for most cats, although we do see increasing numbers of cats reaching their late teens.

As cats enter middle and old age they often change their exercise pattern, becoming less agile and less active. Behaviour changes in older cats. Signs such as bad breath, weight loss, poor coat, and changes in appetite or drinking habits can also be more common in older cats. It can be very difficult to know whether these changes are just signs that your pet is ageing normally, or whether he has a specific disease which could benefit from treatment.  Diseases which can cause some of the above symptoms and are frequently seen in older cats include kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, diabetes, senility and dental disease.

Cats are often more complex characters than dogs, and they can be very good at hiding some of the signs of common age-related illnesses. This is particularly true in cats with arthritis or heart disease, as owners don't  take them for walks like dogs, so it is harder to spot changes in exercise tolerance. Many older cats also suffer from high blood pressure, often without any outward symptoms at all, but probably suffering from headaches and certainly at a much increased risk of blindness, kidney and other disease. A veterinary examination can often reveal changes in the blood vessels at the back of the eye, and blood pressure can be measured easily enough.

As vets, we examine many senior cats  every day so we can help decide which individuals would benefit from treatment or further investigations. Sadly we cannot stop our pets from getting older, but we do know that owners can help by good management and regular health checks to pick up problems early. There is plenty of evidence that early detection of disease enables us to give more effective treatment and improve both the quality and length of life for senior pets.

If your cat is 8 or over and you would like to take advantage of the free health check please call to book your appointment. You will be given a questionnaire to fill in before your visit to allow us to get a thorough recent history of your pet. One of our trained nurses will go through your completed questionnaire with you and help you with any queries. Your cat will then receive a full veterinary health examination and the vet will discuss any problems found during the examination or from your questionnaire. We can also advise you on how best to feed, exercise and generally care for your senior cat.

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