Let's Talk

Is Preventive Vet Care for Cats Really So Strange?


JaneA Kelley  |  Feb 20th 2013


"Oh, is she okay?" asked Fredwina (not her real name, of course).

"She’s fine," I said. "It’s just a checkup."

For the briefest moment, Fredwina looked at me as if I’d just sprouted another head. She quickly regained her New England composure and said, "Oh, that’s good."

It’s not the first time this has happened.

I know that when people have told me they were taking their pets to the vet, I too have asked if the pet was okay. But when they say, "No, it’s just a checkup," I smile and say, "That’s awesome," and then usually we start talking about our pets.



I know vet care is expensive, and it’s getting more expensive as the cost of living and running a vet practice rises. The fact that people tend to have more cats than dogs adds to the financial issues around vet care. As for me, I pay for five exams each year — one for Bella and two for each of my senior cats — and on top of that there’s dental care, injuries and illness, and lifestyle-appropriate vaccinations.

Yes, the cost does add up. But if I had children, I’d make sure they got their annual physicals and dentist visits. Why should my attitude be any different, and why should I be treated differently, because my "kids" walk on four legs rather than two?


And then there’s the Internet. Lots of people are looking online for information about their cat’s symptoms before calling the vet. As the writer of a cat advice blog, I’ve gotten so many "paging Dr. Internet" emails that I’ve added a “read this first” section to my question submission page, which lists symptoms that require immediate vet care.



