2 Great Reasons Visit A Vet
Posted on: 8 April 2015
Visiting your veterinarian for your cat on a regular basis is a great way to keep your pet in good health, but there are also times where you will want to see the vet outside of annual examinations and checkups. Two reasons to see a vet are if your cat is no longer using the litter box and if his or her grooming habits change.
Litter Box Issues
A sign that something may be wrong with your cat is if he or she suddenly stops using the litter box, especially if the cat has been using a litter box without any issues for years. The sad thing is that many people will actually end up surrendering perfectly good cats to the shelter or abandoning them because they believe that the cat simply is not well-behaved or has behavioral issues.
In many cases, your cat may be avoiding his or her litter box due to stress or a health concern. A very common health concern that causes male cats to urinate outside of the litter box is a urinary tract blockage. A few signs of this issue include frequent attempts to urinate, urinating on tile or other hard surfaces, and meowing while attempting to urinate.
If your cat has any of these issues, a trip to the vet is necessary. In male cats, a urinary tract blockage can easily cause your cat to quickly sicken and die because of the many toxins that he is no longer able to expel.
Altered Grooming Habits
Since cats are very meticulous about grooming themselves, a change in grooming habits is a major sign that something is wrong with your cat. For example, excessive grooming in one area that leads to thin fur or bald patches can be a sign of fleas or allergies. In both of those situations, a vet can provide you with the means to remove the source of discomfort.
Another reason to take your cat to the vet is if he or she is not grooming himself or herself as often. In that situation, you cat may be suffering from arthritis or other physical discomfort that is making it difficult for him or her to groom themselves. In that situation, your vet can help you with treatment to resolve the health condition, or simply to alleviate the pain.
Speak to a vet such as University Pet Hospital today if your cat is experiencing changes in behavior, such as altered grooming, eating, and elimination habits. A vet visit is highly encourage if your cat has changed his or her grooming habits or is no longer using his or her litter box, mostly because those changes can be signs of serious illnesses or conditions.
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