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A story in the Detroit Free Press<\/em> claims that cats are the Rodney Dangerfield of pets: they get no respect. And the reporter follows that statement up with the fact that dogs see a veterinarian more often than cats do. One reason is that cats hide pain and illness better. Not a good thing for the well-being of a cat. Cats are more readily abandoned than dogs\u2014because cats are thought to be able to fend for themselves. Hogwash. Well, okay, they are good hunters, they know how to manipulate a situation\u2014perhaps worm their way into a new home or at least coerce someone into sharing their tuna sandwich. But is this any way for a cat to live? NO! They need protection from the weather and predators. They should feel the love of a heart, warmth of a hearth, and not have to stress over finding something to warm their tummy.<\/p>\n February is National Cat Health Month and National Pet Dental Health Month as well as<\/p>\n National Spay\/Neuter Awareness Month. \u00a0So gear up to celebrate. How? Let me count the ways. A good place to start, if you haven\u2019t done so, is to take your cat to the vet for his or her little operation. There are programs in every community to help with the cost of the surgery.<\/p>\n If your cat has been taken care of in this area, and if she hasn\u2019t seen her veterinarian in a while, now is a good time to let the two of them become acquainted.<\/p>\n Many cat owners take their cats to the vet only when there\u2019s a problem. National Cat Health Month was designated to remind us to also get well checkups\u2014make sure the cat is healthy (it\u2019s easy to miss a problem especially with an outdoor kitty), have his teeth checked (evidently periodontal disease is common in cats), treat her for fleas and worms (these pests can interfere dramatically with the health of a cat), and get any inoculations that are due to prevent some of the more serious feline illnesses.<\/p>\n How long as it been since your cat has seen her veterinarian? If it\u2019s been more than a year or if she\u2019s showing signs of weakness, lethargy, or isn\u2019t as interested in her food, isn’t using the litter box, or isn’t playing like she used to, make an appointment today. It\u2019s for the love of your cat!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A story in the Detroit Free Press claims that cats are the Rodney Dangerfield of pets: they get no respect. And the reporter follows that statement up with the fact that dogs see a veterinarian more often than cats do. … Continue reading ![\"Intense](\"http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/catscapades\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/nora-kitties-013-300x225.jpg\")
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What will you learn at a well check-up? You may find out that your cat is healthy and you should continue caring for her as you have been. Or the vet might discover that she has anemia, a flea problem, ingrown claws, the beginnings of kidney disease or something else you didn\u2019t expect or notice. Certainly, you don\u2019t want to learn that your cat has a disease, but you also don\u2019t want her to suffer without treatment that could be helping her\u2014a change in diet, for example.<\/p>\n