From kittenhood through their senior years, routine wellness exams during these life stages are one of the best ways to ensure your cat is happy and healthy. Our veterinarians recommend biannual (twice yearly) wellness exams for cats of all life stages. This allows our doctors to catch any issues that may be developing early when there is the best chance for early intervention and treatment. For younger cats, these are great opportunities to discuss any concerns with your cat’s weight, diet, or behavior at home.

We recommend annual fecal parasite tests for cats of all ages and routine wellness bloodwork beginning at the age of three. Vaccinations and deworming are suggested based on your cat’s individual lifestyle and risk assessment.

Vaccination Protocol

• Rabies – Required by Maryland law for all cats (core vaccine)

– Administered once yearly

• Feline FVRCP (Distemper)

– Recommended for all cats (core vaccine)
– Protects against three contagious diseases (Feline Herpesvirus-1, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (Distemper)
– Kittens receive a vaccine booster every 3-4 weeks starting at 6-8 weeks of age and continued until at least 16-20 weeks of age
– Booster given 1 year after initial series then once every 3 years

• Feline Leukemia

– Administered to cats in specific risk categories on the basis of individual risk/benefit assessment
– Highly recommended for all kittens (most susceptible age) and adults going outdoors
– Two boosters given 3-4 weeks apart then once every 2 years

Deworming Protocol

• Kittens

– Routine deworming for the most common intestinal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, +/- tapeworms) at each kitten visit, usually 3-4 weeks apart
– At least once fecal parasite test for all kittens to screen for less common intestinal parasites that kittens are at higher risk for
– Even if the fecal test is negative, routine deworming is still performed

• Adults

– Routine deworming for indoor/outdoor cats or cats considered at a higher risk (eg. Indoor cats with dogs in household) every 6 months with a topical dewormer called Profender (deworms for the three most common parasites – roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms)
– Yearly fecal parasite test for ALL cats
– Revolution Plus or Bravecto Plus recommended for ALL cats as a monthly dewormer that also protects against heartworm disease, fleas, and ticks

• Zoonotic Potential

– Some intestinal parasites can be passed to people through the ingestion of parasite eggs that have been passed through the pet’s feces and left in the environment. Examples include roundworms, hookworms, Giardia, and Toxoplasma
– You can reduce your risk of parasite infection by eliminating parasites from your cat and practicing good personal hygiene