An Update On Our Kitties in Honor of Take Your Cat to the Vet Day

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Royal Canin. All opinions are 100% mine.

I haven’t posted much about our beloved kitties this year. I mean, I frequently still have them in my blog posts’ photos because they love to photobomb my images but besides that, there hasn’t been a specific blog post for or about them recently. I want to change that today in honor of “Take Your Cat to the Vet Day” which is very dear to my heart and a subject I believe in very much.

Take Your Cat to the Vet Day, August 22

Us cat lovers wish that our cats had 9 lives but let’s face it, they only have one precious short life and we’d love to keep them with us as long as possible. To give them the best chance at a long life, cats need regular preventative check-ups to keep them healthy and happy.

They can’t tell us when there is something wrong with them. Cats are stoic animals which makes it hard to figure out sometimes if they aren’t feeling well. Our vet always says that cats are so good at hiding pain and discomfort. We had several cats that had conditions that we would have never known about, had I not taken them to the vet on a regular basis.

I was able to help a lot of my cats reach a pretty long life. My 3 old ladies who passed away not too long ago at age 18, 19, and 22 are perfect examples that I’m a huge believer in taking your cat to the vet regularly. All of my cats have their annual check-ups. If you’ve followed me for a while then you know that they also have pet health insurance.

Some statistics

Did you know that 75% of American cat owners couldn’t have gotten through the quarantine without their pet and 57% said having a pet made them feel less alone, while 49% said it helped them feel less anxious)? I believe it because I’m one of them. I have mentioned numerous times that they keep me sane and have definitely done so during the last couple of crazy months while we were all confined to our home. Living with my cats is certainly more pleasant than visiting a psychiatrist.

Many cats aren’t being taken in regularly: 6 out of 10 people said they only take their cat to the vet when they notice something is wrong, versus taking them for check-ups. My husband would be one of them and we have had that argument numerous times.

Let’s talk about my kitties for a bit like I said I would…

How is Walter doing?

Our 2-year-old Walter (my black cat) has started bringing us insect presents from their catio. Our daughter is his favorite and she hates bugs but has to endure numerous presents from him to “cheer her up”. Lantern flies are his favorite.

Below you can see him eyeing one up that he carried inside. It is blurry though because the camera focused on Walter’s face instead 😉

How is Maya doing?

Our 4-year-old Maya has packed on the quarantine pounds like some of us humans. She and Willy have their annual visit coming up next week. Her allergic sneezing has gotten worse and in the below photo you can see how her lips are always funny because she is missing her two top canine teeth that were extracted at her last dental. She’s so cute.

I call her our drifter. SHe doesn’t have a favorite human and happily drifts between family members.

She is such a chunky ginger girl.

How is Willy doing?

Our 3-year-old tuxedo cat Willy is still my best friend… my bottle baby. He’s still not a big snuggler but he talks to me, gives me head bumps and kisses, and follows me around all day. Which is pretty cool for a cat born to feral parents. My husband tends to be a bit jealous sometimes because he isn’t Willy’s favorite.

Willy and Walter still don’t like each other. I’ve tried so much during the last couple of months with no success.

Some cat care tips

During this pandemic, you, like myself might have had more time to watch your cats and wonder if something they were doing was normal or if they needed to see a vet.

Here are some things to look for to tell if your cat isn’t feeling well, although there could be other signs that your cat isn’t feeling 100%:

• Changes in appetite or water intake
• Coughing or sneezing
• Acting lethargic or not like themselves
• Vomiting
• Changes in stool quality – either softer or harder than usual
• More or less urine in the litter box

How do I get my cat to the vet during a pandemic if needed:

• Many clinics are doing curbside services where pet owners stay outside in their cars versus entering the clinic with their pets. You can tell your veterinary team what’s going on over the phone while they examine your cat.
• Mobile veterinary services are available in many areas, so the vet could come to you. Mobile services can be available for routine visits, sick visits, and hospice visits, or other specialized care. I used to have a mobile vet for some of my elderly cats and it was great.
• Emergency clinics and specialty hospitals are also open if they are needed.
• Ask your veterinarian about virtual appointments! Telehealth is on the rise, and some veterinarians are offering this service for pet owners.

cat health is important so let’s join the #Cat2Vet movement in honor of “take your cat to the vet day”

From giveaways to ways to educate yourself, there is something for everyone, shelter cats included. Check it out…

• I am a huge fan of Hannah Shaw the kitten lady who has helped me a lot when I was bottle feeding and caring for Willy and his litter. She has a new cat-centric web series on YouTube called Catology Presents Kitten Lady and Friends, covering everything cat…from behavior to health and nutrition. She is so informative and even experienced cat owners can still learn a couple of things from her.

• Are you ready to learn more about cats and their specific needs? The best way to keep your cat healthy is to learn more about them. Stay Curious like your cats!

• Be inquisitive about your cat’s health – receive a complimentary chat with a veterinarian 24/7, brought to you by Royal Canin and Ask.Vet.

• Purchase your favorite Royal Canin cat food from PetSmart and receive a free vet visit from Banfield.

• Your Royal Canin cat food purchase from Chewy.com supports veterinary care for shelter cats through GreaterGood.org.

• Win – You can win a prize pack to help you get ready for your cat’s next vet visit. Every #Cat2Vet sweepstakes entry will also receive a free sample of Royal Canin Hematuria Detection by Blücare. You can enter the sweepstakes now!

I hope you took today’s post about my cats and “take your cat to the vet day” as a little push to take your kitties to the vet on a regular basis to get checked out if you aren’t already. As I said, mine are going next week for their annual check-up and shots.

Hope your beloved kitties are doing well and best of luck.

Tschüß,