Mind, body and soul

Vaccinations available for cats include core and non-core vaccines.

This includes preventative health care, veterinary attention when they are unwell, and providing a healthy and appropriate environment to look after their mental wellbeing. By doing so, you can rest assured that you have done your duty as a cat owner and ticked all the boxes of the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare. We believe veterinary care and advice is an important foundation for ensuring your cat lives a long, healthy life.  Vet2Cat uses the framework of the CatCareforLife programme https://www.catcare4life.org as a guide for this.

You may have seen news articles about the CMA’s investigation into the veterinary sector. This began in Sept 2023 and is due to be finalised in November 2025.

The most common diseases that occur in older cats Chronic Kidney Disease See https://icatcare.org/advice/chronic-kidney-disease/ for a detailed description of Chronic Kidney Disease in cats. Around 20 to 50% of cats aged 15 years or older have some degree of kidney disease, and it is much more common in cats than dogs. Sometimes, there are no obvious clinical signs with early stages of disease, which is way screening with blood and urine testing is recommended for older cats. The earlier the disease can be detected, the sooner proactive changes can be made. The most common clinical signs of kidney disease are: Increased drinking Increased urination Weight loss Lethargy Poor appetite  Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland(s)) See https://icatcare.org/advice/hyperthyroidism/ Hyperthyroidism affects around 10% of cats over the age of 10 years old globally. There are four principal treatment options available for this disease, including radioiodine therapy at a specialist centre, surgical removal of affected glands (thyroidectomy), medical treatments (including tablets, liquids or (off-label) transdermal gels), and iodine restricted diet therapy. Left untreated, cats will become severely debilitated, and usually die from the effects of the disease. Whichever therapeutic route is chosen, a hyperthyroid cat will require regular checks including weight, condition, heart assessment, blood pressure, and blood and urine tests, to ensure the disease is well-managed and not causing other problems. Common clinical signs of hyperthyroidism in cats are: Increased appetite Increased thirst Weight loss Changes to their normal behaviour, e.g. being restless, agitated, more active, increased vocalisation Vomiting/diarrhoea Increased breathing and heart rates Unkempt coat Osteoarthritis See https://icatcare.org/advice/arthritis-and-degenerative-joint-disease-in-cats/ It is estimated that over 90% of cats over 12 years of age have some degree of osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease). This can cause significant detriment to their quality of life. Diagnosing DJD in cats can be difficult – during a hands-on examination, cats will often give conflicting responses; they may have no pain but flinch and react just to get away from the contact, or they may have painful areas but not let on that anything hurts! It is often difficult for the vet to assess their gait, as they may just be scrunched up not moving at all. Even radiography will only diagnose DJD when it is already quite advanced. Therefore, assessing your cat’s movements, mobility and activity levels is the best way to detect early indicators of painful arthritis. Use this check list as a guide, and send your results to us if you are concerned: Mobility Check List