Cat care during quarantine

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - August 22 is Take Your Cat to the Vet Day. According to a survey, nearly 40% of people strongly agree they couldn’t have made it through their quarantine without their pet, yet only half of cat owners regularly schedule visits to the vet. With a dramatic increase in cat fostering and adoption during this pandemic, it’s important to know how we can best take care of our feline family members, which begins with routine vet checkups and not just when your cat falls ill.

According to the survey, 50% of cat owners either are not sure or do not believe they take their cat to the vet as often as they should. The annual #Cat2Vet campaign aims to improve the lives of cats across the country by encouraging cat owners to be curious about their cat’s health by scheduling their annual vet appointment.

To make your next vet visit less stressful for you and your cat, Veterinarian, Dr. Natalie Marks joined NewsChannel 7 at 4 on Tuesday to provide tips on how to prepare to take your cat to the vet, such as making sure the cat carrier is visible and giving it access for your cat to get comfortable with it and making time for daily touch with your cat, such as brushing, nail trims, etc., which will help desensitize your cat to being touched and will make veterinary visits less stressful. She also discussed what makes a vet clinic cat friendly, like cat-only exam rooms, pheromone infusers throughout office, and bumpers on the doors in the exam rooms.

When scheduling a visit to the vet’s office, pet owners should rest easy because all CDC guidelines are being strictly adhered to so that both owner and pet can remain safe. Telehealth appointments are also on the rise and offer cat owners the option to video call with their vet to reduce the risk of traveling altogether. Royal Canin is offering all cat owners access to a complimentary virtual chat service to connect pet owners to a licensed veterinarian 24/7 from the safety of their home.

For more information visit: www.royalcanin.com/cathealth

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