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Preventive disease information
VCA Hemingway Cat Hospital is a neighborhood practice that has served our community for years. Our constant goal is to provide the highest quality care for your cat, as well as the highest quality service for you. We aim to please and do our utmost to accommodate the needs of our clients. Our veterinarians and staff are trained to the highest standards to ensure that our patients receive the best in prevention and healing methods.
Why take your cat to a feline-only veterinary clinic?
According to the recent Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study, cats in the U.S. see their veterinarians less than half as often as dogs do, even though cats outnumber dogs by about 10 million in U.S. households. Is this because cats don’t get sick as often or need as much routine care? Not at all, unfortunately. The study also found that 60% of cat owners actually hate to take their cats to the vet, so they’ll avoid it if at all possible.
Unlike dogs, cats haven’t changed much at all compared to their wild ancestors since they started living in our homes. And that means they maintain most of the instincts and behaviors of a wild cat -- they are most comfortable in their home territory, sticking to a predictable routine. Even very small changes -- moving a piece of furniture, new people visiting the house, or construction going on down the block -- can be quite stressful for some cats. So imagine how terrifying it can be for a cat to be chased down by their family, pushed into a box, and jostled around in a noisy vehicle to go to the vet. And if that isn’t enough to scare the pants off a cat, the smell of dogs, loud barking, and all kinds of unfamiliar people moving around and talking usually does the trick. Add to that getting pulled out of the carrier -- which has become the only familiar object around -- in order to be poked and prodded by a stranger, and you’ve got a recipe for one terrified, stressed out kitty. It’s no wonder most people hate to put their feline friends through this ordeal unless it’s absolutely necessary. Another consequence of maintaining so many characteristics of their wild ancestry is that cats are masters of disguise -- disguising illness, that is. A cat will do whatever he must to compensate for pain, weakness, and other symptoms so that no one will be able to tell he’s not in tip-top shape. This makes it very difficult for his human family to know when he needs medical attention. And that’s one of the most important reasons that cats need to see their doctors for regular health exams and testing that can reveal disease before the kitty ever shows signs.
A feline-exclusive veterinary clinic can make a huge difference for your cat’s comfort and health. Cats have the whole lobby to themselves, with no noisy barking and no doggy odors. They will not be accosted by a frisky -- and terrifying -- rottweiler sticking his nose in the carrier. Your kitty will be greeted by soft, friendly voices and handled as gently as possible by cat-loving staff and veterinarians who are specifically trained in techniques that avoid exacerbating stress in cats. At VCA Hemingway Cat Hospital, we also utilize feline pheromone diffusers, which scent the air with the same calming pheromone cats naturally produce from the facial scent glands and can be a great comfort to a nervous kitty. Our health care team is dedicated to understanding the special needs of cats, so not only can we offer a less stressful exam experience, we can also advise you on how best to care for your cat at home. We will help you learn more about what makes your cat tick, how to provide the nutrition and environmental enrichment he needs, and even how to get your kitty from the house to the clinic with a minimum of stress. Visit our feline-only clinic and see what a difference we can make for your feline family.
