Last Updated: 13/07/2025
Author: Dr Chantelle McGowan BVSc
Reading Time: 2 minutes - short read
There are more than 5 million cats across Australia and New Zealand, yet many of these do not have access to important veterinary care. In fact, a recent Royal Canin study found that more than 50% of cat owners do not take their cat to the vet regularly enough.
Despite the popular saying, the truth is 'Cats do NOT have 9 lives'. Cats need to see their veterinarian just as frequently as their canine counterparts, as they are equally prone to illness and disease. A veterinarian is your cat's number one ally in early detection of illness â prevention IS better than a cure!
Cats are the masters of disguise
It might appear to the untrained eye that cats suffer less illness and disease than dogs, but this isn't true. While cats are one of nature's most effective small hunters, they're also at risk of becoming prey themselves due to their size and while cats have been 'domesticated' for many years, they still share many behavioural characteristics with their ancestors. Cats are 'reactive', meaning they are constantly on the lookout for threats, and must always feel in control of their surroundings. This all adds up to cats having very strong instincts to hide weakness, or illnesses, from their caregivers.
Have you seen the signs?
Signs of illness may include:
- Abnormal litter box behaviour
- Slight changes in appetite
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Changes in grooming habits
- Altered interactions or vocalisation
- Sleeping More
- Any subtle changes in behaviour
Any of these changes (plus many more!) could be an indicator that your cat needs to see a veterinarian; if in doubt, check it out.
Cats do not cope well going to and from the vet
Travelling to the vet clinic for a cat is very stressful, and in more ways than we think, a recent study by Royal Canin found that 22% of cat owners found visiting the vet stressful and 8% said this stress started well before the appointment itself. A cat's sense of hearing and smell is much, much stronger than a human's, so we often forget about the experience from their perspective.
There's an array of elements that cats find stressful, such as:
- Vehicle experience
- Unfamiliar environment
- Different smells
- Unfamiliar dogs sniffing at the carrier
- Feeling out of control
- Unfamiliar people or veterinary staff
- Loud and unfamiliar sounds
- Unavoidable interactions with other animals
But it is not all doom and gloom!
Read on PART 2 for tips on minimizing stress when taking your cat to the vet. Some small changes can make a big difference to your cat's experience of going to the vet.
You can check out more information and ideas at Royal Canin Take Your Cat To The Vet Webpage. Thanks to Royal Canin's sponsorship of the Cat Friendly Clinic initiative (with the not-for profit International Society of Feline Medicine), they have included a list of cat-friendly clinics in your area to make it less stressful to take your cat to the vet. #cat2vet
Further Reading
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