What to check for a cat’s physical exam: a list of items for different ages
The examination points for kittens, adult cats, and elderly cats are completely different.
Kitten period (0 to 1 year old): The focus is on infectious disease screening, parasite examination, vaccination and deworming program, recommended every two to three months. It is recommended that newly adopted cats be tested for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus.
Adult stage (1 to 7 years old): Basic physical examination once a year, including weight, oral cavity, auscultation, blood routine, and biochemistry. Oral examination is particularly important, as cats over three years old have a high rate of dental calculus.
Elderly cats (over 7 years old): It is recommended to add thyroid function, kidney indicators, urine test, blood pressure and cardiac ultrasound every six months. Cat kidney disease and hyperthyroidism have almost no symptoms in the early stages, and the window period can only be caught by physical examination.
Recording weight curve is the most cost-effective means of home monitoring. A cat that has lost more than 10% of its body weight usually means there is a problem rather than "losing weight."
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