Let’s Get A Vet For Kitty

When you bring your cat home, one of the first things you may want to do is schedule an appointment with your vet to have him or her look over your new feline. You will need to find a veterinarian with whom you feel you can have a long-term relationship. After all, your vet will be the one providing your precious cat with medical care. You need to be as discerning with a veterinarian as you are with your own doctor, so you need to ask the right questions and know what to look for in your vet.

What to Look For in a Vet
First, you will want to find a vet that is fairly close to home. Even if your breeder or friend insists that they have found the best vet in the world, you want your veterinarian to be close to where you live in case of an emergency.

Still, most towns have more than one veterinarian, so you should have several doctors to choose from when selecting a vet. In some areas there are vets that will even come out to your home.

Next you need to see which vets do a lot of work with small animals, or even see if there is a vet nearby that specializes in cats. There are a number of benefits to finding a vet that specializes in cats. For instance, you never have to share a waiting room with other animals that can tempt or intimidate your cat. You will also be working with a vet that has specialized knowledge about how to treat feline issues.

You also need to check into the hours of operation. Are the hours convenient for your schedule? What arrangements do they have for after-hours emergency care? The size of the clinic is another thing to think about. There is no right or wrong in the size of a clinic, but you have to decide what is important to you.

Do you want to go with a smaller clinic where you may be able to see the same vet every time, or do you want a larger, state of the art veterinary clinic? Of course, if you are lucky you may even be able to find a small, state of the art clinic. You also need to decide if you want a veterinary office that is connected to an animal hospital on-site where your cat will have access to surgical procedures.

If you are interested in holistic procedures or specialized services like dental care, you need to take that into consideration when choosing a veterinarian. Cost is another important consideration. Although cost should not be the only thing you consider, prices vary among service providers. Do not be blinded by price though, there are many well-qualified vets that offer services for less than less experienced veterinarians. Finding the right vet still comes down to asking even more questions.

When you have narrowed down your search, you need to begin asking the right questions. You are going to vet the vet. Visit the clinic before you make an appointment and take a good look around. Are things clean? Does the clinic seem to be operating smoothly? Is the equipment clean and updated?

Take a look at the staff. You will be working with the receptionist and the veterinary assistants as often as the vet, so you need to see how they interact with the animals as well as the people. Are they professional? Enthusiastic?

You also need to ask some question about the veterinarian. Find out if he or she has pets. It may seem silly to ask that type of question, but most pet lovers want their vet to be a pet lover, too.

Does the vet have any specializations or have they done any studies on feline physiology or behavior? This tends to show an interest in cats. Also, make sure your vet can explain things clearly to you and make sure you can get along. You need to respect your vet’s decisions and not feel like you have to fight to get your cat what it needs. Also, watch how the vet handles cats, and when you come for your first visit make sure he or she handles your cat with care.