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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Do they need a 6 monthly check-up

27 replies

onlywanttosleep · 29/09/2018 12:39

Just got a rescue cat - first cat, he's about 4 years old and neutered. Looking at prices for insurance and vet pet-plans. The plans with the vets seem to include 6 monthly checkups - was wondering how necessary this is for a healthy young cat? Would it be safe to go for a yearly checkup and not subscribe to the vet?
I'm new to this so any advice gratefully received.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 29/09/2018 12:44

You need to work out if the vet plan is value for money. I assume it includes flea/worm treatments and annual boosters. I did take my cats for the 6 month check as I wanted to get an accurate weight for them and just get a general check up

Toddlerteaplease · 29/09/2018 12:49

I take mine for one as I'm an over anxious cat parent. And we've had loads of health issues.

Allergictoironing · 29/09/2018 13:06

As mine are indoors they only get flea/worm treatment once a year as a "just in case", so it's not worth me having them on a vet plan. I'd add up the cost of monthly flea and worm treatment (proper stuff, no over the counter that doesn't work well any more, or Bob Martins poison), add in the cost of an annual visit & vaccinations which you would need anyway, and see how tht compares to the annual cost of the vet plan. If there's not much difference, you may as well put them on the plan and have the extra checkup.

viccat · 29/09/2018 14:23

Young cats are ok to go annually - from about age 10 up, it's a good idea to go 6 monthly so that any of the typical "senior cat" health problems can be picked up early.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 30/09/2018 08:26

We’ve decided to take the watch and wait approach with Harry. He’s 13 and we were told he has early kidney disease but he won’t eat renal food so he’s on meds in his normal food and we’re just keeping an eye. He goes annually for his jabs and his new vet seems happy with this arrangement so we’ll carry on

princesstiasmum · 30/09/2018 08:34

Take out insurance.usually cheaper than vets one.I don't think a 6 monthly check is necessary.and I don't think a yearly vaccination is either.I'm with animal ftienfs.and a lifetime one is only around £6 a month .I don't goes or work mine every month either.all unnecessary chemicals.you can get vet approved with and goes treatments online cheaper than vets

princesstiasmum · 30/09/2018 08:34

Animal friends.

princesstiasmum · 30/09/2018 08:36

A lot of vets now think 3 yearly vaccination is enough

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 30/09/2018 08:37

Don’t forget if the cat is going into a cattery they won’t take them if they aren’t vaccinated and if the cat goes outside it’s important to flea and worm them regularly.

Meet0nTheIedge · 30/09/2018 08:44

We didn't do vet plan at first, but found spot-on flea and worm treatments were a nightmare, the cats hated them so much, so we switched to 6 monthly flea injections at the vet. These, together with worm tablets and their annual vaccinations which they have to have in order to use the cattery cost more separately than the plan, so we went onto that, it spreads the cost and they get their check-up 6 monthly as part of it.

princesstiasmum · 30/09/2018 08:46

I have never seen a for a on mine.but I treat them about every 3months anyway .If they are likely to be going into a cattery yes they need vaccinations.but I still think vets insurance is more expensive than you need

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 30/09/2018 08:46

We looked at a plan but we couldn’t have the products we wanted so it wasn’t worth it for us.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 30/09/2018 09:20

I really don't believe a 6 month MOT is required for your cat. Do you take your children to the doctor for a scheduled routine health check every six months? (I certainly didn't). Do you go to the doctor every six months for a routine health check?
During their annual jabs the vet does a quick exam. If the cat is poorly any other time I'll know and take to the vet as necessary.
To be blunt I think the vet is taking the piss (and probably laughing all the way to the bank) to suggest a six monthly health check on a cat with no existing conditions to monitor.

princesstiasmum · 30/09/2018 09:47

My insurance,and most insurances usually have more than i need, i wish some could be knocked off, as dont need catteries, dont need holiday cover etc.but i am happy with the price, and used it only once for an ill cat, which would have cost me a fortune for X rays ,blood tests etc, plus about £30 a month for tablets. I think for a dog you need more cover really

EachandEveryone · 30/09/2018 11:13

I didnt think i needed cat minding but then i was admitted to hospital and the coughed up £30 a day which helped.

I take mine for their six monthly checks but its so traumatic taking them there i might not bother this year. My flea drops include a wormer so i wouldnt want to change that so i will stick to my £13 a month plan.

Allergictoironing · 30/09/2018 11:24

Don't forget that the vet plan isn't the same as insurance - the vet plan covers routine stuff like annual MoT, injections and anti flea/worm, insurance won't cover any of these but does cover accidents and emergencies. They are complementary things, not an either/or.

VimFuego101 · 30/09/2018 11:36

Our cats are indoor, no health issues and yearly is fine.

We just had our oldest cat PTS - a 6 monthly check up as someone suggested up thread for 10yo cats might have been a good idea for him and maybe would have caught his issues a little earlier. I will probably start taking our other ones more frequently as they get older.

Original poster
onlywanttosleep · 30/09/2018 20:53

Thanks all, very helpful and still a lot to think about. We will definitely take out insurance, though I agree with princesstiasmum, it would be good to pick and choose. I can't see that we'll ever take him abroad for example and the polices I've seen have cover for that.

Both the vet surgeries near me offer a pet plan with discounts, 6 monthly check ups, fleas and worms and vaccinations and claws. But if the consensus seems to be that's too often I'll try and work out if it's cheaper to factor in a yearly check up and the other stuff and not bother with a plan until he's older.

He's definitely going to be an outdoor cat when the 3 weeks are up, I can see him twitching to get outside so I guess we'll need to keep well on top of fleas and worms. Hey ho - we knew it would be expensive.

OP posts:
almondsareforevermore · 01/10/2018 20:31

I take the cat to the vet when he’s ill, like we take kids to the doctor. Neither cats nor kids need routine check ups. We can treat fleas, nits and worms without five years training.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 01/10/2018 20:33

I can't get Harry's flea and worm treatment without him seeing the vet so it's not practical to only take him when he's ill, he has to go at least once a year.

princesstiasmum · 01/10/2018 21:45

You dont need to take the cat to the vets to get flea and worm teament, you can get it for the internet just the same as the vet sells you but much cheaper

dementedpixie · 01/10/2018 21:50

You need a prescription for vet strength flea/ worm treatments

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 02/10/2018 06:54

The stuff I use for Harry can't be bought without a prescription. The only over the counter stuff I would give him is Advantage, but I prefer Bravecto it has to come from the vet, the same as Profender.

princesstiasmum · 02/10/2018 09:31

Not always,you can get Drontal, and frontline,and advantage off the internet, all used to be prescription only, but you cant buy in pet shops, but of course there are some things that are still prescription only
I never ever by over the counter stuff, only prescription strenth, from Medicanimal, and vetmedic, all genuine

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 02/10/2018 11:00

Frontline no longer works in a lot of places. In Harry's case he can't have Drontal as it's a tablet, he can only have spot ons for flea and worm treatment.