What to Expect at Your Cat’s First Vet Visit, From Start to Finish

Taking a cat to the vet for the first time can be daunting, but when equipped with the right info, anybody can do it—even a new cat parent. From the moment you check in at the front desk to the car ride home, there are things you can count on to ensure your kitty's visit goes smoothly.

We spoke with Allyson Jacobi, DVM of Animal Medical Clinic of Merle Hay in Des Moines, Iowa, to discuss what cats (and their parents) can expect when visiting the vet for the first time.

Scheduling The Appointment

Regardless of how old your cat is, it's important to get them to the vet as soon as possible after welcoming them into your home—or even beforehand, if possible!

"As soon as you add a new cat to your household, it would be a great idea to set up an appointment to establish care with a veterinarian," Jacobi says. "This means even as young as 6-8 weeks old. Establishing care with a veterinarian is important to make sure they are healthy, especially before you introduce them to other cats or animals in the home."

Establishing care as soon as possible with a veterinarian will also give you and your cat expectations for follow-up visits.

"The veterinarian will be able to tell you how often they need to be seen, as it depends on the age and health status of each individual cat," Jacobi says. "Kittens may need to see the veterinarian every 2-4 weeks for their kitten vaccine series, whereas a healthy young adult that is current on vaccines may need to be seen only once a year."

Arriving to the Vet

Today's the day! It's time to head to the clinic. Most veterinary offices require pet parents to bring cats to the clinic in a cat carrier, which is simply to keep your cat safe and secure in a new environment.

"You never know what other animals could be in the waiting room at the vet’s office, and although we try to make vet visits as low-stress as possible, it can still be very stressful," Jacobi says. "There are a lot of new sounds, smells, sights, etc., and some cats’ response to that is fight or flight. The carrier provides a safe space for the cat where they cannot escape, bite or get hurt from another species."

After you and your cat check in, you will likely be led to an exam room where either a veterinary technician and/or your veterinarian will attempt to establish a medical history for your cat. If you adopted a cat from an animal shelter, odds are good that you have some medical records for your kitty already for the care they received while under the shelter's care. These will be very helpful for your new veterinarian!

What Vets Look for During an Exam

Whether it's your cat's first visit or 100th visit, your veterinarian will be sure to perform a thorough wellness exam. Jacobi says nothing is off-limits for what she typically looks at during a physical exam.

"In short, everything!" Jacobi says. "Veterinarians examine all major body systems through a physical exam."

This may include:

• Checking the eyes, ears, mouth, neck, stomach, and coat
• Listening to the heart and lungs
• Taking your cat's temperature
• Observing how mobile cats are to rule out musculoskeletal/neurological issues

Your cat's nose-to-tail exam is the perfect time to raise any concerns you may have about your cat's health or ask questions regarding responsible cat ownership.

What Vaccines Your Cat Needs

Depending on your cat's medical records, your cat's first vet visit may also include a few vaccines, especially if they're a kitten.

"There are a few different vaccines available for cats," Jacobi says. "Core vaccines for cats include a combination vaccine of feline panleukopenia virus, feline herpes virus, and calicivirus. Another core vaccine is rabies which may be required by county or state law. Also, the FeLV (feline leukemia virus) vaccine is considered core for cats younger than 1 year old."

Non-core vaccines are another category to consider, says Jacobi, depending on your cat's lifestyle.

These include:

• FeLV (age 1+)
• Chlamydia felis
• Bordetella bronchiseptica

Your veterinarian can provide specific recommendations on which vaccines make the most sense for your feline.

Common Lab Tests for Cats

For new patients, veterinarians also typically recommend a set of lab tests so that they have a baseline record to compare to future lab tests.

These lab tests are typical of new patients, according to Jacobi:

• Fecal test: Looking for the presence of intestinal parasites
• FIV/FeLV testing for cats, depending on age

Summary of Your Cat's First Vet Visit

If your cat is healthy, you and your feline can expect to be in and out in under an hour, closer to 15-30 minutes, Jacobi advises.

"A routine wellness exam can vary in length depending on the needs of the patient," Jacobi says. "For a first-time kitten owner, an appointment may run on the longer end to explain important aspects of cat ownership, and if your veterinarian finds something on physical exam that needs to be addressed, the appointment may take longer to do additional diagnostics (like bloodwork or X-rays)."

That's it! Not so different than a routine human physical, is it?