FAQ

Do I need to have an appointment?

Yes, patients are seen by appointment only.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept cash, personal checks, Visa, MasterCard, CareCredit® and Sunbit® at our cat-friendly clinic.

Can I make payments?

Payment for feline health care is required at the time of service. Payment plans are available through CareCredit® and Sunbit®. Please call the Feline Medical Clinic for help or if you have questions.

Do you board cats?

Yes, we do lodge cats for our clients, with priority given to those on medication or those with special needs. You may bring bedding and food for your cat’s stay. Please also bring their medications. Each cat is fed twice a day unless on a specific schedule. All cats are given the opportunity to spend time outside of their kennel. Please make sure you have labeled your cat’s belongings with your cat’s name or your last name before bringing them to our veterinary hospital in Vancouver, WA.

What is the reason doctors recommend blood work?

We recommend annual blood work for patients that are 8-10 years of age or older to:

• Establish a baseline against which we can compare future blood tests.
• To aid in the early detection of disease, such as kidney disease, which often elevates before the patients show any clinical

Blood work is also recommended for almost all sick patients we see, as it helps us determine the cause of illness and subsequently enables us to focus our treatment on the problem(s) at hand. Finally, we run routine blood work on cats who are seniors, or who take chronic medications, such as methimazole for hyperthyroidism.

What is the purpose of checking my cat’s urine through urinalysis?

A urinalysis is a commonly performed test during a feline health care checkup. This test helps us determine whether the patient’s kidneys are functioning correctly, whether there is sugar in the urine indicating diabetes, and whether the patient has a urinary tract infection/inflammation. We run this test on any patient that is drinking and urinating large amounts, or who is exhibiting signs of urinary tract disease, such as blood in the urine, frequently squatting, straining to urinate, or urinating outside of the box. We also perform this test on most sick patients and recommend it as part of the annual health check for older patients.

When can my cat be spayed or neutered?

Spaying or neutering can be done at approximately four months of age or 4 pounds at our cat-friendly clinic. A physical exam is given before surgery to make sure your cat is healthy enough to undergo the surgical procedure. Current vaccinations are required at the time of surgery.

How long do the stitches stay in after my cat’s surgery?

Procedures involving stitches, such as abscess surgery or mass removal surgery, require them to be removed ten days following the surgery.

Is it a good idea to let my cat have at least one litter?

No, there is no advantage to letting your cat have one litter. However, there are plenty of benefits to having your cat spayed or neutered. These advantages include decreasing the chances of breast tumors later in life, reduce the likelihood of uterine infections later in life, lowering the desire to roam the neighborhood, helping to prevent spraying and marking, and also reducing the surplus of unwanted kittens.

What is the Feline Medical Clinic’s policy on declawing?

We do not perform declawing surgery at our veterinary hospital in Vancouver, WA.

How often does my cat need to have a physical exam?

All cats should have a yearly physical exam for us to assess your cat’s overall health status. The doctor will perform a complete exam and make recommendations for current and future care. It also gives us the change to detect early stages of any potential health problems. We are firm believers in preventative medicine. We recommend seeing senior cats (over the age of 10) twice a year for senior physical exams. Cats will age about 20 years the first year of life, then about four years every year after that.