A study showed that 40% of Malaysian cat owners do not take their cats to the vet. Photo: Ina Fassbender/dpa
There's no doubt that we love our pets very much. However, a local research has revealed a shocking figure regarding cat care, and it does raise a critical question: Is the welfare of Malaysian cats being taken care of?
The study shows that 40% of cat owners in Malaysia have never taken their pet to the vet.
This gap usually starts at the early stages of a cat's life, with only 10% of owners taking their new kitten to the vet. And yet, veterinarian visits during kittenhood is one of the key elements in providing them a great start to life.
Getting your kitten familiar with veterinary visits can lead to a more pleasant experience for both the owner and the cat in the years to come.
Prevention of diseases
Taking cats to the vet and starting when they are kittens is critical in the prevention of diseases.
Preventative healthcare, which includes prevention, early detection and reducing the impact of disease, is essential for cats’ health and well-being.
This becomes more essential as the discovery of signs indicating a health decline in cats can be quite challenging even for seasoned cat owners.
‘We are currently dealing with numerous diseases in cats that sadly could have been prevented by regular check-ups, ’ said Royal Canin Malaysia market head Dmitriy Sokolov.
“Regular vet visits allow the early communication with pet owners to take place, thus enabling veterinarians to share petcare knowledge and ultimately, cultivate the value of responsible pet ownership, ” says Royal Canin Malaysia market head Dmitriy Sokolov.
“We are currently dealing with numerous diseases in cats that are growing in prevalence that sadly could have been prevented by regular check-ups. That’s why tackling the problems associated with taking cats to the vet needs to be managed strategically with a focus on prevention, targeting kittens.”
Take Your Cat To The Vet
Under its Take Your Cat To The Vet campaign, Royal Canin, one of the leading pet health nutrition companies, rallies cat owners to see the vet.
“Our goal with the Take Your Cat To The Vet campaign aims to advocate veterinary care for cats a vital part of animal welfare to all stakeholders in the industry, ” says Sokolov.
“This year, we are proud to have the Department of Veterinary Services alongside our global partner for this campaign, the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), a division under the International Cat Care (ICatCare).
“While the gap in preventive veterinary care between dogs and cats continues to be a concern, the great news is that it can be addressed.”
To raise awareness for this campaign, Royal Canin Malaysia is rolling out a series of activities for cat lovers of all ages.
These include the TYCTTV: The Future Advocate poetry and storytelling competition (open to children aged four to 12); an interactive educational web game competition, and the Cat2Vet digital live event happening on Dec 5.
For more information and tips on stress-free vet visits for cat owners and furkids or to join the Take Your Cat To The Vet campaign activities, go to www.royalcanin.com/my/take-your-cat-to-the-vet. You can also join the conversation and be part of the movement on social media by using the hashtags #TakeYourCatToTheVet, #Cat2Vet, and #RoyalCaninMalaysia.
