Upper West Side Cat Care

General & Preventative Feline Treatments

Cats are experts at hiding any clinical signs. In fact, it is due to evolution that cats are programmed to conceal any signs of illness or discomfort. Predators instinctively look for the weakest or sickest animal to prey on, so cats do everything they can to pretend that they’re not sick until they simply cannot hide it anymore. By the time the cat reveals that he or she is sick, the illness may have progressed too far to successfully treat. This is why early detection of illness is the key to keeping your cat healthy.

At Manhattan Cat Specialists, conveniently located on the Upper West Side, our fully trained veterinary and clinical staff can assist you with general and preventative treatment to keep your cat living a long and healthy life. Our office is warm and friendly to ensure both you and your feline friend remain comfortable.

To schedule an appointment for routine cat care, call (917) 242-4235 or contact us through our online intake form.

Care Services We Offer

Our Upper West Side hospital is stocked with state-of-the-art technology and equipment to ensure that your feline is in the best hands possible.

To assist with your cat’s care, we offer multiple services including:

• Thorough physical examinations: We recommend bi-annual examinations to ensure early detection of any illness. Keeping up with the recommended examinations is the key to keeping your cat healthy and happy.
• Tailored wellness programs: Because each cat has individual needs and treatment, our veterinarians assess your cat and develop tailored health plans to fit his or her needs.
• Illness treatments and in-patient care: In the event your cat falls ill, we offer a quiet, calm, and welcoming environment with an emphasis on minimizing patient stress and alleviating pain and discomfort.
• Prescriptions, refills, and diets: Our hospital carries most of the prescribed medications and therapeutic diet food necessary to treat your cat’s medical condition.
• Vaccinations: Regardless of your cat’s age, it is vital that it should be vaccinated against feline viral rhinotracheitis, calici virus, panleukopenia, and rabies.
• Blood typing: Like humans, cats need to receive the same blood type during blood transfusions. It is important that your vet knows which blood type your cat is to ensure it receives the same type during any necessary treatment.
• Blood pressure measurement: Hypertension may affect many of the cat’s body systems, including heart, kidneys, eyes, and nervous system. This is why it is important to regularly monitor your cat’s blood pressure.
• Heartworm testing: Heartworm infections are more difficult to detect in cats than in dogs. Therefore, screening cats for heartworms includes the use of both an antigen and antibody test. Occasionally, x-rays or ultrasounds are used to look for heartworm infections.
• Flea and tick prevention: Regardless of where you live, it is important to protect your cat from fleas and/or ticks. There are now alternative options to constantly bathing your cat in a flea/tick prevention shampoo. There are several once-a-month oral and topical products that control fleas. Some of these products also control external and internal parasites as well.
• SoftPaws plastic nail caps: If your cat has been destroying your furniture, we recommend fitting them with SoftPaws plastic nail caps. These nail caps are shaped like a cat’s nail but are hollow inside. They fit over the cat’s own nail and are kept in place. The nail caps blunt each claw, preventing damage when a cat attempts to scratch furniture or people.

New Kitten General & Preventative Care

Getting a new kitten is exciting, but it is important to ensure that you get the proper tests and treatments that allow your cute little kitten to reach a healthy adulthood.

We recommend the following services for all new kittens:

• Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) testing: All kittens should be tested for these two viruses. Because of their high contagion rate, is especially important to know your whether your kitten has FeLV or FIV if you plan to introduce your kitten into a household already containing a cat.
• Internal parasite control: Intestinal worms can accumulate in the digestive tract and rob the kitten of valuable nutrients during this vulnerable stage in its life. Fortunately, once internal parasites are caught, they are easily treated.
• Ear mites treatment: Ear mites are pesky microscopic bugs that can live in your kitten’s ears, causing itching and relentless discomfort. Fortunately, once ear mites are diagnosed, they are easily treated.

Call us at (917) 242-4235 or schedule an appointment through our online form. We look forward to meeting you and treating your feline friend.