Change Happens

My old cat Micky is wasting away -- well that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not much.  I brought him in to see Dr. Shillito the other day.  When you take your animal friend to the vet, the doctor asks all sorts of questions.  Obviously, the questions are directed at you since the cat can't speak, or at least talk  in a mutually understandable language.  Anyway, Micky's blood and urine were drawn, diet was discussed and then Dr. Shillito asked what I use for flea and tick prevention.   I proudly said, "Nothing".  After all, Micky, Merl and Charlotte don't go outside, so why would they need flea preventative?  Dr. Shillito was not buying my logic -- he said Nigel goes out, I go out, windows are open, there are ways for fleas, and even ticks to make their way inside the house for a tasty meal of  feline blood.   He strongly suggested a flea and tick preventative.  I begrudgingly said okay.  But not convinced, I looked up "Indoor cats and flea and tick prevention."   AND,   I found numerous articles that said --

Other animals in the household that do go outside (like dogs and people!) can bring in different parasites that can affect the “indoor” cat -- from www.CatHospitalofChicago.com

and

Even if your indoor cat never goes outdoors, it is not a bad idea to implement a flea, heartworm and intestinal parasite prevention program. This is not just my opinion, but that of the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). The parasite control recommendations from the CAPC website www.petsandparasitescom state the following: “the use of year-round heartworm and broad spectrum flea, heartworm and intestinal parasite medications, as well as appropriate flea and/or tick products, is the foundation of an effective parasite control program for your cat”. -- at  http://www.petparents.com/show.aspx/question/do-inside-cats-need-flea/tick-medicine.

So, I ordered the monthly preventative and am psyching myself up to apply it to the feline trio.   But, for now, Micky doesn't have fleas, nor do I think he has had them in the ten years that he has lived with me, but he has lost 2 pounds since January.   The diagnosis is not yet totally complete, but the broad, general thought is that he is old and things are changing -- including my opinion regarding flea and tick prevention for indoor cats.