Research has shown that health is influenced by physical, mental, and emotional factors. Holistic medicine includes an evaluation of diet, emotions, behavior, and lifestyle, in addition to the routine physical exam. Holistic Medicine is also called Alternative Medicine and is an approach that deals with the whole patient, not just the presenting complaint. The veterinarian will need to know as much as possible about your cat’s environment. History taking will include your cat’s living arrangements as well as past medical problems and treatments. Owners need to be prepared to answer questions concerning their cat’s fears, food preferences and emotions. The time of day a problem occurs is also an important factor in making a diagnosis. Vets will take extra time to discuss how to monitor results of specific therapies and how to determine whether or not certain environmental factors are influencing their cat’s health.
