The veterinary appointment that we postpone a little, for lack of visible and alarming symptoms. After all, the animal looks in great shape, so why rush? However, the figures show that the vast majority of owners do not share this “wait and see” logic.
According to the latest Facco-Odoxa barometer, presented on May 28, 2026 during the general assembly of the federation, 88% of dogs and 68% of cats have gone to the veterinarian at least once during the past year, figures that have been steadily increasing for several years. A notable difference between the two species which quite clearly reflects differentiated care habits: the dog, often perceived as more "to be monitored" due to its more active lifestyle and its regular outings, benefits from more systematic medical monitoring than the cat, whose autonomy and more homely lifestyle tend to postpone the visit until strictly necessary.
This gap is also found in other care indicators revealed by the same survey, and it paints a fairly coherent picture. In terms of sterilization, 85% of cats are affected, compared to only 57% of dogs, a difference probably linked to the risks of unwanted pregnancy considered more worrying in free-ranging felines. Conversely, in terms of identification (electronic chip or tattoo), it is the dog which largely dominates with 88% of animals identified, compared to 65% for cats, a gap which is partly explained by the older and more strictly controlled legal obligation for identification for dogs in France. Two care practices, two very distinct logics depending on the species concerned.

What this task actually involves

Animal care includes all health monitoring and grooming procedures for your pet: regular brushing, claw trimming, ear cleaning, or making an appointment with the veterinarian for a routine check-up. Allow around 60 minutes for a complete session including travel and consultation, a time which varies greatly depending on whether it is a simple annual check-up or a grooming session at home.

Tips and tricks for regular veterinary monitoring

Setting a systematic annual date, for example on the animal's birthday, rather than waiting for a symptom to decide, allows you to transform this visit into an anchored habit rather than a one-off step decided in an emergency. Preventative screening often detects health problems before they become visible or painful to the animal.
For cats, notoriously less monitored than dogs according to the figures from the Facco barometer, associating the veterinary visit with a calm time of the day, rather than in full excitement, limits the stress of the animal and reduces the owner's reluctance to schedule this appointment perceived as more complicated to organize than with a dog.
Regularly checking that the contact details associated with the identification chip remain up to date remains a simple but often neglected reflex, particularly useful in the event of a move or change of telephone number, to maximize the chances of quickly finding the animal in the event of a runaway.

With 88% of dogs followed by a veterinarian compared to 68% of cats according to the Facco-Odoxa barometer, a monitoring gap clearly persists depending on the species. A systematic annual appointment, whatever the animal, remains the best way to prevent rather than cure, and to prevent the absence of visible symptoms from turning into false security.