I'm a tech and would strongly recommend bringing cats every year. Indoor cats here get a distemper vaccine yearly and a rabies vaccine every 3 years. If the cat goes outside then a leukemia vaccine is also given yearly. My boss does a thorough physical exam for every patient that comes in-even for vaccines so he would be able to catch on if the cat had a problem.
My cats are my children and I want them to live long and healthy lives and vet checkups are extremely important!!!