
Kitten Vet Care
It’s so exciting welcoming a new kitten into your family, and we can’t wait to share in that, and help you navigate the first few weeks with your new addition. Our vet and nurse team can advise you on all you need to know about.
Vaccinations
There are a number of highly infectious (and potentially fatal) diseases that can affect your kitten. A vaccination course, followed by annual boosters, can help protect your cat against infectious enteritis (Panleukopaenia), Feline Calicivirus (one agent implicated in cat ‘flu), Feline Herpesvirus (another cause of cat ‘flu), and Feline Leukaemia Virus. Your kitten may be vaccinated from 8 weeks of age, and will need a second injection 3-4 weeks later. They are fully protected 1 weeks after their second injection.
Worming
Some kittens are born infected with roundworms via their mother’s milk. Worm burdens can make your kitten very ill and they can also be passed onto humans, where serious infestations can cause blindness in young children. We recommend worming your kitten every 2 weeks for the first 12 weeks, and then once a month until 6 months of age. After that a parasite plan can be tailor made to suit your cat’s lifestyle, for example how much they hunt.
Flea Control
Fleas can be a problem all year round. We strongly advise that prevention is better than cure. The flea life cycle is complicated, so infestations can be difficult to get on top of quickly. Fleas have a nasty bite, live and feed on your kitten. Fleas will also bite humans. Severe infestations can cause anaemia, but generally flea bites can cause itching, skin irritation and a poor coat. It is important to keep up to date with regular flea treatments for your pet; it may also be necessary to use a household spray. The frequency of treatment will depend on the product used.
Neutering
Unless you are planning to breed from your kitten in the future we recommend that you have your pet neutered. The benefits include: the prevention of unplanned, unwanted and costly offspring; the reduction of the risk of certain types of cancer and other disease; and the reduction of aggression, straying, spraying and antisocial behaviour. In general we advise neutering from 4 months of age. Speak to our vets or nurses for more information about the potential benefits and any other considerations for your pet.
Nutrition
Feeding your kitten the right food is one of the most important things you can do for them. A good quality, complete kitten food will help your kitten develop strong bones, muscles, immune system and brain function.
Environmental Enrichment
Cats can be susceptible to stress related problems, usually only shown by overgrooming, spraying and other urinary tract problems. Avoid stress and have fun with your new kitten. You should ensure that the number of litter trays are sufficient to allow for one tray per cat plus an extra one, positioned in a private area and cleaned regularly. Scratching posts are useful for keeping the cat’s claws in good order (and saving your furniture!). Toys and games encourage good mental and physical development, and bonding with you e.g. lasers, teaser toys and activity treat balls.
Dental Care
Dental disease is common in cats. There are a range of products available to try to prevent dental disease, ranging from brushing their teeth daily to water and food additives. We recommend starting a routine as soon as possible, in order to prevent bad breath, tartar and subsequent tooth decay and gum disease.
Microchip
It is now law that all owned cats are microchipped, and the owner details kept up to date. This is a permanent method of identification. A small chip (about the size of a grain of rice) is inserted under the skin between the shoulder blades. The chip holds a unique number which is saved on a national database, alongside your name and contact details. We welcome this legislation, as cats cannot be mistaken as strays, and can be identified and reunited with you if they go missing or are injured.
Our kitten vaccination courses start at £53.50 for a full course of core vaccines. Contact one of our team at the clinic for more information.
For ongoing care into adulthood, consider graduating onto our Coomara Care preventative healthcare plan.
Juvenile 4 month check ups
Our nurses offer juvenile cats a complimentary check up around the age of 4 months old. This is a great opportunity to monitor their progress, discuss any “teething problems” and talk more about their next steps, e.g. neutering.
Got a question about our kitten vet care?
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