Owning a kitten can be a very rewarding experience. Watching it grow and develop its own little personality can bring lots of joy to your home. Along with teaching it how to behave and interact with other people, it is also your responsibility to ensure your pet has a healthy start in life. 

Vaccinations:

Why vaccinate your kitten? 

Vaccinations work by stimulating natural defence mechanisms. These defences are remembered and triggered when the pet comes into contact with the disease, but will wane if your cat does not have yearly boosters. This yearly visit is also a good chance for the vet to check the general health of your pet. 

 We would recommend giving your kitten its first vaccination at 9 weeks of age and then a second vaccination is required at 12 weeks of age. 
 

Diseases which the vaccinations cover include:

Cat Flu: is a common cat disease that can be life-threatening. It is most commonly seen in cats kept in large groups such as breeding catteries, rescue centres and feral cat colonies, although it can also be seen in pet cat households and is very infectious. Cats that are most at risk include unvaccinated cats, kittens and elderly cats.

If a cat is infected it can show signs such as sneezing, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the lining of the eyes), discharge from the eyes, loss of appetite, fever and depression. Occasionally, mouth and eye ulcers and excessive drooling of saliva may be seen.

To reduce the risk of your cat contracting Cat Flu it is advisable to have it vaccinated against Feline herpesvirus (FHV) and Feline calcivirus (FCV). These vaccines stimulate the cat's immune system helping it to fight infection and protect it from developing disease. However, although vaccination usually prevents severe disease developing, it will not always prevent infection with the viruses, but  the disease would be very mild. These viruses are in the annual cat vaccines.

 Chlamydophila: Formally known as Chlamydia, this is a persistent and reoccurring infection commonly seen in cats between the ages of 5-12 weeks old, although it can be seen at any age. The infection affects the eyes and causes conjunctivitis. Due to discomfort the cat may hold the eye partially closed.

 As the disease progresses the affected eyes become severely swollen and red. The cat may also show flu like symptoms such as sneezing and nasal discharge. The disease is spread through direct contact in cats. In severe cases cats can lose their sight.

 Feline Enteritis: This disease is caused by the Feline Parvovirus that is found in infected faeces. It is a very hardy virus which can survive in the environment for long periods of time. It can be spread through clothing, food bowls, and bedding. An infected cat may lose its appetite and seem depressed. This can progress to severe abdominal pain, profuse vomiting and diarrhoea, which often contains blood. The virus may cause abortion in pregnant queens or foetal abnormalities. Morality rates in young kittens are very high.

 Feline Leukaemia:  This is a virus which weakens the immune system, causes anaemia and causes certain kinds of cancer.

Kittens under 4 months old are at higher risk of catching the infection. Infected mother cats will usually pass on the infection before the kittens are born, or from the kittens ingesting milk. Cats that live in close contact and enjoy washing each other are at particularly risk if one of them catches Feline Leukaemia as the infection is spread through saliva. A cat bite would also have the same effect.

At first the signs of Feline Leukaemia may go unnoticed. After a period of weeks, months or even years your cat may have ongoing infections and illness, the general health of your pet may deteriorate. Once clinical signs appear, cats cannot be cured.

Flea Treatment:

Fleas are the most common parasite of domestic animals. The cat flea, despite the name, can infest dogs just as much as they can infest cats! Fleas breed in huge numbers, with each female laying around 200 eggs. These eggs then fall off your cat and into your home. The eggs can then live deep in your carpet, soft furnishings and pet bedding where they will wait to hatch. Fleas can easily be transmitted from something as simple as your cat having brief contact with another infected cat or dog. If your cat isn't protected, the fleas will bite and can cause irritation or allergy. They can also bite you too causing skin discomfort. 

 Preventing your kitten from flea infestations from the beginning you will avoid the problems they can cause and also stop your home being invaded by these unwanted parasites. At this practice we have some spot-on applications which can easily be applied to the skin at the back of the neck and the ingredients spread all over the body, where it will continue to kill fleas for many weeks. This preparation should be applied once a month. If your kitten should unfortunately get fleas, then it is a good idea to also treat your home with a household spray.  Fleas are intermediate hosts to a certain species of Tape worm, which means that as well as using flea treatments, your pet may also need to be treated with a wormer.

 Worming:

Cats should also be wormed regularly, especially if they are prone to hunt or 'scavenge'. Most worms live in your pet's intestines, feeding on the contents of the guts or your pet's blood. A worm infestation can make your cat ill and cause signs such as diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss and a poor coat. There are several types of worms your kitten should be protected against.    Tapeworms and roundworms are the most common that you will see. Hookworm and heartworm can also be controlled with worming treatments. Your kitten should ideally be wormed every month if using a spot-on treatment or every 3 months if dosing with tablets. 

 Tape worms: "Diplidium caninum" is the most common tapeworm in the UK for dogs and cats. Intermediate hosts are the flea, and biting louse in the dog. Your cat may have an irritated bottom and the tapeworm segments (which look like grains of rice) may be seen moving around the tail area and in the faeces. Tape worm in cats may not cause any signs but a heavy infestation can cause anaemia, indigestion and constipation.
 Cats can be affected by other tapeworms when they eat raw meat, either from uncooked meat or through hunting and catching prey.

 Round worms: Kittens can be infected before birth if their mothers have not been wormed. Kittens are infected from their mother's milk. They can also catch worms through infected prey if they tend to hunt.

 "Toxocara cati" and "Toxascaris Leonina" are the two common round worms which affects cats. Adult worms excrete a large numbers if eggs (as many as several thousand eggs per gram of faeces in a three week old kitten.) 
Stunted growth, distended bellies, vomiting and diarrhoea are all things to look out for.

 Treatment of worms:

·         As a preventative measure you should treat your cat with a broad spectrum wormer tablet. 

·         Kittens should be wormed from 2 weeks of age, every 2 weeks until 12 weeks old, then, once a month until 6 months old. Cats over 6 months old should be wormed every 3 months for life.

At Girling and Fraser we offer a program which covers preventative treatment such as wormers, flea treatment and much more at a discounted price using monthly payments. This is not an insurance policy but it is designed to work along side your insurance to give your pet the best treatment available.  If you are interested please feel free to speak to a member of staff at our practice.

 Insurance:

It would be wise to take out insurance cover for your pet. Although we don't like to think about it, sometimes our pets will need vet attention for something other than routine treatments. This could prove costly if your pet needs ongoing treatment or treatment for the rest of their lives. There are many different insurance companies offering different levels of cover.  

Neutering:

 From 6 months of age your kitten can be neutered. Neutering your young female cat will prevent unwanted pregnancies. It will stop your cat wailing or 'calling' as they will no longer come into season. Spaying your cat will reduce the risk of mammary tumours developing. Castrating your male cat will stop him marking his territory by spraying strong smelling urine. It should also stop your cat getting into fights and therefore reduce the risk of cat bite abscesses and spreading diseases such as FIV and Feline Leukaemia.

 Caring for Teeth:

Although it is sometimes easy to forget, kittens and cats have teeth just like ours. If teeth are not taken care of they can build up a layer of tartar which eventually rots the tooth root and can cause bacteria infections of the gums. In the long run, reoccurring dental disease can damage heart and kidney functions. It is very easy to prevent dental problems and your cat will thank you for it later in life.

·         It may sound funny at first but you can teach your kitten to stand to get its teeth brushed. At first you can gently move your finger along the side of the teeth. From then you can introduce a small piece of special paste to your finger. It may be messy at first so we can provide small thimble brushes to put on the tip of your finger. Eventually you may use a brush if your cat allows it.
 Human toothpaste tastes unpleasant for cats and becomes uncontrollably soapy. There are special cat toothpastes at the practice which come in a variety of catty flavours.

·         Brushing does not have to be carried out every day; however often you manage it will be helpful. 

 

Microchips:

Sadly, thousands of pets go missing every year and many are never reunited with their owners. It is always a good idea to have some identification on your pet should they go missing. The traditional way is for a collar with an identity tag attached. However what would happen if the tag was to get lost?
 A great way to ensure your pet can be traced back to you is by getting your pet microchipped. A microchip is a small chip (about 1cm long) that is implanted under your cat's skin between the shoulder blades. This chip contains a unique number which relates to your pet's name; your name and home address after you have registered your details. The database is nationwide and most animal organisations from vet practices to animal shelters have compatible scanners which would notice the microchip number. They would then be able to reunite you with your cat!!

Benefits of Microchips:

·         A permanent form of identification.

·         Cannot be lost or removed.

·         It is a quick procedure

·         Internationally recognised.

·         It gives you peace of mind.

·         Microchip operated cat - flaps 

 

Diet:

Cats are obligate carnivores, they must have meat in their diet as they require the amino acid taurine which is only found in meat. There are a range of different foods available for cats and your decision should be based around the age and breed of cat, as well as what their favourite foods are.

Cats do not drink a large volume of water so it is important to increase this in their diet in order to maintain the health of their kidneys and bladder. Often owners prefer to feed a mix of wet and dry food to give your cat variety. Other options would be to soak wet food in water before giving it to them, or feeding wet food only.

 

If you have any queries regarding any of the above or would like to discuss other topics relating to your pet please do not hesitate to contact us at the surgery