Caring for your new feline friend

Wellness Care for Kittens

We can help prepare your new kitten for a happy and healthy life. From vaccines to examinations we’ll make sure your newest family member is in tip-top shape.

Kitten Wellness Recommendations

Veterinary Exams

Examinations by a veterinarian are an essential tool in assessing your kitten’s health and wellbeing and invaluable in making proper decisions about your kitten’s overall care. We recommend having exams performed at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age.

Core Vaccines

Core vaccines are those immunizations recommended for all cats regardless of life stage or lifestyle due to factors such as the likelihood of infection, the threat posed to the pet’s health, or the risk of transmission to humans (zoonotic potential).

  • Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Panleukopenia, alicivirus (FVRCP) – Recommend starting at the 8 week kitten visit with boosters at the 12-week and 16-week visits. Boosters need to be at least 3 weeks apart but not longer than 5 weeks apart to be effective. The last vaccine must be given at 16 weeks or older to be fully protective.
  • Rabies (RV) – A single dose, using non-adjuvant vaccine, at 12 weeks or older. This is a single dose vaccine with no booster needed. Rabies vaccination is required by law.

Non-Core Vaccines

Non-core vaccines are given depending on your cat’s exposure risk. Conversations with your veterinarian regarding the risks and benefits will help in determining a vaccine regimen that will provide the safest and best protection for your individual pet.

  • Feline Leukemia (FeLV) – Recommended at 12 and 16 weeks of age (minimum of 2 boosters; one at or after 16 weeks using non-adjuvant vaccine).

Food / Nutrition

Your kitten’s health depends on nutrition. The foods you feed your kitten will have a life-long impact on overall wellbeing. We recommend feeding your kitten a healthy, all-natural, meat-based or grain-free food that is free of dyes, fillers and low-quality ingredients. Choosing a healthy food can be difficult, which is why we only carry healthy foods that our veterinarians feed their own pets.

Spay / Neuter

We generally recommend that kittens be spayed or neutered at approximately 6 months of age, but some variations to this apply in certain circumstances. Consult with your veterinarian for specific recommendations.

Microchip

We recommend that every pet be microchipped regardless of age. It can mean the difference in whether a lost pet is returned home safely. Microchipping is a simple procedure that can be done in the exam room or while under anesthesia for other procedures. Some cities require microchipping for pet registration.

The following protocols should be based on the known prevalence of parasites for your region and will be performed accordingly by your local veterinarian.

  • contract intestinal parasites Parasite Screening & General De-worming
  • FeLV/FIV FeLV/FIV Testing
  • kittens be started on a heartworm preventative Heartworm Prevention
  • Most flea and tick medications are not safe to use on kittens Flea and Tick Prevention

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