Congratulations on your new member of the family. Having a new kitten will bring much joy with few downsides.
FIRST VACCINE
First vaccine in kittens has to wait until 9 weeks of age. At this stage we will thoroughly check over your kitten and if all is well start the vaccine course.
The best vaccine covers against two types of cat flu - Feline Calici Virus and Feline Rhinotracheitis, a very nasty (often fatal) enteritis called Feline Infectious Enteritis (also known as Feline Panleucopaenia) and Leukeamia Virus.
There is a cheaper version which has the two flu components and enteritis but omits the Leukaemia. Leukaemia is the happening disease. It is serious, indeed fatal and is gradually getting more common and we really should be building a wall of vaccine to protect against it.
At this first vaccine we will also talk to you about your new kitten so ask us anything you want to know.
SOCIALISING
At this stage try to introduce your kitten to as many situations, noises, people, places etc. as you can to help make for a stable and happy cat as it grows up. You should not allow your kitten out yet because immunity will not reach protective levels until a week after second vaccine but still do all you can to broaden your kittenʼs horizons.
SECOND VACCINE
This occurs at 12 weeks of age if you started vaccination at 9 weeks of age. If you started later second vaccine should be 3 to 4 weeks after the first vaccine. Again we will check your kitten and you can ask all the questions you like.
WORMING
Kittens often have worms. At the first opportunity we will get you to give a de-worming product even though the breeder might have already done so before you collected kitten. Worming should be done often. We say worm each fortnight up to 12 weeks of age, then monthly to 6 months of age and then every 3 months for life. We have the very best wormers for you to use.
FLEA CONTROL
Your new pet may well have the odd little pet of its own! For example fleas or lice. At first vaccination we will give you a free kitten pack which contains your kitten's first Credelio tablet for external parasites. Please use it and if you wish carry on administering it at monthly intervals as recommended.
ID CHIPPING
We are all for implanting these fabulously clever little devices. About the size of a small grain of rice they are injected beneath the skin between the shoulder blades at the base of the neck. This is usually painless and we recommend it at the second vaccine when the kitten has grown a little and has settled in the new home or at neutering time when the kitten will be unconscious. This is a one off permanent thing and is very worthwhile.
DIET
Many owners ask us if we recommend any particular diet. All of our staff use well known proprietary brands to feed their pets but we make no stipulation which you should use. All the well known brands are well researched, carefully prepared and beautifully presented. You make the choice but whatever you use to feed kitten make any changes from what was being fed at the breeder very slowly. Gradually mix more new diet into the old diet day by day until you achieve the change over. If you do it suddenly you invite tummy upsets.
NEUTERING
We recommend neutering for both male and female. Neutering has some definite health benefits in the long term and eliminates unwanted pregnancy and urine spraying. We suggest neutering at five and a half months of age.
PET INSURANCE
Pet insurance is an excellent idea. It brings the very best of veterinary treatments within the budget of everyone. Some veterinary procedures can be extremely expensive especially ones we have to refer to be done at university veterinary hospitals. If your kitten is insured you can afford it.
At your kittenʼs first visit we will supply you with a month of free insurance. Take it, you might as well. There will be no pressure on you to continue but we heartily recommend it (We gain nothing from the recommendation)
