The first weeks of your new kitten’s life with you will be busy and demanding. There may be times when you wonder if getting a kitten was such a good idea. Things will go better if you have patience and keep your sense of humor. Remember that kittenhood only happens once. The extra effort you put into it now will pay off in the future. Here are a few things to do for your new kitten.
Visit your vet
Make an appointment with your veterinarian to give the kitten a complete checkup within 72 hours of your purchase. If you don’t have a vet yet, you can ask the breeder or animal shelter for a recommendation.
Vaccinations
Cats require vaccinations three to four weeks apart as a kitten (starting from 6 weeks of age at least and finishing at 16 weeks of age at least) and then once a year after these – this is very important .
Prevent fleas, ticks, worms, and mites
Fleas, ticks, worms, and mites can make your kitten sick and feel miserable. The good news is that you can protect your pet from these parasites. It does cost some money to prevent parasite-borne diseases, but it is cheaper to prevent an illness than to treat an illness!
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” – Ben Franklin
- Heartworm treatment and prevention The only way to prevent heartworms is by giving your cat topical medication once a month. Monthly topical heartworm medication prevents your cat from being infected with the heartworm virus . Talk with your vet about when is the best time to start heartworm treatment for your kitten.
- Other worm treatment and prevention Kittens have to be wormed every 3 weeks until 12 weeks of age, then every 6-12 months for life.
- Flea and tick treatment and prevention If in doubt about the best treatment is best to use for your individual circumstances our veterinary technicians will be more than happy to advise you. Flea collars, powders, shampoos or other treatments which may be freely available from supermarkets, pet shops or pharmacies are not really effective and should be avoided (even though they may be cheaper!)
Feed
A good quality kitten food until 12 months of age is vitally important to ensure your pet is given the very best start in life. He should be fed 3 times daily until 4-5 months and twice daily until 12 months of age. We recommend the Hills Science Diet Kitten/Growth Food – the amount to feed daily will depend on the weight and age of your cat and is outlined on the bag. After 12 months of age we recommend Hills Science Diet Adult Food, and when your pet hits mid-life (seven!) you should switch to Hills Science Diet Senior Food.
Pet Health Insurance
We strongly advise you have your kitten insured with a pet health plan and continue on with this for the lifetime of your pet. This will cover a large portion of the veterinary costs for illnesses and injuries your cat may suffer. Some companies will also cover third party liability should your pet bite someone or cause an accident.
If you have any problems in getting coverage or have any queries on completing the application please let us know. Read more about pet health insurance.
Microchip identification
We strongly advise you have your kitten microchipped. This entails the insertion of a small chip the size and shape of a grain of rice under the skin between the shoulder blades. It is a quick and generally painless procedure that can be carried out at any stage but either at the final kitten vaccination or at the time of neutering while they are under anaesthetic are particularly good times. Each chip has a unique number that is readable by special hand-held scanners that all vets, animal shelters (where all unclaimed pets are put to sleep after 5 days) and animal sanctuaries should have at their disposal. If your pet gets lost and turns up in one of these places the first thing that should be done is that you pet is scanned for the presence of a chip. If one is found then the person in charge will call the central database who will retrieve your details from the number of the chip and give you a call to inform you of your pet’s location. The other use for a chip is obviously to prove ownership in the event of theft.
Neutering
It’s as simple as this – all pets should be neutered or spayed at 5-6 months of age . This is basic responsible pet ownership. Period! In addition to saving lives, spaying and neutering can also drastically improve your cat’s health and life expectancy. The idea that pets become fat or lazy when they are spayed or neutered is a myth. Sterilized cats lead healthier, longer lives. Spaying a female eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. Neutering a male reduces the risk of both prostate enlargement and prostate cancer. Neutering also will make your pet more affectionate and less likely to roam, get in fights, or become lost.
Having your cat neutered is basic responsible pet ownership and should be seen as a normal procedure for your pet to undergo. It’s good for your cat, you, and the community. To learn more click here.
Love your kitten with responsible ownership
Follow this guide to responsible ownership and you can rest assured that your kitten will live a long, happy and healthy life and give you enormous pleasure for many, many years to come.
