Kitten Pack

First vaccinations for your new kitten take place between 9-12 weeks of age. Your kitten should be routinely vaccinated against cat flu (caused by Feline Calicivirus and Feline Herpes virus) and enteritis (caused by Feline Panleukopenia virus). We also recommend vaccination against Feline Leukaemia virus which, if contracted, can lead to tumours and a reduced immunity. The initial vaccination course is two injections, three weeks apart. A
week after the second injection your kitten will be fully protected.
To maintain immunity vaccinations should be carried out annually. The initial kitten vaccines and the first year booster are imperative to create an immunity.

We believe pet insurance is essential; insurance takes away the financial concern when your pet requires treatment. An accident or long term medical condition can easily mount up bills into hundreds if not thousands of pounds. Vets can do more for animals now than ever before but it is important you consider how you would cover the costs if your pet needed treatment.

Benefits of insurance

•  Financial peace of mind in the event of an illness or injury
•  Improved treatment options and outcome
• Ability to make decisions based on what’s best without worrying about the costs involved.

Policy types

Lifetime policies

• Cover for a set amount each policy year

• No time limit on how long you can claim on each illness or injury for

• Ideal for ongoing conditions

• Maximum benefit policies

• Cover provided up to a maximum amount per condition

• Once you have claimed up to the limit the condition is excluded

12 month policies

• Cover provided up to the limit for a restricted amount of time

• After the 12 months the condition will be excluded from the policy

Accident only

• No illness cover

• Some will have time restrictions

We strongly recommend Lifetime policies as the most comprehensive way of insuring your pet and ensuring the best cover.

Other things to consider

• Excess – the amount you will have to contribute before the insurance company start paying. Some policies will also have a percentage contribution.

• Pre existing conditions – Most insurance policies do not cover conditions that existed before the policy was taken out. It is important to get the right cover at the beginning so that conditions do not get excluded when you try to change your policy.

• Price – not all insurance is created equal and a thorough assessment of the policy is essential.

Young animals are at particular risk of suffering from the ill effects of worm burdens. Adult animals are capable of carrying and distributing worms without showing symptoms. Most of these parasites are specific to their host species but cats can carry worms that can be dangerous to children if ingested.

Young animals should be treated every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age, then monthly until 6 months of age and then every 3 months thereafter.

If your pet is a hunting animal AND is in close proximity to young children they should be treated monthly

Kittens can arrive in your home with fleas, pick them up from outside or from other animals; prevention is better than cure. Fleas can quickly become a problem in the house, one flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day, and for every flea you find there are probably 95 in the environment in the form of eggs and larvae.

To help protect against infestation your pet should be treated with a veterinary approved product to ensure they are protected from parasites commonly found in the local environment, which include fleas, ticks and mites. There are a number of different products available, each with their own benefits depending on risk and species. One of our clinicians would be happy to discuss the benefits of each product and advise you on the most suitable one for you.

Our official policies regarding the time of neutering are flexible and determined by a discussion between a Veterinary Surgeon, Veterinary Nurse and yourself, the client. This is because the right time to neuter your pet is a personal decision.

Cats are prolific breeders and early neutering is strongly advised to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Entire male cats are more likely to roam and fight; they are also more likely to scent mark their territory.

The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) advises neutering of cats from 4 months of age and recognises practices that perform this.

We strongly advise microchipping your cat. A collar and tag can fall off or be removed, but a microchip is a more permanent way of identifying your pet. A microchip is a small chip, about the size of a grain of rice, which is injected under the skin between the shoulder blades. Often a microchip is the only way to locate an owner if your pet goes missing.

If your pet is ever brought into a rescue centre or veterinary clinic one the first protocols is to check for a microchip. A microchip reader will scan your kitten to locate a chip, if one is found the identification number will be entered into a national database to locate your contact information.

It is very important to update your contact information with the microchip database, if you are unsure of which database your pet’s microchip is registered with please speak to a City Vets colleague who will be happy to give you the contact information.

Diet is an important factor for all cats but especially so in young and growing animals. Different sizes and breeds have different nutritional requirements and choosing an appropriately formulated food is of vital importance.

At CityVets we support 2 brands of food, Hills and Virbac.

Both of these manufacturers make diet formulated to support your pet during each specific phase of their life. Hills ‘Vet Essential’ kibble is specially formulated to help with your cats teeth, it is clinically proven to reduce the accumulation of plaque and tartar which helps reduce the long term risk of gum disease. For more information on nutrition or dietary support please speak to a member of CityVets staff.

Do

– Take the time to choose an appropriate diet for your kitten
– Follow guidelines on volume of food but remember that the feeding guides are
purely that, ‘guides’ and each animal has its own unique metabolism that has to be
accounted for when managing their diet.
– Have fresh water available at all times
– Regularly weigh your kitten to effectively manage food intake and increases

Don't

– Feed your cat table scraps – this will create bad begging habits and selective feeding
– Leave food unattended in an accessible area

It is also a really important time to get your pet used to a clinical exam. Look in their mouth and
examine the teeth (especially the back teeth), lift their feet and play with their nails.
Tooth brushing is great for dental hygiene and the sooner you start the easier it will be for you both.

We are always here for our clients and their pets, providing our own 24 hour emergency service, ensuring continuity of care at critical times. In the event of an emergency please contact your usual CityVets branch, if this is out of normal working hours you will be given the contact number for the duty vet.

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