June 27, 1997
Getting a New Kitten?
My article two weeks ago covered many of topics of importance to owners of new puppies. Many of the same concerns arise for owners of new kittens, so now it's equal time for our feline friends. If you haven't yet gotten your new kitten, there is information on choosing a cat at the Waltham website and at Pet Source. There is information available from the American Cat Fanciers Association on "How to Find the Kitten of Your Dreams" if you're opting to buy a purebred kitten. A researcher at Cornell is even evaluating a kitten personality test, but we'll have to wait and see if it turns out to be useful in predicting what kind of cat your kitten will grow up to be. Remember to kittenproof your house. The Cheeptrills Maine Coon Cattery "Care, Health and Safety" page has a good list of potential hazards for cats and kittens.
Just as I mentioned last time for owners of new puppies, selecting a veterinarian that provides extended visits for clients with new kittens is recommended for people who don't yet have a regular veterinarian. A veterinarian that takes extra time to discuss kitten care, nutrition, and common feline diseases will most likely be a veterinarian who will always take time to answer your questions throughout the life of your cat. Kittens need to stay with their mothers and littermates until they're 7 - 9 weeks of age and fully weaned. Until this time, they need the care of the queen and also the social interaction with the queen and littermates. Early separation may cause a kitten to grow up to be an overly cautious cat. Unless a kitten is sick or not growing normally, they need to make their first visit to the veterinarian at about 8 weeks of age. Kittens are then seen every 3 - 4 weeks until they are at least 16 weeks of age. Although this schedule is dictated by the need to give a series of vaccines (see below), it also allows for necessary screening for parasites and adjustment of medications appropriate for changes in body weight for growing kittens. A good preventative health care plan for kittens will include: - kitten health record
- general physical examinations
- body weights recorded
- stool sample check for internal parasites
- check for external parasites (fleas, earmites, mange mites) and dermatophytes (ringworm) [photos of mites from Oklahoma State]
- medication for roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms if needed
- testing for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)
- vaccination series for feline upper respiratory viruses (rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and chlamydia) and panleukopenia, (usually given as a combination vaccine)
- vaccination for rabies
- vaccination for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIP) if specifically indicated
- preventative medication for heartworm disease in endemic areas
- discussions on nutrition, grooming, spay or neuter, and behavior
Kittens are given a series of vaccinations for prevention of common infectious diseases. This series is usually started at 8 weeks of age and continued every 3 - 4 weeks until at least 16 weeks of age. Kittens need to have their vaccinations as a series for the same reason as was discussed last time for puppies--it is impossible to predict when any given kitten will lose the immune proteins (antibodies) it received from the queen and when its own immune system is mature enough to take over. This happens sometime between 6 - 15 weeks of age, for most kittens. Enjoy your new kitten!
Good links with information for new kitten owners:
Purina's Cat Care page
Pet Talk "Getting a Cat" Daisy Lane Veterinary Clinic's kitten tips
Waltham's List of Cat Information Topics CFA's "Caring for Cats" PetSource's "Caring for Your New Kitten" Cyberpet's "Can You Socialize a Kitten?"
Frequently asked question pages on troublesome feline viruses: Erin Miller's FeLV FAQ Erin Miller's FIP FAQ Jennifer Might's FIV FAQ
|
Kansas State University's Pet Health News
This site has many articles on pet health compiled or written by faculty of the veterinary school at KSU.
AVMA's Care for Pets
This site is sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association and is being expanded regularly. This site is particularly good for information on choosing a pet and basic pet care.
The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors
The site includes a list of articles published by members about pet behavoir problems.
Oncolink--Veterinary Oncology
Site at the University of Pennsylvania with a section devoted to cancers affecting animals.
PetVet
This site as an wide array of information, but in information on any specific condition is not detailed.
|
Veterinary Medical Info--Dogs & Cats
