Overview

At Advanced Veterinary Care we strive to help your kitten get started on the right path to a long and healthy life. The first few months are a critical period in your kitten’s development, and we can give you the support and tools necessary to help him or her grow into a well-mannered, healthy cat, including information and advice on nutrition, litter box training, and behavior.

It is important to schedule your kitten’s first exam as soon as possible. Until your kitten has received a series of vaccines, he or she is susceptible to many serious but preventable diseases.  We will make sure your new pet is protected against rabies and panleukopenia (distemper).  We also will screen your kitten for feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), two serious viruses that kittens can acquire from their mothers. Your kitten will also need to be tested and treated for intestinal parasites, which are common in young cats and can be transmitted to people. By ensuring that your kitten is properly treated, you can keep your entire family safe.

Most kittens have roundworms, which are intestinal worms that can cause coughing, weight loss, and a potbellied appearance in cats (although they may not cause any symptoms.  It is important for kittens to be treated fro roundworms, not only to help rid them of the infection but also to prevent you and the rest of your family from becoming infected.  Roundworms are zoonotic parasite, which means they can be transmitted from pets to people.  By ensuring that your kitten is properly treated, you can keep your entire family safe.

Here is a timeline of what you can expect when you bring your new kitten to Advanced Veterinary Care:

8 – 9 weeks old:

This is usually the age when you bring your new kitten home, and your first visit should be scheduled as soon as possible. At this visit, we will examine your new kitten from nose to tail to check for any birth defects or illnesses. We will also discuss litterbox training, lifestyle, enrichment for indoor cats, and how to keep them from clawing your furniture. We will also test your kitten for FeLV/FIV, administer a dewormer, check for fleas, and give its first distemper vaccine. You will go home with a kitten kit with a lot of important information, as well as a free dose of heartworm and flea prevention. We also recommend bringing in a stool sample at this visit to screen for any intestinal parasites.

12 weeks old:

This is the age when your kitten will have its second visit with us. At this appointment we examine your kitten again to ensure that it is growing properly and is the healthiest it can be. We will also answer any questions you may have. Your kitten will receive a second dose of a dewormer, and will be given a rabies vaccine and a second distemper vaccination.

16 weeks old:

This is your pet’s last visit as a kitten! We will conduct another exam to make sure your kitten is on the road to a healthy life, and will answer any questions you may have. We will also discuss spaying and neutering at this appointment, as well as microchipping. Your pet will also receive a third distemper vaccination and will start vaccination for feline leukemia.

At Advanced Veterinary Care, we recommend that all kittens are vaccinated for feline leukemia ( a series of two vaccinations) and then boostered when they are one year old, to give them a level of protection against the virus if they were ever exposed. If your pet will be strictly an indoor cat, we will discontinue this vaccine after a year old. If your cat goes outdoors, it is important your pet receive this vaccine each year.

We look forward to meeting your new kitten and to answering any questions you may have.  Please call our office today to schedule you kitten’s first appointment!