Many of us here at Young Veterinary Partnership are cat owners and we love meeting new feline friends. Cats on average live until they are around 15 years old and may be more independent than dogs but still require lots of attention, feeding twice daily and long haired cats will require regular grooming.
- At what age should my new kitten leave its mum?
Kittens should leave their mum at around 8 – 10 weeks old, if they leave before this age they may not be weaned properly (eating solid food) and can become unwell. When collecting your new kitten be sure to check what food your kitten has been eating and try to keep your kitten on the same food particularly during it’s ‘settling in’ period in your home.
- Do I need to vaccinate my cat / kitten?
Included in your kitten pack will be his or hers full health check-up and a set of 2 vaccinations (2-4 weeks apart), these vaccinations are normally given at around 9 and 12 weeks. The vaccinations protect them against feline herpes virus, calicivirus (both causes of cat flu) feline enteritis (a potentially fatal form of diarrhoea) and feline leukaemia virus. We recommend that both indoor and outdoor cats are vaccinated.
- Do I need to treat my cat / kitten for fleas?
Fleas can be a year round problem for both indoor and outdoor cats. We humans can carry fleas and deposit them within the home environment. Included in your kitten pack you will receive a 1 month spot on treatment to help prevent fleas, this is a quick and painless procedure.
- Do I need to worm my cat / kitten?
Even healthy looking kittens can carry worms. Worms can cause suffering, illness and can spread between other animals and even humans. To prevent you kitten getting worms you will receive a 1 month spot on treatment included in your kitten pack.
- What about older cats?
Cats over 10 years old are recommended to have yearly blood tests to screen for any medical problems such as kidney failure, diabetes, liver and thyroid problems. If you join our Pet Health Care Club we can help spread the costs of these procedures across monthly instalments. High blood pressure can also be a common problem in older cats, which we can check with a yearly blood pressure check.
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