Kitten Care
Kittens are full of energy, curiosity, and charm, making them a joyful addition to any home. While they bring lots of fun and affection, caring for a kitten can also feel overwhelming if you’re not fully prepared. Kittens need plenty of love, attention, and supervision to keep them safe and help them grow into healthy, happy cats.
Check out our top tips to help you prepare your home and welcome your new feline friend with confidence, and give us a call to book your kitten’s first appointment.
Get a comfy bed for them to sleep in
Between bursts of play, kittens spend a lot of time sleeping (up to 16 hours a day!). Make sure they have a cosy hideaway where they can catch some z’s and feel safe. Some kittens like a cube or nest-type bed where they can hide, whereas others will like splaying across a flat, padded bed. Whatever they prefer, make sure it is safe without threads that they can get caught on.
Prepare the kids for the new arrival
If you have children, particularly young ones, it is vital to teach them boundaries when handling their new addition. All handling must be done with supervision, and be mindful that the kitten may become overwhelmed and will need time out. If the warning signs get ignored, a kitten can quickly become frightened or lash out! We have also seen injuries caused by mishandling and unsupervised play.
If you do have children, set the ground rules early and allow the kitten plenty of time to rest and have a time-out.
Organise vaccinations
Vaccination generally takes place between 6-8 weeks, at 10-12 weeks and sometimes at 14-16 weeks of age, depending upon the type of vaccines the kitten is having. The standard kitten vaccine protects them from two types of highly infectious cat flu and infectious enteritis. A secondary vaccine is advised if you plan to allow your kitten time to roam outside, which protects against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a lethal disease if contracted. Your kitten can be allowed out 10 days post their final vaccine.
Your cat will require yearly boosters, to maintain enough immunity to protect them for life. Failure to have your adult pet’s vaccination boosters could result in them becoming infected with one of these life-threatening diseases. We will send you a reminder when this is due. If you require any more information, please contact our friendly team for more details.
Book a desexing procedure
Desexing is an important step in maintaining the overall health of your pet, and has the added benefit of minimising bad behaviours such as aggression, roaming and urine-marking.
We recommend desexing your kitten at 5-6 months of age, before they reach sexual maturity. Females undergo a ‘ovariohysterectomy’. This is an abdominal surgery that removes the uterus and the ovaries.
Males undergo a ‘castration’, in which both testicles are removed.
Desexing is a procedure recommended for all cats not intended for breeding.
Get them microchipped
Microchipping is a permanent form of identification placed under the skin between your kitten’s shoulder blades. It increases the chance of your pet being returned to you should they ever be lost or stolen.
Microchipping can be done anytime in a consultation, and we will register the number with the national database before you leave. If you have any further queries, please contact the clinic.
Cover their parasite prevention
Parasite control is a lifelong responsibility for all pet owners, and can cause serious health issues if ignored. Intestinal worms can be passed between pets and humans; heartworm is lethal and is passed on by mosquitoes, thereby putting any kitten at risk; fleas can cause nasty skin problems, and even death in unwell or young cats.
Kittens require treatment against gastrointestinal worms at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age. From 12 weeks they should be wormed once a month until 6 months of age, then every 3 months for life, depending on the parasite preventative you choose.
We will be able to advise you on what product suits you, your pet and your budget. We also stock the safest, most effective and most clinically tested products available. For more information on parasites and the options available, please check out the parasite prevention options here.
Plan their diet
A high-quality diet is important, particularly in growing kittens. As veterinarians, we use and recommend super premium diets (such as Hill’s Science Diet, Royal Canin) for your pets as they are made from the highest quality ingredients.
Dry food formulas are the most effective way to provide the very best for your new kitten. These diets are specialised, fully balanced and made from premium grade ingredients, and are available in veterinarians and pet shops only. They are highly concentrated, meaning less mess to pick up for you, and are not packed with artificial colours, flavours and fillers.
If you are unsure as to what you should be feeding your new addition, please contact our friendly team for details.
Consider pet insurance
Pet insurance is becoming more popular and is more readily available than ever. As with human medicine, new advances in veterinary medicine are becoming available. Unfortunately, cost is often a limiting factor, and may mean life or death for many patients.
Having your pet insured will give you the peace of mind to be able to offer your furry friend the very best level of care, and have most, if not all, of your costs reimbursed.
Most major insurance companies offer pet insurance in some form. We recommend you do your research and speak to their customer service officers for more information.