Cats and Kittens

Kitten Checks

To get you and your kitten off to a good start we offer free monthly youth checks throughout kitten hood to help you establish great healthcare routines and ensure all cats grow up enjoying visits to the vet.

8 Year Old Checks

Although the life expectancy of your cat far exceeds this, from this point some diseases of old age can begin to appear, although the changes may be too subtle to see with the eye. These diseases include arthritis, diabetes, kidney and liver damage and heart conditions. Whilst some of these conditions can be life threatening; with early identification through careful diagnosis and treatment, much can be done to ensure your cat has a long and active old age.

Dental Checks

Unfortunately many of cats have poor oral health – and you may have noticed that your cat have bad breath. We are now much more aware of the long term damage caused by dental disease in cats and this can affect the whole cat, not just their mouth. Many owners report how much livelier their cat is after dental treatment. Come along to have your cat’s mouth examined and to get some good advice on how to make their teeth last a lifetime.

Weight checks

Like many humans, many of our cats are carrying a few extra pounds. Overweight animals are more prone to a number of diseases and so helping them regain their waistline is very important. Come along for regular free weigh-ins and advice to achieve safe but effective weight loss.

Elms Vets can help you keep your cat healthy and fit !

The following sections outline all the routine things you need to do to maintain good canine health.

 

The Good Cat Care Checklist:

 

Vaccination
Your kitten will require a primary vaccination course to protect him or her against the major infectious diseases that can be life threatening. This consists of two injections three weeks apart and can be started from 9 weeks of age.

 

This primary course also applies to adult cats who have never been vaccinated or whose vaccination schedule has lapsed. Cats then require an annual booster to keep their immunity up to date.

 

We send annual reminders to jog your memory so if your cat has not been vaccinated by us in the past, let us know when their booster is due and we can ensure they are entered onto out reminder system.

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Good Diet
Kittens cannot manage to digest and absorb all the food and nutrition they require in one meal. They need at least 3-4 smaller meals a day for the first 4-6 months of their life when their growth rate is very rapid. We recommend you feed ad-lib refresh food bowls 3-4 times daily as they are more likely to eat fresh food. It is essential that you feed a balanced diet that meets his or her needs during this vital period and we strongly recommend complete diets designed specifically for kittens.

 

All-in-one ‘life stage’ diets are then available to ensure your cat’s nutritional needs are met whatever his/her age. These diets have been carefully formulated to have the best possible balance of carbohydrates and proteins and all the minerals and vitamins for their varying needs. Dry food is much better in the long term for cat’s teeth however some owners like to add in a little wet food too. Try to ensure that over 50% of food is in a dry format.

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Worming your cat
The problems associated with heavy worm burdens can be very serious for cats, particularly young kittens, and can include vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures and even death. For these reasons regular worming is very important.

 

Kittens require worming fortnightly until 12 weeks of age and then monthly until they are 6 months old. After this point worming is based on risk but should be at least every 3 months. If your cat is a prolific hunter he or she is more likely to pick up tapeworms and should be wormed monthly.

 

Cats can also carry a disease called toxoplasmosis which can occasionally cause abortion in pregnant women. If you are pregnant, ensure you wear gloves when cleaning out litter trays. Clean up in the garden (or ideally ask someone else to do it!) and wash your hands after handling your cat to reduce any risks.

 

It is important that you ensure the wormer you use provides protection against all the parasites your kitten or cat is likely to encounter. All wormers are not the same! Discuss this with our staff who will advise you.

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Flea Treatment
Fleas are a year round problem for all cats and we therefore recommend year round treatment with a spot-on application. This offers longer term, more effective prevention than other forms of treatment.

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Microchips
Microchips are an ideal way of permanently identifying your cat and therefore decreasing the chances of loss, straying or theft. They are a compulsory part of the Pet Passport Scheme otherwise known as the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), should you wish to take your cat abroad. We advise micro chipping at the time of second vaccination or at neutering but they can be implanted in your cat at any time. The procedure takes less than a minute and requires no sedation.

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Dental Care

The best way to ensure your cat keeps his/her beautiful teeth and sociable breath is to brush his/her teeth. We will advise you on special cat toothbrushes and toothpastes and will show you how to use them. Cats accept this quite readily if it is introduced to them from an early age. Another alternative, although not as effective, is the use of dental chews and dental diets – they really do keep teeth cleaner.

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Neutering         
We advise neutering of all cats not intended for breeding. We firmly believe that the health and behavioural benefits far out way any potential side effects or risks. Please ask us if you have any questions or queries regarding neutering and we will be happy to discuss the pros and cons. Generally speaking males (castration) and females (spay) can be neutered from 16 weeks of age.

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Insurance
Unfortunately some cats require visits to the vet each year for reasons other than their annual vaccination. Illness and accidents do happen and full investigation and the best treatment options can lead to large bills. To allow us to give your kitten or cat the best treatment and chance of recovery we do advise pet insurance to remove the inevitable worries about decisions concerning costs and payment of fees. There are hundreds of policies available on the market – please read the small print and consider that many of the diseases people struggle to afford are lifelong and require many years of treatment. We are always happy to discuss the options open to you.

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We look forward to meeting you and your pet. Kate Dixon Principal Vet BSc. MSc. MA Vet MB MRCVS Elms Veterinary Surgery Monmouth Tel: 01600 711511

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KITTENS & CATS

Pet owner's
Health Check List

Vaccination Good Diet

Worming

Flea Treatment

Microchips

Dental Care

Neutering 

Insurance