This plan should help to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about your kitten. If you have any further questions we are more than happy to discuss any concerns or queries you may have.
Your kitten’s first six months
This table helps you keep track of your kitten’s needs.
| KITTEN’S AGE | TREATMENTS | DATE COMPLETED |
| 6 WEEKS | Worm treatment. | |
| 8 WEEKS | Worm treatment. | |
| 9 WEEKS | First vaccination, insurance and establish a programme for flea and worm control. | |
| 10 WEEKS | Worm treatment. | |
| 12 WEEKS | Second vaccination and microchip | |
| 13 WEEKS | Allowed outside to explore the big wide world! | |
| 4 MONTHS | Free weight check with nurse and worm/flea check. | |
| 5 MONTHS | Free weight check with nurse and worm/flea check. | |
| 6 MONTHS | Free weight check with nurse and worm/flea check.
Book in neutering if no plans to breed. |
Vaccinations
We routinely vaccinate kittens at 9 and 12 weeks of age. Until this age, they are protected by maternal antibodies passed from the mother provided that she has been vaccinated.
We vaccinate for Cat Flu (Feline Herpes and Calici Virus), Feline Panleucopenia and FeLV.
First vaccination from 8-9 weeks of age.
Second vaccine 3-4 weeks after first vaccination, usually at 12 weeks of age.
From a vaccination status they are safe to go outside from one week after the second vaccine but many prefer to keep them in until they are neutered and more developed.
A booster vaccination is required every year. At this time your cat will have a full health check and there will be an opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have.
Worming
All kittens have the potential to contract worms. They can be passed from their littermates or from their mother’s milk or faeces. To keep your kitten safe from roundworms we recommend worming every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age. When your kitten starts going outside we recommend worming for roundworms and tape worms. The protocol is dependent on the product and can be discussed with your vet.
Fleas
Fleas are the most common parasite affecting cats. They are prevalent all year due to the warm summer months and the use of heating during the winter. Flea eggs have been reported to remain dormant for 3 years; they can live in carpets, between floorboards, under the cooker, anywhere! One adult flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day and can survive 3 months if it gets a daily feed. The adult flea represents 5% of the flea population with the remaining 95% being eggs and larvae living in your home and the environment. Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there! Treatment, therefore, should be aimed at killing both the adult flea and the stages living in the environment.
All cats, rabbits and dogs in the house should be treated. They can each transfer fleas to one another.
All products should be used as frequently as recommended by the manufacturer as most causes of failure to prevent or treat is down to poor compliance.
It can take up to 6 months of treatment targeting both the adult fleas and the environmental stages to clear an infestation.
Neutering
If you have no plans to breed from your pet, neutering is recommended. Although neutering requires a short anaesthetic there are many benefits. Apart from the obvious of reducing the risk of having unwanted kittens, neutered cats are less likely to territory mark your home with urine and they are less likely to fight thus reducing the risk of the spread of disease. Both male and female kittens should be neutered at around six months of age.
Microchipping
Microchipping is a form of identification that is a permanent, safe and cost-effective. The microchip is approximately the size of a grain of rice and is inserted in a similar fashion as a vaccination injection.
All lost animals that are bought to the vets, police or animal shelters are routinely scanned for the presence of a microchip. Each chip has an individual barcode that corresponds to your details so that you can be contacted when your animal has been found.
Several cases have been recorded of pets being reunited with their worried owners after going missing for months or even years in some cases! Also, cat flaps are now available that read microchips to only allow your kitten/cat(s) in the house whilst stopping any unwanted feline visitors.
We recommend all pets to be microchipped at their second vaccination.
Insurance
The standard of veterinary care available to animals these days is extremely high. However, there is no NHS available for animals and good veterinary care is not always cheap. When you consider that one in three animals require veterinary treatment as a result of accident or illness, we strongly recommend taking out pet insurance. Please see our insurance fact sheet on the website for more information.
Feeding
Sensible feeding of young animals is extremely important. To ensure correct growth and weight gain kittens need to be fed a properly balanced kitten food diet. The nursing team have considerable knowledge regarding pet nutrition and are happy to talk through the types of diets available.
