You and the vet

Veterinary care should begin as soon as you acquire your new kitten. Don’t wait for an emergency. Register him with the vet immediately and keep the number where it’s easy to find when you need it. You might also want to consider pet insurance. Treatment after accidents can turn out to be pricey.

Be prepared

Your first appointment with the vet will give you invaluable information on how to promote his physical and mental wellbeing and will also highlight any health risks that you should be aware of.

Over-feeding, for example, can lead to serious problems such as obesity or rapid growth. You need to learn what your kitten’s food intake should be, then modify this as he grows older.

His diet should be nutritionally balanced, highly digestible and specifically formulated for his age and life style. Poor quality and indigestible food can slow his growth, cause poor muscle and bone development and depress his resistance to disease. On the other hand, an excess of nutrients (contained in table scraps and some pet foods) can cause long-term damage.

Over to you

The vet’s role is important but your kitten’s health is down to your knowledge and everyday attention.

It’s up to you to start checking his mouth and teeth as early as possible. It will make it a lot easier when you have to start seriously cleaning his teeth. It’s especially important to check the front teeth and incisors which are the first to be attacked by tartar. Don’t wait until a thick layer of tartar has formed before you seek help because the damage will already have started. If you notice red, swollen gums, take him to the vet’s immediately and you should have his teeth checked anyway at least once a year. A sensible idea is to combine it with his annual vaccinations.

A good grooming, worming and de-fleaing routine is important but it’s also vital to take him for regular check-ups and to make sure he gets all his booster vaccinations at the right times. After all, you don’t want to put him at risk, especially if he comes into contact with other animals.