Keeping kittens healthy

Your kitten may be independent, but you’re the one who’s responsible for his health, happiness and well-being. Diet, shelter and companionship are all incredibly important, and dealt with in their own special sections. Here, however, we’re concentrating on some common health issues – and the best way for you to deal with them.

Get to know your vet

Your vet is the best bet for preventing health problems with your cat. Don’t wait for an emergency – register immediately, and make sure you know the number before you need it. Take your cat there in a sturdy cat carrier, have him checked over and get advice on vaccinations, worming, feeding and general health care. You might also want to consider insurance, as treatment after accidents can be pricey.

Vaccinations

Feline infectious enteritis (FIE), feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), feline calicivirus (FCV) and cat influenza are all extremely infectious and dangerous. Thankfully, vaccination against them is now routine and highly effective. First injections are usually given at 9 weeks, with the second at 12, whilst influenza vaccine is often given as nose drops. Immunity takes up to a fortnight to develop, so you will have to keep your kitten indoors during this period. Your kitten will also need booster injections annually. If you want to leave your cat at a cattery when you go abroad, you will need to produce the certification for all these vaccinations, so keep them in a safe place. If you want to take your cat abroad with you, they will also need to be vaccinated against rabies. Recently, it has also become possible to vaccinate against feline leukaemia virus and feline chlamydia. Your vet will tell you more about this.

Worming

Roundworms are quite common among kittens. They can give kitty a pot-bellied look and cause vomiting, diarrhoea, poor condition and retarded growth. Treatments are numerous and highly effective, usually being administered every fortnight between 5 and 12 weeks, then every 3 to 6 months after that. Find out what treatment your kitten has received prior to his arrival, then ask your vet for advice on what to do next.

Kittens can also get tapeworms, although they’re more common with older cats. One type is acquired from fleas, another by eating rodents. Symptoms include rice-like tapeworm segments in the faeces or around the anus, or longer segments that are flat and ribbon-like. Roundworm treatments are not effective against tapeworms, so be sure to seek your vet’s advice if you find them.

Fleas

Fleas don’t bother some cats; most scratch and bite themselves excessively, while others have a violent skin reaction. All have brownish black fleas moving through their coats, and specks of flea dirt under their fur. Ask your vet for advice on a suitable flea-eradication programme. If you buy one from a pet shop, make sure it’s suitable for kittens and get enough to treat all the animals in the house.

Remember to treat the environment as thoroughly as your kitten. Vacuum everywhere carefully, wash and dust boxes and bedding and spray the immediate environment. Unless specifically advised, don’t use these environmental sprays directly on your cat.

Neutering

Your vet will advise you on the best time for spaying a queen or castrating a tomcat. The operations usually take place around six months of age, followed by a return home on the same day and a swift recovery.

Neutering is a personal choice for owners, but it has many bonuses. Un-neutered toms have a tendency to wander off, get injured in fights and spray households with a foul-smelling urine. Queens are very noisy and usually get pregnant with litters of up to eight kittens – up to four times a year.