KITTENS:
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW OWNERS
We would like to congratulate you on the acquisition on your
new kitten. Owning a cat can be an
extremely rewarding experience, but it also carries with it quite a bit of
responsibility. We hope this document
will give you the information needed to make some good decisions regarding your
kitten.
First let us say that we are grateful that you have chosen
us to help you with your kitten's health care.
If you have questions concerning any subject related to your kitten's
health, please feel free to call our hospital.
Either one of the technicians or one of the doctors will be happy to
help you.
How should I
introduce my new kitten to its new environment?
A cat is naturally inclined to investigate its new surroundings. At first, you should limit the cat's area of
exploration so that these natural tendencies do not create an unmanageable
situation. After confining the cat to
one room for the first few days, you should slowly allow access to other areas
of the home.
What type of playing
should I expect from a kitten?
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| Kittens love to play with just about ANYTHING! | |
Stimulating play is important during the first week.
Stalking and pouncing are important play
behaviors in kittens and have an important role in proper muscular
development.
If given a sufficient outlet
for these behaviors with toys, your kitten will be less likely to use family
members for these activities.
The best toys are light weight and movable.
These include wads of paper and small balls.
Kittens should always be supervised when playing with string or
ribbons to avoid swallowing them.
Any
other toy that is small enough to be swallowed should also be avoided.
Can I discipline a
kitten?
Disciplining a young kitten may be necessary if his or her behavior
threatens people or property, but harsh punishment should be avoided. Hand clapping and using shaker cans or horns
can be intimidating enough to inhibit undesirable behavior. However, remote punishment is preferred. Remote punishment consists of using
something that appears unconnected to the punisher to stop the problem
behavior. Examples include using spray
bottles, throwing objects in the direction of the kitten to startle (but not
hit) her, and making loud noises. Remote punishment is preferred because the
kitten associates punishment with the undesirable act and not with you.
When should my kitten
be vaccinated?
There are many diseases that are fatal to cats. Fortunately, we have the ability to prevent
many of these by the use of very effective vaccines. In order to be effective, these vaccines must be given as a
series of injections. Ideally, they are
given at about 6-8, 12, and 16 weeks of age, but this schedule may vary
somewhat depending on several factors.
The routine vaccination schedule will protect your kitten
from five diseases: distemper, three respiratory organisms, and rabies. The first four are included in a combination
vaccine that is given at 6-8, 12, and 16 weeks old. Rabies vaccine is given at 12 or 16 weeks of age. Leukemia vaccine is necessary if your cat
does or will go outside or if you have another cat that goes in and out since
this deadly disease is transmitted by contact with other cats, especially when
fighting occurs. A vaccine is also
available for protection against feline infectious peritonitis (FIP); this
vaccine is probably not necessary for all cats and is recommended in selected
situations.
Why does my kitten
need more than one vaccination for feline distemper, upper respiratory
infections, and leukemia?
Kittens receive a temporary
form of immunity through their mother's milk while nursing.
This immunity is in the form of proteins called antibodies. For about 24-48 hours after birth, the
kitten's intestine allows absorption of these antibodies directly into the
blood stream. This immunity is of
benefit during the first few weeks of the kitten's life, but, at some point,
this immunity fails and the kitten must be able to make its own long-lasting
immunity. Vaccinations are used for
this purpose. As long as the mother's
antibodies are present, vaccinations do not "take." The mother's antibodies will neutralize the
vaccine so the vaccine does not get a chance to stimulate the kitten's immune
system.
Many factors determine when the kitten will be able to
respond to the vaccines. These include
the level of immunity in the mother cat, how much of the antibody has been
absorbed, and the number of vaccines given the kitten. Since we do not know when an individual
kitten will lose the short-term immunity, we give a series of vaccinations. We hope that at least two of these will fall
in the window of time when the kitten has lost the immunity from its mother but
has not yet been exposed to disease. A
single vaccination, even if effective, is not likely to stimulate the long-term
immunity which is so important.
Rabies vaccine is an exception to this, since one injection
given at the proper time is enough to produce long-term immunity.
Do all kittens have
worms?
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| This is a type of roundworm |
Intestinal parasites are common in kittens.
Kittens can become infected with parasites
almost as soon as they are born.
For
example, the most important source of roundworm infection in kittens is the
mother's milk.
The microscopic
examination of a stool sample will usually help us to determine the presence of
intestinal parasites.
We recommend this
exam for all kittens, if we can get a stool sample.
Please bring one at your earliest convenience.
Even if we do not get a stool sample, we
recommend the use of a deworming product that is safe and effective against
several of the common worms of the cat.
It is important that deworming be repeated in about 3-4 weeks, because
the deworming medication only kills the adult worms.
Within 3-4 weeks the larval stages will have become adults and
will need to be treated.
Cats remain
susceptible to reinfection with hookworms and roundworms.
Periodic stool analysis and/or deworming
throughout the cat's life may be recommended for cats that go outdoors.
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| Tapeworm segments in a cat's fur |
Tapeworms are the most common intestinal parasite of
cats.
Kittens become infected with them
when they swallow fleas because the eggs of the tapeworm live inside the
flea.
When the cat chews or licks its
skin as a flea bites, the flea may be swallowed.
The flea is digested within the cat's intestine; the tapeworm
hatches and then anchors itself to the intestinal lining.
Therefore, exposure to fleas may result in a
new infection, which can occur in as little as two weeks.
Cats may also become infected with tapeworms
if they hunt and eat mice.
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| A lungworm under the microscope |
Cats infected with tapeworms will pass small segments of the
worms in their stool.
The segments are
white in color and look like grains of rice.
They are about 1/8 inch (3 mm) long and may be seen crawling on the surface
of the stool.
They may also stick to
the hair under the tail.
If this occurs,
the segments will dry out, shrink to about half their size, and become golden
in color.
Tapeworm segments do not pass every day or in every stool
sample; therefore, inspection of several consecutive bowel movements may be
needed to find them.
We may examine a
stool sample in our office and not find them, then you may find them the next
day.
If you find them at any time,
please notify us so we may provide the appropriate drug for treatment.
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| Giardia organisms |
Depending on a kitten's history, other common parasites that we look for are lung worms, heartworms, and infections with single-celled organisms like Giardia or Coccidia.
There are lots of
choices of cat foods. What should I feed
my kitten?
Diet is extremely important in the growing months of a cat's
life, and there are two important criteria that should be met in selecting food
for your kitten.
We recommend a name-brand food made by a national cat food company (not a generic or local
brand), and a form of food made for kittens.
This should be fed until your kitten is about 12 months of age.
In the United States, we recommend that you
only buy food which has the AAFCO certification.
Usually, you can find this information very easily on the
label.
AAFCO is an organization which
oversees the entire pet food industry.
It does not endorse any particular food, but it will certify that the
food has met the minimum requirements for
nutrition.
Most of the commercial pet foods will have the AAFCO label.
Generic brands often do not have approval.
Feeding a dry, canned, or semi-moist form of cat food is
acceptable. At Exclusively Cats Veterinary Hospital, we recommend feeding a small amount of dry food and 3-6oz of canned food daily.
Each type of food has advantages and disadvantages. Dry food is definitely the most
inexpensive. It can be left in the
cat's bowl at all times. If given the
choice, the average cat will eat a mouthful of food about 12-20 times per
day. The good brands of dry food are
just as nutritious as the other forms.
Semi-moist and canned foods are also acceptable. However, both are considerably more
expensive than dry food. They often are
more appealing to the cat's taste; however, they are not more nutritious. If you feed a very tasty food, you are
running the risk of creating a cat with a finicky appetite. In addition, the semi-moist foods are high
in sugar.
Table foods are not recommended. Because the foods we eat are generally very tasty, cats will often begin to
hold out for these and not eat their well-balanced cat food. If you choose to give your kitten table
food, be sure that at least 90% of its diet is good quality commercial kitten
food.
We enjoy a variety of things to eat in our diet. However, most cats actually prefer not to
change from one food to another unless they are trained to do so by the way you
feed them. Do not feel guilty if your
cat is happy to just eat one food day after day, week after week.
Commercials for cat food can be very misleading. If you watch carefully you will notice that
commercials promote cat food on one basis, TASTE. Nutrition is rarely mentioned.
Most of the "gourmet" foods are marketed to appeal to owners
who want the best for their cats; however, they do not offer the cat any
nutritional advantage over a good quality dry food, and they are far more
expensive. If your cat eats a gourmet
food very long, he will probably not be happy with other foods. If he needs a special diet due to a health
problem later in life, he will be very unlikely to accept it. Therefore, we do not encourage feeding
gourmet cat foods.
How do I ensure that
my kitten is well socialized?
The socialization period for cats is between 2 and 12 weeks
of age.
During that time, the kitten is
very impressionable to social influences.
If the kitten has good experiences with men, women, children, dogs, other cats,
etc., she is likely to accept them throughout life.
If the experiences are absent or unpleasant, the kitten may become
apprehensive or adverse to any of them.
Therefore, during the period of socialization, we encourage you to
expose your cat to as many types of social events and influences as possible.
What can be done
about fleas on my kitten?
Many of the flea control products that are safe on adult
cats are not safe for kittens less than 4 months of age.
Fleas may not stay on your kitten all of the
time.
Occasionally, they will jump off
and seek another host.
Therefore, it is
important to kill fleas on your new kitten before they
become established in your house.
Be sure that any flea
product you use is labeled safe for kittens.
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| This is "flea dirt" - a sure sign of fleas |
Flea and tick dip is not recommended for kittens unless they
are at least 4 months of age.
Remember,
not all insecticides that can be used on dogs are safe for cats and kittens.
In addition to flea treatments and preventives, it is important to control fleas in the environment by thoroughly vacuuming areas where the kitten spends time.
Can I trim my
kitten's sharp toe nails?
Kittens have very sharp toe nails. They can be trimmed with your regular finger nail clippers or
with nail trimmers made for dogs and cats.
If you trim too much, you will cut into the quick of the nail which will
bleed and be painful. If this happens, neither
you nor your cat will want to do this again.
Therefore, a few points are helpful:
1. If your cat
has clear or white nails, you can see the pink of the quick through the nail so
it is easy to avoid.
2. If your cat
has black nails, you will not be able to see the quick so only cut 1/32"
(1 mm) of the nail at a time until the cat begins to get sensitive. The sensitivity will usually occur before
you are into the blood vessel. With
black nails, it is likely that you will get too close on at least one nail.
3. If your cat
has some clear and some black nails, use the average
clear nail as a guide for
cutting the black ones.
4. When cutting
nails, use sharp trimmers. Dull
trimmers tend to crush the nail and cause pain even if you are not in the quick.
5. You should
always have styptic powder available.
This is sold in pet stores under several trade names, but it will be
labeled for use in trimming nails.
What are ear mites?
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| Ear mite under the microscope |
Ear mites are tiny insect-like parasites that live in the
ear canal of cats (and dogs).
The most
common sign of ear mite infection is scratching of the ears.
Sometimes the ears will appear dirty because
of a black material in the ear canal; this material is sometimes shaken
out.
The instrument we use for
examining the ear canals, an otoscope, has the necessary magnification to allow
us to see the mites.
Sometimes, we can
find the mites by taking a small amount of the black material from the ear
canal and examining it with a microscope.
Although they may leave the ear canals for short periods of time, they
spend the vast majority of their lives within the protection of the ear
canal.
Transmission generally requires
direct ear-to-ear contact.
Ear mites
are common in litters of kittens if their mother has ear mites.
Why should I have my female cat spayed?
Spaying or
ovariohysterectomy is the removal of the uterus and the ovaries. It offers
several advantages:
1. The
female's heat periods result in about 2-3 weeks of obnoxious behavior. This can be quite annoying if your cat is
kept indoors. Male cats are attracted
from blocks away and, in fact, seem to come out of the woodwork. They seem to go over, around, and through
many doors. Your cat will have a heat
period about every 2-3 weeks until she is bred.
2.
It
has been proven that as the female dog gets older, there is a significant
incidence of breast cancer and
uterine infections if she has not been
spayed.
Spaying before she has any heat
periods will virtually eliminate the chances of either.
There is mounting evidence to believe that
this is also true of cats.
3. Spaying
prevents unplanned litters of kittens.
4. If
you do not plan to breed your cat, we strongly recommend that she be spayed
before her first heat period. This can
be done anytime after she is 5 months old.
Why should I have my
male cat neutered?
Neutering or castration offers several advantages. Male cats go through a significant
personality change when they mature.
They become very possessive of their territory and mark it with their
urine to ward off other cats. The tom
cat's urine develops a very strong odor that will be almost impossible to
remove from your house. They also try
to constantly enlarge their territory which means one fight after another. Fighting results in severe infections and
abscesses and often engenders rage in your neighbors. We strongly urge you to have your cat neutered at about 6 to 9
months of age. If he should begin to
spray his urine before that time, he should be neutered immediately. The longer he sprays or fights, the less
likely neutering will stop it.
If I choose to breed
my cat, when should that be done?
If you plan to breed your cat, she should have at least one
or two heat cycles first. This allows
her to mature physically and she will be a better mother without so much
physical drain. We do not recommend
breeding after 5 years of age unless she has been bred prior to that. Having her first litter after 5 years of age
is more physically draining to her and increases the chances of her having
problems during the pregnancy and/or delivery.
Once your cat has had her last litter, she should be spayed to prevent
the female problems older cats have.
My kitten is already
becoming destructive with her nails.
What can be done?
There are several options that can be considered: offering scratching posts, frequent
nail clipping, nail shields, surgical declawing, and tendonectomy.
1.
Offering desirable scratching posts near the area where your kitten is scratching is an important tool in helping direct them to appropriate places to express this natural behavior. Many people make the mistake of sticking a scratching post in a far corner or offering scratching accessories that are too small or unstable. Cats need a post that allows them to stretch to their full length to scratch and sturdy enough not to fall over when they do so. You may need to experiment to learn if your cat is a vertical scratcher or a horizontal scratcher, and whether he or she prefers wood, sisal rope, carpet or cardboard as a scratching texture. There is a new product called
FeliScratch that is a synthetic copy of the Feline Interdigital Pheromone that they excrete when they scratch. Applying this to a desirable scratching post will help your cat choose an acceptable place to scratch in your house.
2.
The
nails may be clipped according to the instructions above.
However, your cat's nails will regrow and
become sharp again in about 4-7 days.
Therefore, to protect your property, it will
be necessary to clip them one to two times per week.
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| Soft nail caps protect the nails, but do keep them extended |
3.
There
are some commercially available products that are called nail caps.
These are generally made of smooth plastic
and attach to the end of the nail with a special glue.
The nails are still present, but the caps
prevent them from causing physical harm.
After 2-4 weeks the nails will grow enough that the caps will be
shed.
At that time, you should be
prepared to replace them. While soft nail caps protect your furniture from scratching, they do keep the nails in a state of extension, and can cause painful, severe problems if not changed regularly.
4.
Surgical
declawing is the removal of the nail at its base.
This surgery is controversial, and you can read further about position of the AAFP on this surgery
on their website. This is done under general anesthesia and with proper surgical techniques and adequate pain control, post-surgical discomfort should not exceed that of any other surgical procedure, especially when it is performed on a kitten.
As with any surgical procedure, there can be complications and side effects. It should be noted that a declawed cat will not realize the claws are gone and
will continue to "sharpen" the claws as normal on various objects, including scratching posts and furniture items.
This surgery
can be performed as early as 12 weeks of age or anytime thereafter.
It can also be done the same time as spaying
or neutering.
Once declawed, your cat
should always live indoors since the ability to defend itself is compromised.
5. Tendonectomy
is the surgical removal of a small part of the tendon on the bottom of each
toe. This tendon is needed to make the
nail extend. The cat retains its nails,
but it cannot extend them for sharpening and scratching. The disadvantage of this procedure is
that the nails continue to grow and may grow into the pads. Therefore, the nails should be clipped every
7 to 14 days.
You can also consider additional ways of
modifying behavior, which may prevent the cat from scratching furniture in the
house or being destructive.
This client information sheet is based on material written by Ernest E. Ward Jr., DVM.
