Basic Health And Care For Your New Cat or Kitten
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
While efforts are made to answer all questions as quickly as possible, if an immediate answer is required or if your pet is in need of urgent or emergency care, contact your pet's veterinarian immediately.
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
You will receive an answer from Dr. Lindsay and our vet/tech team as soon as possible, usually the same day.
All answers are provided for informational or educational purposes only, and are intended to be a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise and professional judgment of your pet's veterinarian.
It may be necessary to consult your pet's veterinarian regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your pet's symptoms or medical condition.
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While efforts are made to answer all questions as quickly as possible, if an immediate answer is required or if your pet is in need of urgent or emergency care, contact your pet's veterinarian immediately.
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Preventative care is key to helping your cat live a long, healthy life. By taking your cat to the vet at least once a year, you can ensure they’re up-to-date on vaccines, protected against parasites, and treated early when health issues do arise.
The Importance of Annual Wellness Checkups
Your veterinarian should see your cat at least once a year - not just when they’re not feeling well.
Cats are notorious for hiding signs of pain, and your veterinarian can look for early signs of illness to ensure your cat is not suffering needlessly from an undiagnosed illness or injury.
During your cat’s annual wellness visit, your veterinarian will weigh your cat, ensure that their eyes and ears are clear and free of infection, and listen to their heart and lungs using a stethoscope. They may also take a blood sample to assess organ function, electrolyte levels, and hormones. Make sure to bring a fecal sample, which your veterinarian will use to test for internal parasites.
Vaccines
Vaccines prevent viral infections that cause lifelong illness and death in cats. Your cat should receive their core vaccinations for FHV-1, FCV, FPV, FeLV, and rabies.
Spaying and Neutering
Spaying and neutering are routine procedures that eliminate the chance that your cat will have unwanted kittens and can also reduce behaviors like roaming, urine marking, and aggression.
Spaying and neutering can also eliminate or greatly reduce your cat’s risk of developing reproductive cancers.
Spaying is the surgical removal of a female cat’s uterus and ovaries. An unspayed cat will go into heat every few weeks during the spring-summer mating season and will be more likely to roam far from home in search of a mate.
Neutering is the surgical removal of a male cat’s testes. An unneutered male cat is more likely to spray pungent urine around your home to mark his territory, attempt to roam in search of a mate, and may be more aggressive.
If you’ve adopted your cat from an animal shelter or humane society, they will most likely already have been spayed or neutered. If your cat or kitten is not yet spayed or neutered, you can talk to your veterinarian about scheduling the procedure.
Spaying and neutering are routine procedures that can be performed on kittens as young as six weeks old. Kittens can become sexually mature and reproduce as soon as four months of age if not spayed or neutered.
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