Good Health and Your Kitten

The key to keeping your new kitten healthy is understanding the most common medical

ailments. The best first step? Finding a veterinarian you trust.

Choose a veterinarian

Choosing a veterinarian is really selecting a partner in your kittens health care. Scheduled

vaccinations and yearly examinations mean that you’ll see your veterinarian on a regular basis, so choose wisely. Use our list as a basis for picking the right veterinary clinic for your cat:

● Get recommendations from friends, co-workers, and other cat owners to compile an

initial list of clinics. Ask them what they like about each one.

● Visit each clinic, introduce yourself as a potential client and ask for a tour.

● Look for a clean, sterile hospital with up-to-date equipment.

● Ask about the emergency care, hours, and any equipment or terms you don’t

understand.

● Ask what the fees are for basic shots and exams.

Spaying and Neutering

Owners will have their cats spayed or neutered as the contract states:

What is it?

● Fixing is the euphemism for feline surgical sterilization or male neutering.

● In females, its called spaying or ovariohysterectomy, which involves the removal of the

uterus and ovaries.

● In males, removal of the testicles is called neutering or castration.

● Veterinarians advise spaying or neutering by at least 4-6 months of age. However I

recommend waiting until 8 months of age for Males and 6 months for Females – contact

me with any questions.

Why spay or neuter?

Each year, millions of cats are put to sleep because the new cat population far exceeds the

number of homes that can be found for them. Note the following advantages of spaying and

neutering:

● Spaying eliminates behavior associated with heat cycles, such as wailing to attract

males or spraying urine…. This applies to Males and Females.

● Spaying helps prevent potential health problems, including breast tumors and uterine

disease, possibly adding years to your cats life.

● Spaying or neutering helps prevent the occurrence of unwanted litters.

● Neutering reduces the effects of puberty and hormones. A neutered male is less likely to

mark territory by spraying urine, and he won’t congregate or fight with other family pets.

Un-neutered Males can become aggressive, because of pent-up hormonal frustrations.

Common cat ailments

Use our guide to some of the most common medical ailments that can affect your kitten. The

more you know, the better you’ll be able to notice when your kitten isntt feeling well.

Fleas Description and Symptoms. These pinhead-sized insects jump from your cat to furniture

to you looking for blood.

● Fleas are most common in warm weather (spring and summer).

● They can transmit parasitic or infectious diseases, including tapeworms.

● A flea infestation may in turn cause anemia (low red blood cell count) and/or allergic

dermatitis, a skin allergy characterized by itching and irritation.

● Though some cats become irritable and scratch, others have no visible signs of

discomfort.

Prevention and treatment

● Several flea treatments today have better formulas that help control flea reproduction -

ending the life cycle. Without these formulas, flea eggs hatch every 21 days. Your

Veterinarian can recommend the proper course to follow. Using flea medication is not necessary if you do not have other pets going in and outside.

● Check your cat weekly by rolling her onto her back and looking closely at the belly and

around the base of the tail for the small, dark insects as well as for flea "dirt"—small,

dark, pepper-like specks. If the dirt turns red when water is added, you've got fleas.

● Treat your yard and house for eggs, larvae, and pupae. If you use a lawn-care company,

include flea treatment as part of their maintenance plan. Even though your cat is not

outdoors, you, visitors and any dogs going in and out can transport fleas indoors.

Hairballs

Description and symptoms. Hairballs are tube-shaped brown masses of hair fibers. When

cats clean themselves, they ingest fur. Because hair isn't digestible, it either passes through the intestinal tract and ends up in the litter box or is expelled by vomiting.

● Cats that pass hairballs more than once a week or who pass foul-smelling hairballs may

have a serious underlying health problem. See your veterinarian.

Prevention and treatment

● Keep your cat well-groomed with regular brushing.

● Brush all your cats, not just the ones with hairballs, because cats often groom each

other.

● Feed hairball treats which help reduce the likelihood of hairball formation. They help

gently pass ingested hair through the digestive tract. Do Not over-treat. Keeping your cat groomed with also help lessen the hairballs.

Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD)

Description and symptoms. Feline lower urinary tract disease is a potentially fatal, painful

inflammation of the lower urinary tract, caused by a variety of things, including viruses, bacteria,

diet, decreased water consumption, and urine retention.

● Symptoms include blood in the urine; difficult and frequent urination, often in small

quantities; inappropriate urination; lack of energy; and loss of appetite.

● Contact your Vet immediately if you note any of these symptoms.

Poisons and you kittens/cats

ASPCA – Animal Poison Control Center Hotline: 1-800-426-4435

If you suspect your cat has interacted in some way with a poisonous substance you should try

to find evidence of what it was, and the amount involved.

You may be instructed to induce vomiting, or NOT to induce vomiting. DO NOT induce vomiting

if your cat has swallowed any petroleum-based products, cleaning agents, or acid-based

products such as:

Gasoline** Lye** Battery Acid** Bleach** Kerosene** Turpentine** Motor oil** Arsenic

**Antifreeze**

Poisonous Household items:

Aspirin (non-buffered)** Acetaminophen or ibuprofen** Ant traps** Mouse or rat bait**

Batteries** Brake, transmission and hydraulic fluids** Window Cleaner** Oven Cleaner**

Cleansers, bleaches, and disinfectants** Detergents** Fabric softener sheets** Lawn

Fertilizers** Paint ** Mothballs** Tobacco Products**

Common Poisonous Plants: see full list HERE

Aloe** Azalea/Rhododendron** Bleeding Heart** Caladium** Castor Bean** Christmas

Rose** Daffodil** Delphinium** Dieffenbachia** Easter Lily** Elephant Ear** Four O’clock**

Fox Glove** Hyacinth** Iris** Ivy** Jonquil** Kalanchoe** Larkspur** Lily** Magnolia**

Mistletoe** Monkshood** Morning Glory** Narcissus** Oleander** Poinsettia** Sago Palm**

Wisteria** Yew**

Food:

● ALL CHOCOLATE, ESPECIALLY BAKING AND DARK CHOCOLATE

● GRAPES AND RAISINS

● SUGAR-FREE GUM AND OTHER PRODUCTS CONTAINING XYLITOL

Symptoms of Poisoning can include:

Vomiting** Diarrhea** Difficulty breathing** Abnormal urine** Salivation** Weakness**

Any indications of poisoning, you need to react very quickly… keep your Veterinarian and the

Poison Control phone numbers handy.

Human Foods

Many cats crave people food, but this human fare can be poisonous to your feline:

● Alcohol

● Caffeine (coffee, soda, tea)

● Chives

● Chocolate

● Garlic 

● Grapes

● Onions

● Raisins

● Xylitol (found in sugarless gums, candies, toothpaste)

● Yeast dough

More Household Hazards

These common household items can choke or strangle your cat. Some may even lead to

intestinal blockages.

● Chicken bones

● Dental floss, yarn, string

● Holiday decorations, including lights and tinsel

● Toys with small or movable parts

Watch for symptoms. Symptoms of poisoning in cats include:

● Breathing problems

● Confusion

● Coughing

● Depression

● Diarrhea

● Dilated pupils

● Gastrointestinal irritation

● Salivation

● Seizures

● Shivering

● Skin irritation

● Tremors

● Vomiting

● Weakness

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