KITTEN INFORMATION PACK
Congratulations on your new addition to the family! We wish you many years of health and
happiness with your kitten and hope this Information Pack will answer any questions you
may have. Although mainly designed for first-time kitten owners, we hope that it will also
contain some information useful to more experienced cat owners. Please do not hesitate to
contact us if you have any queries or concerns.
Introducing your Kitten to the Household
Introduce your kitten to the household gradually-it can be an overwhelming experience for
a young kitten, especially if you have other pets and young children. Initially, we suggest you
place your kitten in a room or cage/pen, with a warm bed, litter tray, food and water bowls,
and allow him or her to become accustomed to their surroundings. A Feliway Diffuser can
help reduce stress during this period of change.
Introduce your kitten gradually to the rest of the household. If you have other pets in the
house it can help to swap their bedding over for a day or so prior to introducing them to
allow them to get used to each others scent. A pen or cage can also be useful to introduce
your kitten safely to other pets-we advise you do not leave them together unattended until
your new kitten is well established.
Toilet Training
Cats are naturally clean and kittens are often taught by their mother to use a litter tray at a
very early age. If possible, try and supply your kitten with a cat litter it is used to and place
the litter tray in a quiet area away from food and water bowls. Ensure the tray is cleaned
regularly-cats can be very fussy about re-using a used litter tray! Confining your kitten to a
cage or small room can help with initial litter training-it is not unusual for previously littertrained kittens to forget their toilet training when introduced to a larger and more
stimulating environment. Please contact us if you are having difficulty with litter training or
if you see abnormal stools or urine.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are available against Cat Flu and Enteritis , and Feline Leukaemia Virus, all of
which can cause fatal illness, especially in young kittens. Vaccination against Flu and
Enteritis is recommended for all cats and is a requirement for admission to a cattery.
Feline Leukaemia vaccination is recommended for all cats which go outside or share food
bowls with other cats. Rarely, kittens may be infected with Feline Leukaemia Virus at birth.
In this case vaccination will not protect against disease. If your kitten is unwell or comes
from a high risk area (generally either an area with known Leukaemia Virus infection or
where there are large numbers of unvaccinated cats) , a blood test is available to check for
infection prior to vaccination.
Kittens require two vaccinations initially to fully stimulate the immune system. It is
important to complete the course to give optimum protection. The first vaccine is generally
given at 9 weeks of age with the second dose 3-4 weeks later. Kittens can go out a week
after the second vaccination, although many owners prefer to keep their kitten indoors until
neutering.
Diet
Your kitten should receive a good quality complete wet or dry diet, which will supply all your
kitten’s nutritional needs. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the amount to
feed , but remember these are guidelines only. Young kittens should be fed little and often,
generally 3-5 small meals a day , and any changes in the diet should be done gradually. We
suggest that you avoid cow’s milk as it often causes diarrhoea, but your kitten should have
fresh water available at all times.
Parasite Control
Kittens are very susceptible to parasites as their immune system is less well-developed.
Roundworms are especially common and are zoonotic, which means they can cause disease
in people, particularly young children.
Kittens may also carry tapeworm, most commonly picked up through grooming and
ingesting fleas, but also, in older or feral kittens, by hunting. Fleas and ear mites (which
cause accumulation of dark wax and irritation of the ears) are also common.
As a routine, we suggest treatment with Stronghold drops (which covers fleas, ear mites
and roundworm) at around the time of first vaccination, plus treatment with a Milbemax
tablet (which covers tapeworm) at around the time of second vaccination. Thereafter ,
monthly Stronghold and three-monthly Milbemax treatments are generally required,
although we may suggest an alternative regimen depending on the presence and risk of
parasites. Please discuss this with your Vet.
Neutering
Neutering in both males and females, is performed as a day procedure under general
anaesthetic. We recommend neutering at 5-6 months of age to prevent unwanted litters.
Neutering also reduces the risk of straying, road traffic accidents, fighting, and infection with
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (also known as Cat Aids Virus).
ID Chipping
A microchip can be implanted through a wide-bore needle at any time after 2nd vaccination,
although it often performed under general anaesthetic at the time of neutering. The chip
holds a unique number which, once you have registered your details on the Database,
means that you can be contacted if your cat is picked up as a stray, or in the event of an
accident.
Insurance
Veterinary medicine is continually advancing, with many new complex and specialist
treatments becoming available all the time. This can come at a significant financial cost,
sometimes running into thousands of pounds. We strongly recommend you consider taking
out Pet Insurance to help cover the cost of treatment in the event of an illness or accident.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP……
We hope you have found this information useful. We suggest you bring in your kitten for a
full health check and 1st vaccination with one of our Vets at 9 weeks of age, and we will
gladly help guide you. If you have any health concerns before then, please feel free to
discuss them with one of our nursing team.