Tag Archives: kitten care

Covid – 19 – Has It Affected Your Pet?

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Covid – 19 – Has It Affected Your Pet?

 

Covid – 19 – Has It Affected Your Pet?

The early experiences a puppy or kitten has with people and their surroundings has a huge impact on their behaviour and personality for the rest of their lives. Our Spring News Blog talks through how a rescue centre or good breeder can help the socialisation process with your pet. If Covid has effected your pets socialisation, do not hesitate to seek help from a vet or qualified behaviourist.

 

Socialising your puppy - What Is The Right Age Of Puppy To Get?

How the heart pumps

Our Spring news explains how a healthy heart  works and the different heart conditions that can effect your pet. Older cats are at an increased risk of developing a condition where the heart muscle excessively enlarges in size. The signs of heart disease are explained in our Spring News Blog, the good news is both our Ealing and Hounslow surgeries have the facilities to offer ultrasound scans of your pets heart to help diagnose a condition. Contact our team if you have concerns about the articles mentioned and your pet.

 

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Lungworm awareness!

The warmer Spring weather provides the perfect opportunity for parasites to start spreading onto your pet and into your home. Lungworm is a parasite effecting dogs and foxes, it can cause significant disease and in some cases, it can be fatal. Our Spring News discusses how your dog can become infected, and more importantly how simple prevention can be. The good news is Lungworm protection is automatically included in our Dog Pet Healthcare Club, find out more here.

 

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We hope you have enjoyed reading our Spring News Blog, if you have a question on any of the articles mentioned please do not hesitate to discuss it further with one of our vets at your pets next appointment or drop us an email on admin@youngvets.co.uk

We are passionate about pets – almost all of our vets, nurses and receptionists are pet owners – we love them too! If you and your pet are not yet registered with our surgery, please click here to register online we can’t wait to meet you and your pet soon.

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Is your pet due a trip to the vet?

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We want your pet to be as happy to see us as we are to see them!

  • One of the first things to help create this trust is to drop in, particularly when your pet is young. If you need a reason, our nurses and reception team love cuddles with your puppies and kittens and usually have a spare treat or two for them. We also offer free weight checks, this allows us to keep a record ensuring they’re growing up and gaining weight as they should be.

  • If you are nervous about the visit don’t be! Our staff are highly experienced and have seen and heard it all. If it concerns you then please ask us , no question is too silly. Remain calm and ‘normal’ as your pet will pick up on any anxiety you may be feeling. 

  • When visiting with cats we strongly recommend travelling your cat in a secure carrier not in your arms, even the calmest of cats can get stressed. If you have time, leave your carrier out a few days before your appointment, so your cat can climb in without being rushed. Try leaving a few treats and toys inside to tempt an investigation! Placing a towel over your carrier in the waiting room can help anxious cats  if you need one just ask us.

  • When travelling with dogs Invest in a doggie ‘seat belt’ or secure caged area of your car. If your dog suffers car sickness travel them on an empty stomach. Allow plenty of travel time so you are not rushed or late. Please keep your dog by your side in the waiting room. A vet practice can be a stressful place for pets and your laid back family dog could become stressed and snappy towards other.

  • Practice ‘vet checks’ at home. Your pet is never to young or old to do this training: Gently look inside your pets eyes and ears, teeth and mouth, practice lifting each paw in turn and nail clipping this is something that can be done at home. Read out our free guide on nail clipping> Cats and Dogs. Feel your pet all over from toe to tail. Spend 5 minutes a day practising the ‘all over’ handling and your pet will find an examination ‘normal’, when they come to us.

  • If you are coming in for a specific problem i.e. behaviour or tummy troubles write a diary of events and problems. Try to include what foods they’ve eaten, treats, where they have been park , swimming, times of day all of these things may be useful when finding a diagnosis.

  • Please ask our vets to write notes for you to take home if you are concerned you may not remember something that was mentioned or bring a friend or family member for help and support.

 

We do our very best to ensure that you are seen on time at you appointment time but emergencies and unpredictable cases can happen so please bear with us. Our reception team will endeavour to keep your updated if the consultations are running a few minutes late.

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Kitten care- training, feeding, vaccinating, fleas

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  • Feeding

   When you bring your new kitten home try to continue using the same food at least in the first few days. If you want to change your kittens food to a different brand make this a gradual process over 5 – 7 days. Kitten food will have all the nutrients and vitamins they require, and vitamin supplements are not needed. If your kitten develops diarrhoea, stop the kitten food and feed boiled chicken or fish for a few days. Cats do not need milk once they are eating kitten food and it can cause diarrhoea. Fresh tap water should be available at all times. Continue feeding 3x daily until 6 months old, and then 2x daily.  Dry food is better for your cats teeth as they get older. It may also be more convenient in warmer weather than wet food, but a mix of both may be offered.

 

  • Worming

   Most kittens will have worms which have been passed from their mum. They will need worming when acquired (usually around 8-9 weeks of age). Worming comes in tablets or more commonly a spot on treatment from the vet.

 

 

  • Vaccinations

   We recommend vaccinating your kittens to protect them from air born viruses such as cat flu, and cat enteritis ( diarrhoea). Leukaemia vaccination is also usually included, and is recommended for any cat that will go outdoors. Yearly vaccination boosters are required to maintain their immunity.

 

 

  • Training

   Kittens are not as easy as dogs when it comes to being trained – cats are just more independent! However they should be provided with scratching posts, and have lots of toys to play with. A piece of paper rolled up into a ball can give a lot of fun! Avoid playing with cotton thread or wool as they are dangerous if swallowed. If they are badly behaved with biting an scratching, do not tell them off as they won’t understand and it may make them fearful. Just ignore them by leaving the room or by putting them in an area by themselves.

 

 

  • Flea treatment

   Should be used regularly for both indoor and outdoor cats (indoor cats may also pick up fleas, brought in on clothing, or by other pets). We recommend monthly spot on treatment with Stronghold ( which also treats the common worms -roundworm). Flea injections that are given every 6 months are also available. Flea collars and treatments from supermarkets are normally ineffective. Treatments from the vet are far more effective in preventing flea infestations occurring.

 

 

For further information on kitten and cat care see our other blogs :

How to stop kittens and cats scratching furniture

Tips to stop your cat spraying or toileting in the house

How to train your kitten to play without biting

Choosing a kitten – top ten tips

Cat carriers- how to get your kitten or cat to enjoy going in

 

Kitten care- first steps

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Once you have decided on a kitten and are ready to take it home, there are some essential items that need to be prepared first:

Food: A good brand of kitten food (biscuits or pouches) should be fed and we personally recommend the Science Plan food. Kittens must have access to fresh water at all times. Kittens who have been weaned do not require milk (even though they may really like it!). Cow’s milk can cause diarrhoea and should be avoided.

Food and water bowls: Bowls should be cleaned daily.

Litter: The cat litter should be non-clumping and non-toxic as kittens have a tendency to chew and occasionally try to eat the litter.

Litter tray: Trays can either be open or covered, but should be placed in the room where the kitten will spend most of its time. Scoop out soiled litter daily and completely clean litter trays regularly. If you have more than one cat ideally there should be at least one litter tray per cat.

Bed/ blanket: These are not essential but most cats prefer a comfortable place to sleep that they can call their own.

Toys: Toys are very important to keep your kitten entertained. Avoid toys that are easily broken as these can cause a choking hazard. To avoid accidents, supervise your kitten during any play.

Scratching post: Cats and kittens need to scratch and scratching posts can be an ideal way of preventing the furniture from being used.

Cat carrier: This is essential for safely transporting your kitten. End opening plastic carriers, or top opening wire carriers are suitable.

 

Preparing the area

 

 

One room should be designated for the kitten to spend its first few days. This room should be large enough to include all of the above. It may be helpful to bring something with the scent of the previous owner on it, such as a blanket or toy. This familiar smell can help the kitten relax.

Feliway is a product that can help settle your kitten into a new environment. It can be purchased from the surgery as a spray or plug in diffuser which has replicated pheromones (cat scent) that cats would leave naturally, and is used to calm and comfort cats during stressful times. All cats think it is their own scent, so it can also help if you already have another cat in your house.

Before the arrival of a new kitten, every home should be checked for potential hazards. Kittens are very curious and will explore their new environment by jumping, climbing and sometimes chewing! We recommend checking the following hazards:

 

 

 

  • Oven Hobs (kittens may jump up and burn themselves)
  • Washing machines and tumble dryers (check kitten has not climbed in before turning on)
  • Irons (kittens may jump up and burn themselves)
  • Electric wires (kittens may chew)
  • Dustbins and toilets (always keep the lid on and the toilet seat down)
  • Sewing materials (kittens love to play with string, but if eaten it will cause a serious problem)
  • Any small objects like pins, etc (may cause a problem if eaten)

 

 

 

Many everyday items found in the home can be potentially toxic to kittens and cats, and need to be avoided. Examples of  toxins include:

 

 

 

  • Pesticides and weed-killers
  • Rat-bait and slug poison
  • Antifreeze
  • Paint
  • Certain plants – Holly, Lillies, Mistletoe, Wisteria, Rhododendron, Poinsettia, Ivy and Sweet Pea
  • Paracetemol and other human medications
  • Tea-tree oil
  • Flea spot-on products for Dogs that contain Permethrin

 

 

 

If your kitten has eaten or come into contact with any of the above products, please contact us immediately.

 

 

Finally once your kitten is settled into your home, sit back and enjoy the show -they’ll be climbing the curtains in no time, and post your cute pictures on our facebook page here  !