Cats and Kittens

Worming

All kittens have roundworms and a heavy burden can cause "poor-doing" and diarrhoea. Roundworms can be transmitted to in-contact humans, especially children, so regular worming is essential, starting at 4 weeks of age and repeated monthly until six months old. It is vital a good quality wormer is used such as Panacur. Alternatively, a flea control product called Stronghold which also contains a roundwormer is now available. This is applied to the back of the kitten's neck once a month.

Adult cats should be treated for roundworms and tapeworms 4 to 6 times yearly (depending on hunting behaviour). Drontal Cat is the only cat wormer that is effective against all species of worms. Milbemax is also effective agains roundworms and tapeworms and is available in tablet form for the larger cat.

Feeding

Feed cats cat food (not dog food!!). There are considerable advantages to feeding a dry diet such as Hills Science Plan or Eukanuba. Not only will it not go off when put out, but it costs about half the price of a quality tinned product. Dry diets are also good for teeth and can reduce the incidence of dental operations. Regular purchasers of Hills Science Plan or Eukanuba can participate in our loyalty card scheme.

Neutering

Neutering is performed at about 6 months of age and is strongly advised for all non-breeding cats. Failure to neuter will result in unwanted pregnancies, increased fighting, urine marking and an increased risk of catching Feline Leukaemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.

Fleas

All cats get fleas. They are the commonest cause of skin problems in cats and dogs. All cat owners should pursue an ongoing programme of flea control all year round. The majority of the flea life cycle (over 90%) takes place in the environment so carpet spraying with Acclaim must be used in the treatment of flea problems.

The most effective methods of flea prevention for use on the cat are Frontline or Stronghold.

Stronghold Spot-on is used every 4 weeks. Stronghold not only treats fleas but also roundworms and ear mites. It does not treat tapeworm. Stronghold is available in packs of 3 doses.

Frontline Spot-on is used every 4 to 5 weeks and Frontline Spray every 6 to 8 weeks. This is also effective agains ticks. Frontline Spot-on is available as 3 or 6 dose packs - the larger pack is more cost effective per dose. It does not treat any worms.

All year round use of either of these products will largely negate the need to treat the house and in most situations it is cheaper to treat your cat all year round than spray your house. Stronghold, however, will also protect the house if used regularly.

An alternative method of flea control is to use a non-insecticidal product called Program. It acts as a flea contraceptive and breaks the life cycle. As it is not an insecticide it is an extremely safe product. It is available either as a monthly liquid dose given by mouth or as an injection that lasts six months.

Please note…..felt flea collars, tablets, powders and shampoos are not effective methods of flea control.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY MEMBER OF STAFF ABOUT FLEA CONTROL OR ANY OF THE FLEA PRODUCTS WE SELL.

Vaccination

Vaccination is given at nine and twelve weeks of age for cat flu, feline enteritis and feline leukaemia. Feline leukaemia vaccination is strongly recommended for all cats, although it can be given at a later date if required. We will sometimes suggest cats are tested negative for leukaemia virus before they are vaccinated, especially those from feral backgrounds. If we do not advise a test but you would like peace of mind about your cat's health please ask the veterinary surgeon at the time of vaccination. Annual boosters are needed to keep the immunity reliably high and virtually all catteries will insist that your cat is fully vaccinated every year before boarding.

Cats that are not 100% fit and well will not respond reliably to vaccination, so each patient is given a thorough health check by the vet before the booster is given. Every illness is best treated when diagnosed as early as possible, so the annual health check is just as important for your pet as the booster vaccination.

Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV)
Over 70% of cats pick up this infection at some time in their life and a third of these will develop a related disease (often years later). Some cats will become carriers and spread the virus throughout the cat population. The virus causes many of the cancers seen in cats as well as immunosuppression. This predisposes the infected cat to a very wide spectrum of disease, particularly the infectious agents of feline infectious anaemia, feline infectious peritonitis, viral respiratory disease, mouth infections and abscesses. The virus also causes infertility.

The vaccine is almost 100% effective if given to a non-infected cat. If the cat already has the virus (and it can be passed from the mother to her kittens) then the vaccine may not be protective. All cats can be tested at the practice to see whether they already have FeLV.

Feline Infectious Enteritis (Feline Panleucopenia Virus)
This is a rapidly fatal disease caused by a parvovirus. It causes diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration. Kittens in particular can die within a few days after infection due to the rapid fluid loss. The virus can also cause abortions and neurological disease in kittens if the mother is infected during the pregnancy. Thanks to vaccination this is now a disease that we do not see often but when it does appear we are still limited in our success with treatment.

Microchipping

Unfortunately cats do sometimes get lost or injured and are brought to the surgery without the owner's knowledge. We are unable to identify most of these cats and many are re-homed. Fortunately we are able to mark cats with a unique rice grain sized microchip under the skin in the neck that can be read with a hand held scanner. This then enables us to find the owners quickly. The microchip can be inserted while owners wait for a modest one-off fee. Please ask at reception for details.

We believe strongly in the concept of animal insurance. Having your pet insured frees the owner and the vet from the worry of a large bill and therefore your pet receives the best possible treatment. Insurance does not cover routine procedures such as vaccination, neutering or worm/flea control. It is important if you decide to insure your kitten that you choose a reputable company who give lifelong protection. Most cheaper policies will exclude conditions on renewal that have been the subject of a previous claim.

We are able to give 4 weeks free insurance cover with Pet Plan (at no future obligation) for kittens presented for vaccination. Please ask at reception.

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