How to Know and Calm A Cat in Heat: A Beginners Guide

How to Prepare for Your Kitten's First Vet Visit

How to prepare for your kitten's first vet visit? Kittens are cute little balls of inquisitiveness, amusing antics, and cozy purring hugs. A trip to the doctor is definitely necessary if you're bringing a new cat home.

But what can you anticipate from your new kitten's first trip to the doctor? How do you prepare, then?

Here, we're dissecting everything. 

How to prepare for your kitten's first vet visit?


Whether you acquire your kitten from a breeder, shelter, or rescue, it's crucial to take it to the doctor within 24-72 hours of the adoption. not just for the welfare of your kitten but also for the wellbeing of your family and other animals.

Pro Tip: Although it's ideal to take your kitten to the doctor for their initial checkup before bringing them home, it's not always practical to do so. Keep your new kitten in a room apart from other pets and small children if you have other cats or pets in your house until your veterinarian gives them the all-clear. Give your kitten their own food, drink, and plaything dishes and litter box.

What questions should I bring up during my kitten's initial visit to the veterinarian?

Your kitten's general health will be evaluated on the initial visit to the veterinarian, which is also a fantastic opportunity to ask all of your cat's pressing issues, such as:

  • How to make your house kitten-proof
  • What is the finest cat food?
  • How to socialize your kitten with your cat and family
  • How to raise a sociable kitten
  • Training techniques for using the litter box
  • How frequently should you see the vet with your cat
  • When your cat's growth will cease
  • How to use cat enrichment to improve your kitten's health


And a whole lot more!

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What occurs at a kitten's medical checkup?


Getting ready for a vet appointment


Pack whatever documentation you've received during the adoption process before leaving for your appointment. Most rescues, shelters, and breeders offer kittens and pups flea treatments, first immunizations, and drugs to combat parasites. They could have even had your kitten neutered or spayed, depending on their age. This is information that your veterinarian will require.

A cat carrier is necessary to bring your kitten to the veterinarian's office. The waiting room is sure to be filled with a variety of strange sights and sounds, which might make your cat anxious. For these initial meetings, having a carrier will provide a secure barrier.

You might need to do some paperwork before your appointment, so arrive at the veterinary clinic a bit early. Many veterinarians now have websites with online or printable forms you may complete in advance.

In the exam room


Your kitten will most likely first see a veterinary technician. Veterinarian-trained technicians record the key evaluation data regarding your kitten and hold certification in veterinary medicine. This information will include any documents and details you may have regarding your kitten, as well as measurements of your kitten's temperature, heart rate, weight, and lung sounds as well as general observations of their overall health.

They could also inquire about your kitten's medical history and ask questions like:

  • Diet: Be aware of the precise product and brand you feed (you may snap a photo of the bag), the food type (wet or dry), the quantity, and the frequency of feedings.
  • Environment: Do you have any more pets, and are they all up to date on their vaccinations? Will your kitten live indoors, outdoors, or a combination of the two?
  • Travel: Did you purchase your cat from a breeder outside of the state? Was there ground or air travel?
  • Medications and treatments: This information ought to be on any documents you were given throughout the adoption process regarding medications and therapies. Your veterinarian will want to know this as well if you don't have any information about your kitten.
  • Establish a vaccination schedule: Scheduling visits in advance guarantees that your kitten will receive all necessary immunizations and treatments on time.


Pro Tip: Veterinarians screen all kittens for intestinal parasites by doing tests on stool samples since kittens frequently contain intestinal parasites, even though they appear to be completely healthy. A vet tech will get a new feces sample from your kitten if you do not bring one from home. The sample must be no older than 24 hours.

Veterinary inspection


Your veterinarian will visit you and your kitten after all the preliminary paperwork is finished. They will start your cat's physical examination once you and they have reviewed the medical documents. Veterinarians typically look at:

  • Check the heart and lungs for a regular beat and free airflow. A respiratory infection that has to be treated may be present if you sneeze or cough.
  • Make sure your eyes are bright and clear, without any tearing or extra fluids that might indicate an infection.
  • Ears: Make sure they are clean and free of any debris that looks like black dirt or ear mites (these are common in kittens). Additionally, a swab sample from the ears is used to look for tiny mites.
  • Body inspection: To look for swelling in the lymph nodes, wounds, flea bites, and the health of their skin and fur.
  • Mouth and teeth: To look for any baby teeth and to check for any ulcerations or infections on the tongue and the roof of the mouth.
  • Mobility: To assess the joints' normal range of motion and any anomalies. To ensure that all joints, muscles, and ligaments are functioning properly, they could observe your kitten walk.


Blood work and lab tests


Additionally, your veterinarian may do any required lab tests and blood testing. These may consist of:

Full Blood Count (CBC)


This test reveals any anemia symptoms as well as hydration levels, infection and inflammation levels, and overall organ functioning.

Fecal examination


You may check for intestinal parasites including hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, giardia, or coccidia in your kitten's feces.

Heartworms reside in the pulmonary and cardiac arteries. They need to have a second blood test since a fecal test cannot find them.

Your kitten will require de-worming drugs if worms were found in the fecal analysis. Additionally, your veterinarian can suggest anti-flea and anti-tick drugs.

FeLV/FIV combined SNAP test


The American Association of Feline Practitioners advises having kittens that live with cats of unknown exposure or any new cat, regardless of age, have their FeLV and FIV levels checked. In this test, the antibodies and antigens linked to the feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency viruses are sought after.

Advice: Through the placenta and milk, kittens can catch the illness from mother cats. Earlier testing may be necessary for young kittens that test falsely negative. What's best for your kitten will be decided by your veterinarian.

Basic immunizations


To guard against several dangerous cat illnesses, kittens need a series of fundamental vaccines. The following basic vaccines are advised, in accordance with the most recent recommendations for feline immunizations from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP):

  •  Feline herpesvirus (FHV-1)
  •  Feline calicivirus (FCV)
  •  Feline panleukopenia (FPV)
  •  Feline leukemia (FeLV)


Rabies immunizations are also necessary in several states. They should be given to kittens between 14 and 16 weeks old.

Advice: Pumpkin Preventive Essentials can assist with covering the cost of necessary preventive care including vaccinations, yearly physicals, and parasite testing. This optional add-on health package can help you provide your cat with the care they require even if it is not insurance.

Microchips


Your kitten's microchip contains contact information in case it escapes or gets misplaced. The chip may be read by any veterinarian, shelter, or rescue organization to identify your kitten's true owner. 

Your kitten's first veterinarian appointment is the ideal opportunity to have them microchipped, which is an excellent method to boost the likelihood that they will be safely returned home in the event of an accident. 

As an alternative, you can decide to have them implanted with microchips while they are sedated for a spay or neuter procedure.

Plan ahead for upcoming checks


At the first vet appointment, your kitten's immunization program, treatments, and spaying or neutering can be scheduled. Missing a particular vaccination window or treatment for your kitten is less likely if all of your appointments are on time.

The first step in living a happy and healthy life with your kitten is to take them to their first veterinarian appointment. Take notes, ask plenty of questions, and have confidence that you'll be fantastic at cat parenthood. We simply know it.

Despite our best efforts, accidents and sickness can still happen to our kitty. If they do, having pet insurance protection may be able to help you afford the treatment your cat need.

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