Kitten Health Care

Vaccination Program

It is important to have your kitten vaccinated to help prevent infection and to keep your kitten healthy.  The following viruses are common in cats and vaccination is necessary to help protect your kitten.

Panleukopenia (feline distemper):  A debilitating often fatal virus characterized by fever, vomiting, and diarrhea and a compromised immune system.

Rhinotracheitis: An upper respiratory virus which can cause fever, sneezing, eye discharge, and a decreased appetite.

Calicivirus: An upper respiratory virus characterized by sneezing, fever, eye discharge, mouth ulcers and decreased appetite.

The three viruses listed above are referred to as the feline distemper combination vaccine, or FVRCP.  The FVRCP vaccine is given at 3 week intervals beginning at 8 weeks of age and continuing until the kitten is 14-16 weeks old. 

Rabies is a fatal virus that affects the nervous system.  It is carried through the saliva of animals infected with the rabies virus and therefore is associated with bite wounds from rabid animals. Vaccination is required after 12 weeks of age.

Feline Leukemia is a virus which can suppress the immune system, leading to severe infections.  The virus also can lead to many types of cancer.  A feline leukemia test is recommended prior to vaccination.  The vaccine is given as a series of two vaccines, 3 weeks apart to all kittens, as they are most susceptible to the virus.  After the first year, the vaccine is boostered for any cat which will spend time outdoors.

After your kitten’s vaccine series is complete, annual physical examinations and a vaccine program individualized for your cat are needed to help keep your cat healthy.

Internal Parasites

Intestinal parasites include intestinal worms and protozoa and are diagnosed on a stool specimen from your kitten.  Most kittens are born with intestinal worms or acquire them soon after birth by walking in areas where infected animals have defecated. Proper treatment will prevent their potential debilitating effects (diarrhea, vomiting, anemia).  A yearly fecal examination is recommended throughout your pet’s life.

Roundworms

 

Long, “spaghetti-like” worms which can cause diarrhea and vomiting.  Occasionally, the worms are seen in the vomit or stool.  The worms steal nutrients from the kitten and can lead to a “pot-belly” appearance and an unhealthy hair coat.  Roundworms are potentially zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted to humans.

Hookworms

Thread-like worms which attach themselves to the intestinal wall and suck blood from the intestine.  Hookworms are also potentially zoonotic.

Tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum)

Long segmented worms which steal nutrients. Tapeworm infection is caused by the cat ingesting a flea carrying a tapeworm egg.  Once ingested, the tapeworm egg is released inside of the cat and the tapeworm life cycle begins.  These parasites may be seen in a stool specimen or around the cat’s anal region as small ivory colored rice-like segments.

Whipworms

Microscopic worms which attach to the wall of the large intestine and steal nutrients.  These worms can cause chronic diarrhea and debilitation.

Coccidia

A one-celled protozoa which destroys the intestinal lining and can cause diarrhea.

Zoonoses

Some parasites are zoonotic, meaning they can infect people as well as animals.  Children, the elderly and immuno-compromised people are at highest risk.  Hookworms and Roundworms are two common internal parasites that can infect people.  Humans become infected with roundworms through oral contact (not washing hands after working in litter boxes or soil contaminated with dog feces).  Roundworms can migrate to a child’s eye and cause blindness (visceral larval migrans).  Hookworms can penetrate through the skin from contact with contaminated soil, whether through gardening or walking barefoot in the yard, beach, or park and cause a severe rash.

Fleas

Fleas are  arthropod parasites which can live on the skin and feed on the blood of their hosts.  In addition to causing skin irritation and inflammation, fleas can also cause deadly anemia if present in large enough numbers.  Several products are available to control fleas and include:   Capstar, Advantage, Frontline, and Revolution.   

Nutrition

Kittens should be fed a high quality kitten food free choice. Purina ProPlan, Science Diet, and Purina ONE are examples of high quality diets. Failure to feed a high quality diet could result in urinary problems for your cat. Once kittens reach 10 – 12 months, they should be gradually changed to a high quality cat food.

When you buy your cat’s food, look for brands that are labeled AAFCO approved and tested.  Foods so labeled have been balanced following the National Research Council’s guidelines and most have been proven in testing.  The first ingredient in the food should be meat (chicken, turkey, lamb, etc.) and not corn meal, animal meal, or animal by-products.

Spay/ neuter/ declaw

If desired, declawing can be performed at the same time as spay/neuter.  The female cat, or queen, can be spayed at 4-6 months of age. The male cat, or tom, can also be neutered at 4-6 months of age. Spaying or neutering your cat is highly recommended to prevent certain behavioral problems and to help control pet over-population.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Symptoms include frequent urination in small amounts, often with straining due to mucus and sand-like crystals which accumulate in the urine. Its exact cause is still unknown, however, diet, inadequate water intake, bacteria, viruses, and stress may all be involved. The problem is particularly important in male cats due to the anatomy of their penis. The opening for passage of urine from the bladder to the outside is narrow and can plug up with the mucus and crystals formed with this syndrome. If this happens, the cat is unable to urinate and fatal toxins can build up in the blood creating an emergency situation. Therefore, any urinary straining in your cat necessitates a veterinary examination.

Feline Leukemia Virus

The feline leukemia virus (FELV) is a highly contagious virus found mainly in saliva which is spread from cat to cat by grooming, sneezing, and biting. Contaminated food bowls and litter boxes can also be a source of infection.

A blood test can be performed to determine if a cat has the virus.  A positive test means that the cat has been exposed to FELV.  If the cat is healthy and tests positive, there is a 40% chance it will reject the virus and recover, a 30%  chance of developing a persistent infection and becoming a healthy carrier, or a 30% chance of becoming ill and dying within 12-24 months.

Cats persistently infected with FELV rarely live more than three years, and most die of associated diseases before cancers develop.  These secondary diseases result when FELV impairs a cat’s immune system, limiting the cat’s ability to resist infections by bacteria, viruses, and fungi.  Clinical signs are varied, and may include:  sneezing, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, recurrent fevers, anemia, and non-healing wounds.

A feline leukemia vaccine is available and is recommended for all kittens.  Cats should be tested for FELV prior to vaccination and the test should be repeated yearly if the cat goes outside. First time vaccination requires two doses given three weeks apart.  After that, a vaccine booster each year is recommended.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is spread through bite wounds and is seen primarily in outdoor cats that fight with other cats. Infected cats may appear normal for years.  However, infection eventually leads to a decreased immune system that impairs the cat’s ability to protect itself against other infections.  The same bacteria, viruses, and fungi that are found in the environment and don’t affect healthy cats can cause severe illness in cats with weakened immune systems.  These secondary infections are responsible for many of the diseases associated with FIV.  Clinical signs may include fever, enlarged lymph nodes, inflammation of the gums, chronic diarrhea, and chronic skin infections.  We recommend testing your kitten on its initial visit with the test being repeated yearly if your cat goes outdoors.

Feline Heartworm Disease

It has been determined that cats can become infected with heartworms. Heartworms are carried by mosquitoes and result in long thin worms that live inside the cat’s heart and lungs. Both indoor and outdoor cats can become infected with heartworms. Signs of heartworm disease in cats vary, and include: vomiting, coughing, and sudden death. We recommend that heartworm prevention using a topical spot-on product called Revolution which will fight other parasites as well.  It should be applied every month year round in the Tidewater area.