Cats
To keep your kitten or cat happy and healthy, there are some basic requirements that you should meet. The following is a list of must-do's to keep your pets disease free, and give them the best chance for a long and healthy life.
Vaccination
Kittens are required to have 3 vaccinations at 6-8 weeks, 12-14 weeks and 16-18 weeks. The diseases we vaccinate against are feline calicivirus and feline rhinotracheitis, which together are called cat flu virus, and feline panleucopenia virus. A yearly booster vaccination is then given in order to provide ongoing immunity. At the annual visit a full health check will be preformed. A recent advance in vaccinations now means we can provide protection against Feline Immunodeficiency Virus( FIV), feline leukaemia and chlamydia. To find out more, please contact the surgery and our staff will be happy to give you more information.
Worming
Cats and kittens are susceptible to round, hook and tapeworm. One of the most common ways of transmission is by fleas which can lead to flea tapeworms. Worming your kitten every 2 weeks until 12 weeks of age, then every month until 6 months of age, then every 3 months thereafter easily treats these worms. Worming preparations come in the form of a paste, tablet or spot on.
Feeding
We recommend feeding a well-balanced kitten formula until 8 months of age. The major difference between kitten and adult formulas is that kitten preparations have a higher calcium and protein content for growing muscles and bones. Kittens and cats can also gain calcium supplementation through feeding milk. We stock a wide range of both dry and tinned preparations in the Hills range. Hills is a superior cat food be cause it is nutritionally balanced, highly palatable food containing antioxidants, essential for natural defences. The adult food has a choice of 2 varieties either in fish or chicken.
Desexing
Desexing is recommended for those cats which are not going to be used for breeding. Desexing is usually performed from 6 months of age onwards. The main purpose of desexing is to prevent unwanted litters, but also has several other benefits. Desexing in female cats helps reduce the incidence of breast cancer, and uterine infections. It also helps to reduce the incidence of fighting and roaming in both sexes. Sterilization is a day procedure, with attention paid to optimum pain management.
Microchipping
A microchip is the size of a grain of rice, which is injected under the cats skin. It carries a code unique to you and your pet. This code is enforced onto a national computer database and appears on a certificate of identification given to the owner. Microchipping is the most effective form of permanent identification. A microchip scanner is passed over the cat to reveal the unique code. The operator can read the code on the scanners display and then refer to the national computer database to identify your name, address and phone number. The microchip scanners are in routine use by veterinarians and animal welfare organisations such as the RSPCA, and Animal Welfare League of South Australia.
Flea Treatment
Fleas are a common external parasite, which love to live in your cats coat. Fleas can be readily killed by several different methods. One of the most effective treatments is a spot on product applied on the skin at the back of the neck. The two most effective products we recommend are Revolution or Frontline Plus. Both of these products are easy to use and will kill 98-100% of adult fleas within 24 hours, and will continue killing fleas for a further month. These products are easy to apply and have an extremely wide safety margin. Fleas can be found on your cat ALL year round.