A new kitten in your household can become a very special friend and companion. They may be a member of your family for up to 20 years so it is important that they get a good start to life. The following recommendations will help you give the best care to your new kitten.

 

Worming

Young kittens are very prone to intestinal worms, and it is very important that kittens are wormed regularly. These worms can potentially be passed on to humans, particularly children. We recommend the following worming programme:

• Worm every two weeks until 12 weeks of age with a kitten wormer (e.g. Cancare) then:

• Worm every month until 6 months of age with a broad spectrum wormer (e.g. Drontal) then:

• Adult cats over 6 months of age should ideally be wormed every 3 months with a broad spectrum wormer (e.g. Drontal)

If your cat is difficult to worm, spot-on worm treatments are available (eg Profender, or Broadline which covers both worms and fleas).

 

Flea Treatment

Spot-on flea treatments (e.g. Revolution, Frontline, Advocate, Broadline) are in general superior to flea collars and should always be the treatment of choice for fleas. The exception is Ceresto, a long acting slow release collar that provides protection for up to 8 months. Treatment frequency depends on the product used.

 

Diet

A high quality kitten food is essential to optimise growth. They contain tightly regulated amounts of protein, calcium, phosphorous, energy and other essential nutrients allowing kittens to grow at the correct rate. Discuss with your veterinarian or veterinary nurse which food would best suit the needs of your kitten. 

 

Desexing

Speying and neutering kittens is recommended for a number of reasons including preventing unwanted pregnancies, decreased roaming, decreased fighting and reduced incidence of mammary tumours. Desexing ideally occurs at 5-6 months of age.