The doctors and staff of the Animal Clinic at Thorndale would like to congratulate you on the acquisition on your new kitten! We love seeing these little guys and watching them grow over the years. Owning a cat can be an extremely rewarding experience, but it also carries with it quite a bit of responsibility. We hope this document will give you the information needed to make some good decisions regarding your kitten.

First, let us say that we are grateful that you have chosen the Animal Clinic at Thorndale to help you with your kitten’s health care. If you have questions concerning any subject related to your kitten’s health, please feel free to call our hospital at 610-873-4091. Either one of the technicians or one of the doctors will be happy to help you.

Introducing a New Kitten to its New Environment

A cat is naturally inclined to investigate its new surroundings. It is suggested that the cat’s area of exploration be limited initially so that these natural tendencies do not create an unmanageable task. After confining the cat to one room for the first few days, you should slowly allow access to other areas of the home.

Socialization

The Socialization Period for cats is between 2 and 12 weeks of age. During that time, the kitten is very impressionable to social influences. If it has good experiences with men, women, children, dogs, other cats, etc., it is likely to accept them throughout life. If the experiences are absent or unpleasant, it may become apprehensive or adverse to any of them. Therefore, during the period of socialization, we encourage you to expose your cat to as many types of social events and influences as possible. Remember that people are never play objects. Our hands are for holding and petting only.

Introducing a New Kitten to Other Cats in the Household – What to Expect.

Most kittens receive a hostile reception from other household pets, especially from another cat. The other cat usually sees no need for a kitten in the household, and these feelings are reinforced if it perceives that special favoritism is being shown the kitten. The existing cat must not feel that it is necessary to compete for food or for attention. The new kitten should have its own food and food bowl, and it should not be permitted to eat from the other cat’s bowl. Although it is natural to spend time holding and cuddling the kitten, the existing cat will quickly sense that it is being neglected. The new kitten needs lots of love and attention, but the existing cat should not be slighted. In fact, the transition will be smoother if the existing cat is given more attention than normal.

The introduction period will usually last one to two weeks and will have one of three possible outcomes.

1. The existing cat will remain hostile to the kitten. Fighting may occur occasionally, especially if both try to eat out of the same bowl at the same time. This is an unlikely occurrence if competition for food and affection are minimized during the first few weeks.

2. The existing cat will only tolerate the kitten. Hostility will cease, but the existing cat will act as if the kitten is not present. This is more likely if the existing cat is very independent, has been an only cat for several years, or if marked competition occurred during the first few weeks. This relationship is likely to be permanent.

3. Bonding will occur between the existing cat and the kitten. They will play together, groom each other, and sleep near each other. This is more likely to occur if competition is minimized and if the existing cat has been lonely for companionship.

Introducing a New Kitten to Existing Dogs or Cats in the Household – How To Do It.

Many of the same rules apply in terms of sharing your attention and separate food and water bowls for dogs and cats and the new kitten. Dogs should be leashed during introductions and owners should be alert to any predatory instincts in the dog. It is best to first keep the kitten in a separate room and allow the existing cat or dog to sniff at the doorway. The next step is to keep the kitten safe in a crate while the existing cat or dog explores the new sounds and smells. The kitten is eventually allowed out of the crate and the interactions are supervised. If you think the existing cat will be aggressive, have a water spray bottle handy to break up any hostile interactions. Keep in mind that not all cats are social and may prefer their solitary life. Be prepared for this possibility and have respectfully separate areas of the house for each if they are needed.

All introductions to a dog need to be made with the dog safely controlled on a leash and the kitten out of reach. Start with allowing them to sniff each other behind the door and then next allow the leashed dog to investigate the kitten while it is crated. If this is going smoothly,with the dog leashed, reassure the dog as the kitten is moved in closer. Eventually the kitten will be set loose with the dog still on leash. Once you are certain everything is ok, they can both be free to interact – supervised, of course. Even once they have gotten acquainted, be especially careful with the kitten around the dog’s food dish and favorite toys.

Play Behavior in Kittens

Stimulating play is important during the first week. Stalking and pouncing are important play behaviors in kittens and have an important role in proper muscular development. If given a sufficient outlet for these behaviors with toys, your kitten will be less likely to use family members for these activities. The best toys are light weight and movable. These include wads of paper and small balls. String and ribbons are not good toys. Never leave any yarn, string or sewing materials unattended around a kitten or cat! Any other toy that is small enough to be swallowed should also be avoided. It is very important that the kitten not be allowed to pounce on or bite people. Cats are “motion detectors” so be careful to stop moving your hands, feet, or other body parts if the kitten is playing. Direct this hunting play toward toys. It is no fun having your 10 pound cat come around a door and chomp onto your leg because you taught it you were a play object when it was a kitten. Humans should be for gentle holding and petting only.

Disciplining a Kitten

Disciplining a young kitten may be necessary if its behavior threatens people or property, but harsh punishment should be avoided. Always try to redirect the kitten to acceptable play objects and avoid teaching it to chase human hands, feet, etc. Hand clapping and using shaker cans or horns can be intimidating enough to inhibit undesirable behavior. Remote punishment is preferred. Remote punishment consists of using something that appears unconnected to the punisher to stop the problem behavior. Examples include using spray bottles, throwing objects in the direction of the kitten to startle (but not hit) it, and making loud noises. Remote punishment is preferred because the kitten associates punishment with the undesirable act and not with you.

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunosuppressive Virus (FIV) Testing

Before bringing a new kitten or cat into a household of existing cats, it is important that all the cats and kittens be tested negative for feline leukemia virus(FeLV) and feline immunosuppressive virus (FIV) that are fairly common, contagious, and deadly. Kittens and cats from cattery situations should also be from a FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) free cattery.

Vaccinations

There are many diseases that are fatal to cats. Fortunately, we have the ability to prevent many of these by using very effective vaccines. In order to be effective, these vaccines must be given as a series of injections. Ideally, they are given initially at about 6-8 weeks of age and ended at 16 weeks of age.

The routine vaccination schedule will protect your kitten from four diseases: “distemper” or panleukopenia, 2 respiratory viruses (Rhinotracheitis and Calici), and rabies. The first three are included in a combination vaccine that is given every three to four weeks apart, beginning around 6-8 weeks of age, and ending when the kitten is 16 weeks old. The rabies vaccine is given when the kitten is at least 12 weeks of age. Leukemia vaccine is necessary if your cat does or will go outside or if you have another cat that goes in and out. Leukemia (FeLV), a contagious cancer in cats, is a deadly disease transmitted by direct contact with the saliva or urine of other infected cats. Outdoor cats who fight with other cats are at high risk. Before allowing your kitten outside, you need to have a blood test done to be certain it is not carrying this disease, and therefore potentially contagious to the other cats in your home or outside. While there is also a FIV vaccine available, it is impossible to distinguish a vaccinated from an infected cat on blood testing for this disease. Vaccinated cats are at risk of being unnecessarily destroyed by well meaning rescues and shelters when they test positive for this deadly disease, so be certain to discuss the advisability of this vaccine with your veterinarian.

The Need for a Series of Vaccinations

When the kitten nurses its mother, it receives a temporary form of immunity through its mother’s milk. This immunity is in the form of proteins called antibodies. For about 24-48 hours after birth, the kitten’s intestine allows absorption of these antibodies directly into the blood stream. This immunity is of benefit during the first few weeks of the kitten’s life, but, at some point, this immunity fails and the kitten must be able to make its own long-lasting immunity. Vaccinations are used for this purpose. As long as the mother’s antibodies are present, vaccinations do not “take.” The mother’s antibodies will neutralize the vaccine so the vaccine does not get a chance to stimulate the kitten’s immune system.

Many factors determine when the kitten will be able to respond to the vaccines. These include the level of immunity in the mother cat, how much of the antibody has been absorbed, and the number of vaccines given the kitten. Since we do not know when an individual kitten will lose the short-term immunity, we give a series of vaccinations. We hope that at least two of these will fall in the window of time when the kitten has lost the immunity from its mother but has not yet been exposed to disease. A single vaccination, even if effective, is not likely to stimulate the long-term immunity. Initial immunity is in the form of IgM antibodies which is not strong or long lasting. The second booster vaccine to which the kitten is responding stimulates the long term more complete IgG antibody production. Once the kitten has completed the initial vaccination series, it will receive a booster 1 year later. Thereafter, immunity in most cats may last 3 years. Leukemia vaccines, if being given, do need a booster yearly to be effective. The rabies vaccine, after the initial vaccine, must also have a booster 1 year later. Thereafter, many available rabies vaccines provide immunity for 3 years.

Intestinal Parasites (“Worms”)

Intestinal parasites are common in kittens. Kittens can become infected with parasites almost as soon as they are born. For example, the most important source of roundworm infection in kittens is the mother’s milk. The microscopic examination of a stool sample will usually help us to determine the presence of intestinal parasites. We recommend this exam for all kittens. If we can not get a stool sample, please bring one at your earliest convenience. Even if we do not get a stool sample, we recommend the use of a deworming product that is safe and effective against almost all of the common worms of the cat. Several good drugs are available. It is given now and repeated in about 3-4 weeks, because the deworming medication only kills the adult worms. Within 3-4 weeks the larval stages will have become adults and will need to be treated. Cats remain susceptible to reinfection with hookworms and roundworms. Periodic deworming throughout the cat’s life may be recommended for cats that go outdoors.

Tapeworms are a very common intestinal parasite of cats. Kittens become infected with them when they swallow fleas. The eggs of the tapeworm live inside the flea. When the cat chews or licks its skin as a flea bites, the flea may be swallowed. The flea is digested within the cat’s intestine; the tapeworm hatches and then anchors itself to the intestinal lining. Therefore, exposure to fleas may result in a new infection; this can occur in as little as two weeks. Cats infected with tapeworms will pass small segments of the worms in their stool. The segments are white in color and look like grains of rice. They are about 1/8 inch (3 mm) long and may be seen crawling on the surface of the stool. They may also stick to the hair under the tail. If that occurs, they will dry out, shrink to about half their size, and become golden in color. Tapeworm segments do not pass every day or in every stool sample; therefore, inspection of several consecutive bowel movements may be needed to find them. We may examine a stool sample in our office and not find them, then you may find them the next day. If you find them at any time, please notify us so we may provide the appropriate drug for treatment.

Feeding a Kitten

Diet is extremely important in the growing months of a cat’s life, and there are two important criteria that should be met in selecting food for your kitten. We recommend a NAME-BRAND FOOD made by a national cat food company (not a generic or local brand), and a form of food MADE FOR KITTENS or labeled FOR ALL LIFE STAGES. This should be fed until your kitten is about 12 months of age. We recommend that you only buy food which has the AAFCO certification. Usually, you can find this information very easily on the label. AAFCO is an organization that oversees the entire pet food industry. It does not endorse any particular food, but it will certify that the food has met the minimum requirements for nutrition. Most of the commercial pet foods will have the AAFCO label. Generic brands often do not have it.

Feeding a dry, canned, or semi-moist form of cat food is acceptable. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Dry food is definitely the least expensive. It can be left in the cat’s bowl at all times. If given the choice, the average cat will eat a mouthful of food about 12-20 times per day. The good brands of dry food are just as nutritious as the other forms. As a rule, most veterinarians will recommend dry food for your kitten.

Semi-moist and canned foods are also acceptable. However, both are considerably more expensive than dry food. They often are more appealing to the cat’s taste; however, they are not more nutritious. If you feed a very tasty food, you are running the risk of creating a cat with a finicky appetite. In addition, the semi-moist foods are high in sugar. Canned foods do have the advantage of more moisture per mouthful. This become especially important if your cat is prone to developing crystals in the urine or kidney disease. Cats often do not drink enough water and extract their water from their foods.

Table foods are not recommended. Because they are generally very tasty, cats will often begin to hold out for these and not eat their well-balanced cat food. If you choose to give your kitten table food, be sure that at least 90% of its diet is good quality commercial kitten food.

We enjoy a variety of things to eat in our diet. However, most cats actually prefer not to change from one food to another unless they are trained to do so by the way you feed them. Do not feel guilty if your cat is happy to just eat one food day after day, week after week. That said, cats that receive a variety of select canned and/or dry food flavors may be easier to transition to a prescription diet if one become necessary later in life.

Commercials for cat food can be very misleading. If you watch carefully you will notice that many commercials promote cat food on one basis, TASTE. Nutrition is rarely mentioned. Most of the “gourmet” foods are marketed to appeal to owners who want the best for their cats; however, they do not offer the cat any nutritional advantage over a good quality dry food, and they are far more expensive. If your cat eats a gourmet food very long, it will probably not be happy with other foods. If it needs a special diet due to a health problem later in life, it is very unlikely to accept it. Therefore, we do not encourage feeding gourmet cat foods.

We do recommend feeding kittens three to four time daily and adult cats twice a day. This fixed feeding schedule, rather than allowing grazing, has several advantages. It is certainly easier to prevent over eating and obesity by set meal times and amounts. Most importantly, with a fixed feeding schedule, you will be able to tell within a 24 hour window if your cat is off its feed and potentially ill. Cats are very subtle at hiding illnesses, so a change in the regular feeding habits and amounts consumed can be a very important red flag to owners that something is amiss.

The Litter Box

The number one behavorial problem of cats is urination out of the litter box (inappropriate urination). There are several things that cause this frustrating problem, but some of those are related to the litter box. The following comments are included to prevent problems later because cats are particular about their litter boxes, the litter, and the location.

Choose a litter box that is large enough for your cat to fit in comfortably. It needs to be able to turn around freely. An 18 X 14 inch box with 4 inch sides is appropriate for most adult cats. Kittens may need a box with shorter sides so they can get in and out easily.

We do not recommend a box with a top (hood). Although hooded litter boxes are more private and contain the litter better, they also trap odors inside. Because cats are so fastidious, these odors often cause them to seek other places to urinate. Many cats exhibiting inappropriate urination will return to their litter boxes when the lid is removed.

There are three types of litter: clay, clumpable, and organic.

1. Clay litter absorbs 75-100% of its weight in moisture. This is good but not adequate to keep urine from being absorbed throughout a widespread area of litter. Solid matter and wet litter should be removed 1-2 times per day, but the entire litter box should be changed weekly. Clay litter is also quite dusty. Cats with allergies can have increased problems when breathing the litter dust.
2. Clumping litter is also called scoopable litter. It absorbs urine and swells to about 15 times its original volume. Therefore, you need only to remove the litter clumps; you do not need to change the entire contents of the litter box. It tends to control urine and stool odors better than clay litter. Most cats will prefer this litter because it is more like a sandy soil material
3. Organic litters are made of alfalfa, newspaper, peanut hulls, corn cobs, or recycled, biodegradable materials. They appeal to many cats, but they are also not received well by others.

Some litters contain scented or odor-controlling additives. Some cats tolerate them, but others find them objectionable. To minimize the chances of inappropriate urination, it is better to avoid scented litters.

Fecal matter and wet litter need to be removed at least once daily for each cat that uses the litter box. Even with clumping litter, a weekly scrubbing of the litter box removes odors that may collect in the box itself. Use warm, soapy water and avoid scented disinfectants.

The location of the litter box is important. It should be on an easily cleaned surface as some cats don’t always aim well. Litter is also scratched out or tracked out of the litter box frequently. It is very important that the litter box be placed in a quite, non-threatening location. Cats need their privacy and will avoid a litter box that is in a high traffic area or a location accessible to dogs.

Should your cat have problems with using the litter box, please also read our Handout: Litter Box Failure and House Soiling

Flea Control

Fleas do not stay on your kitten all of their time. Occasionally, they will jump off and seek another host. Therefore, it is important to kill fleas on your new kitten before they can become established in your house. Many of the flea control products that are safe on adult cats are not safe for kittens less than 4 months of age. Many flea products that are labeled safe for dogs are very toxic for cats and kittens. Some of these products can even make your cat or kitten very ill if it sleeps cuddled up next to your dog. We recommend only using cat safe products on dogs in households that also have cats. Be sure that any flea product you use is labeled safe for kittens.

Frontline Plus and Revolution are the monthly spot on products that kill adult fleas. They are liquids that are applied to the skin at the base of the neck. They are very effective and easy to use. Revolution is also licensed as effective against ear mites, heartworms, and some intestinal parasites.

Ear Mites

Ear mites are very tiny biting parasites that are very common in kittens and cats (and dogs). They spend most of their time in the ear canal, but do crawl out on the fur. Ear mites are readily spread from cat to cat, but interestingly, not every cat will have the typical extremely itchy ears in response to them. Therefore, it is important to treat all cats and kittens in a household if one has been diagnosed with ear mites. These mites are diagnosed by visualizing them during an otoscopic exam (looking in the ear canal with a special instrument) or by a microscopic examination of some of the waxy debris from the cat’s ear. Typically, young kittens with ear mite infestations will have itchy ears and the ear canals will be packed full of black crusty wax and debris. After flushing and cleaning the ear canals with appropriate ear cleaners, we generally recommend Revolution as a treatment, or one of the topical ear medications specifically formulated to kill mites.

Trimming Toenails

Kittens have very sharp toe nails. They can be trimmed with your regular finger nail clippers or with nail trimmers made for dogs and cats. If you take too much off the nail, you will get into the quick; bleeding and pain will occur. If this happens, neither you nor your cat will want to do this again. Therefore, a few points are helpful:

• If your cat has clear or white nails, you can see the pink of the quick through the nail. Avoid the pink area, and you should be out of the quick. Just like your own fingernails, you always leave some white behind.
• If your cat has black nails, you will not be able to see the quick. There is a hollow area under the nail that has grown past the quick, so if you can identify that, remember to leave a small amount of hollowed nail behind when you clip. Alternatively, you can cut 1/32″ (1 mm) of the nail at a time until the cat begins to get sensitive. The sensitivity will usually occur before you are into the blood vessel. With black nails, it is likely that you will get too close on at least one nail. The good news is that cats tend to stop bleeding fairly quickly on their own.
• If your cat has some clear and some black nails, use the average clear nail as a guide for cutting the black ones.
• When cutting nails, use sharp trimmers. Dull trimmers tend to crush the nail and cause pain even if you are not in the quick.
• You should always have styptic powder available. This is sold in pet stores under several trade names, but it will be labeled for use in trimming nails.

Heartworm Infections in Cats

We are still learning about heartworms in cats. There are several factors that need to be considered:

1. Recent studies have shown that heartworms are more common than we have thought in the past. They are most common along the Gulf and southern tier of states and are also found in our area.
2. Heartworms readily infect dogs and cause devastating disease if left untreated.
3. Cats can be infected but react differently to the parasite as they are not a true host. Most cats clear the infection or may not show signs. Of those that do, coughing is a common problem.
4. Heartworm infections in cats are not common in our region of the country but do occasionally occur.
5. In the studies in heartworm endemic areas, about 25% of the cats with heartworms live indoors all of the time. Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes.
6. Heartworms are difficult to diagnose. Although we have newer and better tests than in the past, several different tests may be required for a confirmed diagnosis in cats.
7. There is no good treatment for heartworms in cats. The drugs used in dogs are toxic to the cat, so we try to stabilize the cat and let it outlive the heartworms. This takes about 2 years.
8. Heartworm infected cats can be stable today and die suddenly tomorrow.
9. Talk to your veterinarian about whether your cat should receive monthly heartworm prevention. All medications carry a risk: benefit consideration.

Spaying Female Cats

Spaying is the removal of the uterus and the ovaries. Therefore, heat periods no longer occur. In intact female cats, it is difficult to prevent pregnancy despite your best efforts. Spaying prevents unplanned litters of kittens.

Spaying offers several advantages. The female’s heat periods result in about 2-3 weeks of obnoxious behavior. This can be quite annoying if your cat is kept indoors. Male cats are attracted from blocks away and, in fact, seem to come out of the woodwork. They seem to go over, around, and through many doors. Your cat will have a heat period about every 2-3 weeks until she is bred. During the declining daylight of fall, the heat cycles will lessen in frequency. Once the daylight begins to lengthen, they will become more frequent again.

It has been proven that as the female dog gets older, there is a significant incidence of breast cancer and uterine infections if she has not been spayed. Spaying before a dog has any heat periods will virtually eliminate the chances of either. There is mounting evidence to believe that this is also true of cats. If you do not plan to breed your cat, we strongly recommend that she be spayed before her first heat period. We recommend spaying at 6 months of age, even if you cat is showing signs of heat behavior.

Neutering Male Cats

Neutering is the surgical removal of both testicles. It offers several important advantages. Male cats go through a significant personality change when they mature. They become very possessive of their territory and mark it with their urine to ward off other cats. The tom cat’s urine develops a very strong odor that will be almost impossible to remove from your house. They also try to constantly enlarge their territory which means one fight after another. Fighting results in severe infections and abscesses and often engenders discord with your neighbors. We strongly urge you to have your cat neutered at about 6 months of age. If he should begin to spray his urine before that time, he should be neutered immediately. The longer he sprays or fights, the less likely neutering is to stop these behaviors.

Breeding Cats

If you plan to breed your cat, the female should have at least one or two heat periods first. This will allow her to physically mature and to be a better mother without such a physical drain on her. We do not recommend breeding after 5 years of age . Having her first litter after 5 years of age is more physically draining to her and increases the chances of her having problems during the pregnancy and/or delivery. Once your cat has had her last litter, she should be spayed to prevent the reproductive tract problems older cats can have.

Neutralizing Destructive Behavior with the Claws

There are four options that you should consider: frequent nail clipping, nail caps, surgical declawing, and tendonectomy.

The nails may be clipped according to the instructions above. However, your cat’s nails will regrow and become sharp again in about 4-7 days. Therefore, to protect your property, it will be necessary to clip them one to two times per week. Always provide your cat with appropriate scratching posts and plenty of social enrichment (appropriate play).

There are some commercially available products that are called nail caps. The most common one is called Soft Paws. These are generally made of smooth plastic and attach to the end of the nail with a special glue. The nails are still present, but the caps prevent them from causing destruction. After 2-4 weeks the nails will grow enough that the caps will be shed. At that time, you should be prepared to replace them.

Frequent nail clipping, providing good scratching surfaces, training the cat to scratch desirable surfaces, and when needed, applying Soft Paws will be sufficient in most cats to minimize damage due to claws.

For those cats and households needing more protection, surgical declawing is the removal of the nail at its base so that it cannot regrow. This is done under general anesthesia; there is very little post-surgical discomfort, especially when it is performed on a kitten. Our patients receive special pain relief medications before, during, and for several days after a surgical declaw. Contrary to the belief of some, this surgery does not cause lameness or psychological damage. Actually, a declawed cat will not realize the claws are gone and will continue to “sharpen” the claws as normal without inflicting damage to your furniture. We recommend it be done the same time as spaying or neutering. Once declawed, your cat should always live indoors since the ability to defend itself is compromised. Our hospital will only remove front claws unless there is a medical need in the household (i.e. immunosuppressed humans) at which time we will discuss staging a second declaw of the back feet.

Tendonectomy is the surgical removal of a small part of the tendon on the bottom of each toe. This tendon is needed to make the nail extend. The cat retains its nails, but it cannot extend them for sharpening and scratching, though they can still catch in fabrics. The biggest disadvantage of this procedure is that the nails continue to grow, become very thickened because they are not readily “sharpened” by the cat while scratching and may grow into the pads. Therefore, the nails must be clipped every 7 to 14 days. We generally do not recommend tendonectomy.

Pet Identification

Most cats do not favor collars, harnesses, or leashes, though some actually do learn to walk with their owners. There is always the risk that a cat will get lost or an indoor cat may escape. The collar tag is only useful if it stays on your cat. We do recommend that all collars be “break away” so that your cat cannot get hung up by its collar. The best permanent method of pet retrieval is microchipping. This tiny device is implanted with a needle into the connective tissues over the shoulder blades, so the process is much like getting an injection. Our scanner can detect these chips; humane societies and animal shelters across the country also have scanners. A national registry permits the return of microchipped pets throughout the United States and Canada. This is not a GPS, so in order to be effective, you must register the microchip. If your cats microchip is identified by a scanner, you can be located and contacted through the registry. We recommend having your cat microchipped while it is under anesthesia during a spay, neuter, or dental procedure. The microchip can also be placed while your cat is awake during a regular office visit.