Choosing A Healthy Kitten
Kittens - A Bundle of Joy
Kittens are playful and are a bundle of joy to any owner, they beg for attention and manage to win your heart all the time.
However, when you choose to buy a kitten, be it from a pet shop, a friend or even a breeder the following are some things that need to be looked into:
• A certificate of registration of the kitten if it is pedigree i.e. its history, health, breed and age if it is for show or breeding purposes.
• To see if a thorough check has been done by a veterinary clinic on the health of the kitten eg. vaccinations and blood/urine analysis.
• Have some knowledge on the environment that kitten was housed.
• If kitten had been abused by previous owner and has some behavioural problems; so that you are able to rectify them.
Below is the vaccination chart for the prevention of diseases.
| Disease |
Description |
Signs |
Vaccination Age |
Prevention |
| Feline Panleucopanenia/ Enteritis |
It is a potentially fatal viral disease of cats and kittens. Kittens infected soon after birth may develop permanent brain damage. |
(Older kittens may show signs of vomiting and diarrhoea. (Serious dehydration may result in death. (Depression, fever and inappetence are usually the result of lowered white blood cell numbers in the body and the bone marrow. |
6 weeks onwards depending on its antibodies and the mother's health record. |
Effective vaccines are available to prevent your kitten or cat from developing feline panleucopaenia. |
| Feline Respiratory Disease |
Feline respiratory disease is a contagious disease of cats that has more than one cause. |
(Sneezing, discharge from the eyes and nose, fever, (Depression, (Conjunctivitis (Difficulty in breathing. |
9 weeks onwards. |
Vaccines available against the two major agents that cause feline respiratory disease-feline rhinotracheitis and feline calicivirus. |
| Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) |
Feline leukaemia disease (FeLV) is the cause of many diseases in cats. |
(These range from anaemia, immuno suppression, (Severe enteritis, (Arthritis, kidney disorders and reproductive failure to cancers such as leukaemias and lymphomas. The virus is transmitted directly from cat to cat. |
12 weeks onwards. |
A new vaccine to prevent the development of FeLV is available for cats over 12 weeks of age. |
| FIP |
FIP is a complex disease of cats caused by feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) a coronovirus. Primary FIP may be mild consisting of fever and slight nasal and ocular discharge. Most frequent in cats aged between 6 months and 2 years. Incidence is minor in older cats between 11 and 15 years of age. |
(Accumulation of fluid within the peritoneal cavity with progressive, painless enlargement of the abdomen. (Affected animals may experience difficult breathing and have an elevated temperature. Appear depressed and lose weight. |
Annually |
Effective vaccination is now available. |
Bringing home a new kitten is an exciting event and to make sure your kitty feels at home you need the following for its proper adjustment to its new surroundings:
• A basket or cardboard box or a cat carrier with a soft blanket or towel. A cat litter box and cat litter (Clean 'N Easy clumping sand) to train your kitty if he has not been toilet-trained.
• A food and water bowl
• Toys eg. rubber ball
• Grooming aids eg. comb or brush (for short-haired or long-haired cats) and hygiene products like shampoo and cologne for a clean and groomed look.
• Shampooing once a fortnight will help maintain a healthy and shiny coat and at the same time prevents fleas and lice infestation.
Diet - Nutritiously satisfying
A high quality food with a balanced nutrient content is ideal for a kitten and amounts of food needed for feeding should vary between 2-3 times a day or according to size, activity level, temperament and environment.
When you provide high quality, balanced nutrition eg. Science Diet for your cat, you help your tabby maintain health on the inside that shows on the outside. Just by looking at your pet you will be able to see if he has a shiny coat, clear eyes, strong bones and teeth that should signal health and vitality!
The following points should be considered in choosing a pet food:
• A single standing diet to meet the particular life stage of your pet, eg. growth, adult, pregnant and senior.
• A diet with a great taste or highly palatable. It should have an optimum amount of calories, protein, calcium and phosphorus for proper growth, healthy eyes and normal heart function
• Enriched with taurine, an essential amino acid.
• A highly digestible formula for easy digestion.
• Enriched with Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids to promote healthy skin and shiny coat.
• Added antioxidants i.e. vitamin C and E for an excellent immune system so that your kitten will benefit greatly.
You should be able to see a difference in appearance of your kitten after five weeks of use.
Do not feed table scraps to your kitten as this will encourage bad habits affecting the overall good health of your kitten since wrong foods can create dietary imbalances and unhealthy addictions for your pet.
Always introduce the new food gradually so that kitten will get used to the switch. Only add supplements to your regular food if the veterinarian instructs to do so. If your pet does not eat or drink for more than 2 days, please consult a veterinarian as soon as you are able to.
Make a wise choice today and take care of your kitten with all your heart and we are quite sure kitty will grow up to be a healthy and active adult cat and companion to you for many years to come.
A feline melody
I was once a scruffy little kitty living on the streets
A kind lady took pity and gave me a home
Now I'm happy and look very healthy
I thank the dear lady
As I prance to a feline melody
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