THE CAT DOCTOR -- Pediatrics

"Can I keep 'im? Ple-e-eaze?!?"

Kittens make such delightful pets, but they are a big responsibility - as with any pet. The Cat Doctor has a Pediatric Program that will get your kitty off to a good, healthy start in life. Here are the details:

Nutrition

The nutrition a kitten receives in the first six months has a lifelong effect on her health. We recommend Science Diet Feline Growth Formula in both canned and dry form. A complete food, it's not necessary to add vitamins. But be sure to keep plenty of fresh water available; it's all the liquid your kitten will need. Do NOT give them milk; it can cause diarrhea. At the age of 6 to 8 months you should switch to Science Diet Adult Formula.

Vaccinations

Kittens need a series of vaccinations to protect them. A normal schedule will include 3 visits for initial vaccinations and dewormings, and a Feline Leukemia/Feline Immunodeficiency Virus test

Parasites

Most kittens come complete with parasites. For this reason, kittens are routinely dewormed during their first two visits. We also carefully check for fleas and earmites. Heartworm preventive is also started at this young age.

Spays/Neuters

Cat population control concerns everyone, whether they own one or not. Without it, we'd be up to our calves in cats, the increase in strays making the transmission of disease (including rabies) much more likely. Spays and neuters are usually performed around 6 months of age. In most cases, kitties will bounce back to normal very quickly.

Cosmetic Declawing

Often, a kitten's natural claw sharpening behavior can be eliminated while he's still trainable (before 6-7 months of age). But if his training fails, the alternatives are to make him an outside cat, live with used furniture, or have him declawed. At The Cat Doctor we see this as a last resort. For that reason, we use a technique that heals faster and is much more cosmetic than others. It's usually performed at around 6 months of age, the same time your kitten is spayed or neutered. Ask our staff for more details on training or cosmetic declawing.