The first week after a holiday is chaotic for many professions, and veterinary medicine is no different. Combining that with a full moon (we are a superstitious bunch) and a doctor (me) that goes around saying "Everything is going smooth." and "It seems slow today." is a recipe for disaster. So, today's blog post: "Kittens." 

I will go through my usual talk to new owners on these floofy balls of terror. As always, there is more to it than I can cover in one post, and there are many different points of view. So, talk to your vet about what is best for your kitten/cat/ruler of the household. Our clinic recommends wellness visits and vaccines for puppies and kittens at 8, 12, and 16 weeks. The administration of multiple vaccines at varying times for puppies, kittens, and maybe human kids (I'm assuming, I'm not there yet) is mainly due to the waning effects of the maternal antibodies and colostrum received from their mother. A mammal's first meal from its mother is called colostrum and is packed with antibodies, which is like immune super-juice. These antibodies protect the newborn from many diseases it may be exposed to in its first few weeks. Various other factors can also be at play, such as how much colostrum or milk the puppy/kitten received. So, we plan our vaccine schedule around when we expect those antibodies to start wearing off, leaving the puppy/kitten at risk. (Insert something funny about the boring part being done)

There are primarily three feline vaccines that we use daily. We use "core" (Highly recommended/required) and "non-core" (varies with a pet's lifestyle).

1. FVRCP (core), commonly called the "Distemper" vaccine, is given starting at 6-8 weeks and repeated every four weeks until 16 weeks. This vaccine includes

   1. Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis AKA Feline Herpesvirus- Extremely contagious and causes upper respiratory tract infections.

   2. Calicivirus - This also causes severe upper respiratory tract infection.

   3. Panleukopenia - Also called feline distemper, caused by a parvovirus.

2. Rabies (core), given once at 14-16 weeks, causes bad stuff.

3. FeLV (non-core), the Feline Leukemia vaccine, is tested for and given on the same schedule as FVRCP - mainly an outdoor cat disease that causes immunodeficiency—not needed if the kitten/cat is indoor only.

Flea prevention: Both indoor and outdoor cats can and will get fleas. Fleas can transmit diseases such as tapeworm, the bacteria that causes Cat Scratch Fever (also a great song), bacteria that can cause anemia, and flea allergy dermatitis. Flea medication can also help to treat and prevent ear mites, ticks, and heartworm. I could almost pay off my student loans if I had a nickel for every cat I've seen with bumps on their back or scratching that ended up being caused by fleas. Also, watch out for those tiny rice-like segments around their rectum, which likely mean tapeworms. Fleas can carry tapeworm, and there's nothing like finding some eggs on your pillow right before bed. 

Check up: Cats are aliens. They will hide illness and injury just out of spite because that's what cats do. They pee on things because they have a raging UTI or because they are mad that the food bowl was moved two feet. Our job is to determine if your four-legged fluffy death machine has something medically wrong or is just angry at the world. A checkup is needed every 6-12 months, and bloodwork is recommended as they age. A client relationship must be established for a veterinarian to prescribe a medication to any patient. Your pet must be seen within the last year to prescribe medications for Michigan, including many flea/heartworm medications. Older cats are more likely to develop hyperthyroidism, renal (kidney) failure, and diabetes, among many other things. Cats can be extraordinarily stoic and may not show any clinical signs of disease until it has progressed past a point that any treatment would be effective. . . I imagine this is out of pure spite. We would much instead catch the disease early on and be able to manage a cat starting to have a kidney enzyme elevation than try to help with end-stage kidney failure.

Spay/Neuter: Most veterinarians recommend spaying (for females) or neutering (males) at around 5-6 months. This is usually before their first heat begins and they are old enough to handle anesthesia. Cat spays are my favorite procedure; for many veterinarians, cat neuters are their favorite. Generally, cats recover exceptionally well from the procedures with very few, if any, complications. If done young enough, it will reduce the chances of marking (peeing/spraying urine outside the litterbox) in male cats. It can also reduce the chances of mammary tumors and pyometra (infected uterus) in females and eliminate the possibility of unwanted/accidental kittens. 

We currently have two adult cats and Stevie, our blind kitten/foster fail. Stevie from the previous blog post is doing exceptionally well. She was spayed, had the rest of one of her eyes removed, and wreaked havoc almost as soon as she woke up from the procedures as if nothing had happened. Following your vet's advice can help to ensure your cats live their best lives ruling over the household, as they should.

For more information, I recommend Veterinary Partners post on new kittens.