Your Kitten's Regular Checkup

Whether your new kitten is from a breeder, shelter, neighbor, or simply a stray you've brought into your home, one of the first things you need to do is arrange a veterinary checkup. This way if there is a pre-existing condition in the kitten you can alert the breeder or shelter, especially if it's a contagious condition. Many breeder contracts insist on such an exam within two days of acquiring him so that you both have assurance that the kitten is healthy at the time of transfer. And you'll want to know your kitty is starting off with a clean bill of health.

Before heading to the veterinarian, gather together any previous health records, including details of vaccinations and deworming. Write down what you're feeding him in case the veterinarian asks. Also record any questions, possible signs of illness, or problems you're having with your new pet. Otherwise these seem to fly out of mind's reach once in the exam room. If you have pet health insurance, bring the information for it. Bring a fresh stool sample (not the whole thing; about a tablespoon is ample).

Have the kitten ride to the veterinary clinic in a carrier. It's a good idea not to feed him for at least an hour before leaving to lessen the chance of carsickness. Bring extra towels and maybe some rinsefree shampoo in case of an accident. Once at the clinic, leave the kitten in his crate until you're in the exam room.

It's common for a veterinary technician to obtain the health history from you, and to perform the preliminary examination including weight, temperature, pulse, and respiration rate. If you did not bring a stool sample, the technician will probably collect one from the kitten. This specimen will be checked for evidence of intestinal parasites. Any abnormalities found during this preliminary exam will be reported to the veterinarian, who will then complete the exam.

The technician may also draw blood at this time, or it may be done later in the exam. The blood will be tested for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), both of which can be passed from mother to kitten. Neither disease is curable, but with early detection, both are manageable.

The veterinarian will check your kitten'sgums, teeth, tongue, palate and throat, making note of gum color, tooth occlusion, and whether the baby teeth are being properly replaced by permanent teeth (if your kitten is the appropriate age for that). She'll move on to the ears, possibly peering inside the canal with a otoscope, looking for debris and discharge that often indicates mites in kittens. She'll look at the eyes, making note of discharge and staining, redness, or lid abnormalities.

The veterinarian will then move on to the body, perhaps tenting the skin to check for dehydration. She'll look at the hair and skin, parting the hair looking for signs of parasites or skin disease. Then she'll feel along the body and palpate the abdomen, feeling for abnormalities in internal organs. She'll check to make sure the kitten is what sex you think it is; you'd be surprised at how many people misidentify their gender! The veterinarian will also listen to the kitten's heart with a stethoscope. 

Based upon your kitten's vaccination history and age, the veterinarian will then administer the proper vaccines. She may also give deworming medicine. Depending on age, she may have you start the kitten on heartworm prevention. And she may suggest a flea and tick preventive as well.

Before leaving, make sure you understand the veterinarian's instructions. When you check out, these may also be given to you in written form; if not, write them down. You'll probably be instructed to return for follow-up vaccinations. The timing of these vaccinations is important; don't put off coming back for them. At each subsequent visit for vaccinations, the veterinarian will probably give your kitten a quick check.

After these first months of kittenhood, you'll no longer need to return every few weeks, but can wait a year until your then adult cat will be due for his first adult wellness check.