Your kitten should see their VCA care team at least 3 to 4 times from 6 to 8 weeks of age until they’re at least 16 weeks old. And it’s not just because we want to see their adorable face, although that’s certainly a benefit for us!
The health care needs of kittens can be difficult to keep track of, so we’ll break it down for you a bit here. Make sure to reach out to your VCA care team with any questions about your new kitten’s needs!
Kitten wellness exams: Going beyond vaccines
Your kitten is developing their own immune system at this age, so they’re more susceptible to disease than your average adult cat. This is also the age at which your veterinarian might notice congenital abnormalities (conditions they were born with).
Between 6 to 8 weeks and 4 months of age, we recommend an examination every 3 to 4 weeks to ensure your kitten is growing well, to manage any disease concerns and to make sure your kitten is getting appropriate preventative care.
During wellness exams, your veterinarian will ask you about how your kitten is eating and drinking, their bathroom patterns, any behavioral concerns and their general lifestyle. Gathering your pet’s “history” is important for your veterinarian to know if they’re acting like a typical kitten and to help you make any necessary adjustments to keep them on track!
Your veterinarian will also perform a full physical examination. This means they’ll look your kitten over for any external abnormalities, check in on their oral health, listen to their heart and lungs and palpate (examine by touch) their abdomen for any concerns. With a physical exam, your veterinarian could pick up on a wide range of health concerns, such as:
- Skin or ear infections
- Heart murmurs
- Dental abnormalities
- Bone or joint pain
- Abdominal pain
Before your wellness exam, make sure to check with your VCA care team about whether fresh urine or fecal samples are required for the appointment.
To learn more about physical exams in cats, read: Wellness Examination in Cats
Making sense of feline distemper vaccine protocols
You may have heard that cats get yearly vaccines, so you might be a little confused when your veterinarian recommends shots every 3 to 4 weeks for your kitten. Vaccines for cats are divided into two categories: core vaccines and optional vaccines. The core vaccines include the FVRCP vaccine and rabies vaccine.
The FVRCP vaccine protects your kitten against feline viral rhinotracheitis (feline herpesvirus 1), calicivirus and feline distemper (panleukopenia). In kittens, the FVRCP vaccine is recommended between 6 to 8 weeks of age, again at 12 weeks, and again at 16 weeks. The optional vaccines and rabies vaccine will come at a later kitten visit, so we’ll focus in on FVRCP here.
Let’s get into why your kitten needs more than one FVRCP vaccine. When your kitten was born and nursed by their mother, they received temporary immunity from their mother’s first milk (colostrum). Colostrum has high levels of antibodies, which allow the kittens to have some protection against diseases the mom has been exposed to.
At some point, your kitten will lose the immunity they got from their mother and must develop their own long-lasting immunity. This is where vaccines come in.
The problem is that vaccines will not stimulate your kitten’s immune system while their mother’s antibodies are still present in their system. Because we don’t know when exactly your kitten will lose the immunity they got from their mother (anytime from 6 to 8 weeks until your kitten is 16 weeks old), a series of vaccines is given to stimulate your kitten’s own active immunity as early as possible. This is especially important because the diseases covered by the FVRCP vaccine are common in kittens and are quite dangerous (especially panleukopenia) if contracted!
Don’t skimp on dewormer
An important part of caring for your new best friend is protecting them from parasites, including intestinal worms. Kittens commonly get worms from their mother. They’re also more likely to get fecal matter in their mouth, which carries the risk of intestinal worms.
Deworming is a routine part of your kitten wellness visits. You’ll want to bring a fresh fecal sample to test for worms. The fecal sample is examined under a microscope for worm eggs. It’s okay if the sample has some litter on it—just try not to select a sample that’s completely covered in litter.
Even without a stool sample, the veterinarian will use a deworming medication that’s effective against two common worms that affect kittens (roundworms and hookworms). Deworming only kills the adult worms, so as they get older, repeat deworming during kitten visits is recommended to catch the larval stages.
Aside from being gross, worms carry health risks for your kitten. Intestinal worms steal energy from your growing kitten, which can stunt their growth. Hookworms feed on blood, and a lot of hookworms in your kitten’s intestines can make your kitten anemic. If your kitten has a lot of roundworms, they can develop a blockage in their intestinal tract.
Hookworms and roundworms can be passed to people. We always recommend washing your hands after changing the litter box.
Routinely checking for worms and having your kitten dewormed against the most common parasites is so important! Getting your kitten started on parasite preventives will also help prevent reinfection with worms.
A quick side note on tapeworms: Tapeworms are not treated by the main dewormer given at kitten visits. Kittens usually get tapeworms from eating infected fleas, but they can get them from rodents as well. If you’re noticing small, rice-like segments around your kitten’s rear end or in their bedding, make sure to discuss this with your veterinarian.
Getting a head start on heartworms
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease that affects cats. Heartworm larvae (microfilariae) are transmitted to cats via mosquito bites.
Cats are not a natural host for heartworms, so infected cats usually only have a few adult heartworms in their heart at a time (unlike dogs who can have over 100). These worms cause a lot of inflammation in a cat’s lungs (heartworm-associated respiratory disease or HARD). When the worms die, they can cause an extreme reaction that presents as severe respiratory distress or even sudden death.
The American Heartworm Society recommends starting your kitten on heartworm preventives as early as the product label allows and by the time they’re 8 weeks old, even if the cat lives exclusively indoors.
The dose of heartworm preventive is based on your kitten’s weight. While they’re still growing, they may need a new dose each month! Your veterinarian can help you pick the correct size every month.
For kittens, heartworm preventive options include a monthly oral tablet or chew, or a monthly topical applied between the shoulder blades. Your VCA care team will work with you to choose the best option for you and your kitten.
Keeping track of your pet’s needs: Get some peace of mind
That’s a lot to keep track of! Make sure to download the myVCA app to keep track of your pet’s medical records and upcoming medical needs. To help with budgeting for your kitten’s care, we recommend joining VCA CareClub® is a personalized care plan that can save you up to 25%1 on your kitten’s health care while distributing the cost over the year with a simple monthly fee, allowing you to budget for your pet’s care. Annual exams, rechecks and sick appointments are all included,2 along with doctor-recommended vaccines3 and deworming. We even have optional add-on services like spay/neuter and a dental cleaning.
CareClub Memberships are preventive pet health care plans and not pet insurance. CareClub Membership covers only the selected health care services and products which are specifically identified in the applicable CareClub Membership agreement.
1. Annual savings assumes that all included CareClub Membership services and products are consumed during the membership year.
2. Unlimited exams are any exams during regular business hours, excluding specialty, emergency, telemedicine or urgent care exams.
3. Vaccines may include rabies, feline distemper (Panleukopenia), feline respiratory virus (Rhino, Calici) and feline leukemia (FeLV). Lab work checks for issues like diabetes, liver and kidney disease, parasites and general infections.
*Live Chat with a licensed veterinary professional is free for VCA clients through the myVCA™ mobile app, available at Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
