Kittens. Your kitten will need a special worming treatment suited to their age and weight. They should have their first treatment at 3 weeks old and after that, they should be wormed every two weeks until they are 16 weeks old.
Cats Protection advise neutering your cat at four months of age or younger. Find out more about kitten neutering in our guide or find a vet. Often, cats are neutered too late in life which unfortunately contributes to the number of unwanted cats in the UK.
In the UK, you can expect to pay anywhere between £20 and £30, depending on where you live. Speak to your local vet for details, or get in touch with your local rescue centre or cat charity. Often, charities and reputable cat rescue organisations may be able to microchip your cat for a reduced rate.
Because of potential infection with diseases such as enteritis or cat flu, your kitten should not be allowed outside until at least a week after it has finished its first course of vaccinations at about 13-14 weeks old (depending on the vaccine). You could then let it explore outside if it is supervised.
Separating kittens from the queenIt's important to separate the kittens from the queen when they're ready. Don't separate them before they reach eight weeks of age, as they will still be learning from their mum.
We would recommend letting your kitten out with supervised access to the outside once they're about 4 months old, and have been neutered, had all their vaccinations, and are fully settled into your home.
Caring for your new kitten. A kitten should be fully vaccinated against both cat flu and enteritis before it leaves the breeder. GCCF recommends that no kitten should go to its new home until at least 13 weeks of age, and a week after its full course of primary vaccinations has been completed.
Cats can develop a number of illnesses if they don't have their shots, but feline leukemia is one of the worst. This illness is a top cause of feline death with a fatality rate of nearly 90%. Feline immunodeficiency virus, also known as cat AIDS, is a serious, lifelong illness transmitted by unvaccinated cats.
Spending time with healthy, fully vaccinated animals should be safe for your puppy or kitten. However, try to avoid exposing your pet to an unvaccinated animal, such as at the dog park.
Kittens can often be microchipped at their first vaccination appointment, at around 8 weeks of age. It is always ideal to make sure your cat is microchipped before letting them go outside for the first time in case they get lost.
Depending on where you live, the individual veterinarian's prices, and the type of vaccine, the cost of your new kitten's first vaccination may cost around $20-$45 per shot. Veterinarians will also want to perform a physical examination of your kitten before administering what shots your kitten needs.
Kitten vaccinations: $170-$200. Microchipping: $60.
Kittens need to be dewormed at two, four, six, and eight weeks. All cats and kittens that are old enough should take year-round monthly heartworm and flea preventative that also treats and controls hookworms and roundworms.
Your kitten is not fully vaccinated until they have received all of their injections, at about 12-16 weeks of age. Once they have received all of those initial vaccinations your kitten will be protected against the diseases covered by the vaccines.
Veterinarians recommend that all indoor cats should be given core vaccinations to keep them protected from a large range of extremely contagious diseases, so they are safe from illnesses if they escape from your house, go for a grooming or if they have to stay at a boarding facility, etc.
Booster vaccinations for adult catsYour cat will need to have regular booster jabs to make sure they stay fully protected throughout their life. Usually, boosters are needed once a year and most vet practices will send you a reminder if you've had jabs there before.
Do Indoor Cats need Flea Treatment? Yes! Although your cat may not leave the house, fleas could come in on the clothes and bags of other cat lovers, or on your own clothes if you visit a cat-owning friend and there happens to be a flea around.
As cats are at risk of reinfection, keeping up with a regular worming routine at least once every three months will help keep your indoor cat healthy and free of intestinal parasites — even if they spend their days indoors, asleep on your sofa.
