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KITTEN CARE

Congratulations on your new kitten!

All of us at Blue Ridge Animal Clinic are excited that you have a new kitten in your family. We look forward to partnering with you so that your kitten gets the best healthy start to life. Please bring your kitten in for a check-up as soon as possible to be sure your kitten is healthy. Establishing a relationship with a veterinarian at Blue Ridge Animal Clinic will ensure your kitten will be on the way to growing up healthy and strong.

Our veterinarians will discuss a schedule of vaccines that will best protect your new feline during the first few months of life, while his developing immune system leaves him or her most vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections. We are happy to address any questions or concerns you may have about diet and nutrition, normal behavior and development, socialization, and litter training.

Your first kitten visit at Blue Ridge Animal Clinic

Please bring your kitten in a cat carrier and any health documentation provided to you when you received your kitten. The health documentation should include a list of all vaccines, “deworming,” and other medications given to date. Please bring a fresh stool sample; the equivalent of 1 heaping teaspoon is a sufficient amount.

Your kitten’s first visit with us will include:

• A comprehensive physical exam
• Screening for viruses specific to felines, such as Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
• Intestinal parasite screening
• Intestinal parasite deworming if necessary
• Development of an immunization program based on your kitten’s current age and expected lifestyle
• Heartworm prevention recommendations
• Recommendations for controlling and preventing external parasites such as fleas if necessary
• Behavior recommendations
• Nutritional counseling

Watch Your Kitten’s Behavior Carefully!

Kittens are vulnerable and are prone to accidental injury. Please be alert to the following symptoms, which may be signs that your feline companion needs immediate care:

• Respiratory problems: persistent coughing, shortness of breath, labored breathing, shallow breathing, or excessively rapid or slow breathing
• Signs of pain: panting, labored breathing, increased body temperature, lethargy, hiding, restlessness, loss of appetite, reacting aggressively when touched or approached, crying
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• A wound or laceration that's open and bleeding
• Animal bites
• Allergic reactions, such as swelling around the face, hives, or severe itchiness
• An eye injury, no matter how mild
• Seizure, fainting, or collapse, difficulty standing or getting up, "blank stare", disorientation
• Exposure to extreme cold or heat
• Trauma such as getting hit by a vehicle or falling, even if your kitten does not appear to have been physically harmed
• Suspected poisoning, including ingestion of antifreeze, rodent or snail bait, or human medication
• Seizure, fainting, or collapse
• Any suspected poisoning, including ingestion of antifreeze, rodent or snail bait, or human medication