We just got permission from our landlord to keep the kittens, so it looks like Liam Neeson and Parmasean are officially ours for good! I've never had cats before, so I'm reaching out to anyone reading this and asking for some advice.
First and foremost, I need to know what veterinary care they need, and what sort of vet schedule I should put them on. At 8 weeks, they were both fixed and dewormed, and had their first round of a combo vaccine. I know they'll need their rabies shot mid-july, but do they need a booster of the combo then, as well? Even though they were dewormed once, should I get a fecal done, just deworm them again, or is it safe to assume they are wormless? Is Revolution a good option for heartworm and flea prevention?
Second, how do you all feed your cats? Everywhere I'm reading online says wet food primarily, and I'm okay with that, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how much. Right now they are on half of a 5 oz can twice a day, with free choice dry food. Does that sound like I'm on the right path?
Scratcher-wise: cardboard or sisal? Vertical or horizonal... or both?
What type of litter do you prefer? We first used Fresh Step Extreme, and I really liked it, but it comes in bulky bags that are tough to work with. I'm trying Tidy Cats Small Spaces now, and I like the jug it comes in, but I'm not quite sold on the litter itself for scoopability yet.
Is a high-sided litter box okay, or should I get a covered one? Should I really have one for each of them, or will just one be okay for such a small apartment?
& finally... is there anything I should know NOW, before I'm fully submerged in a kitten-run life?
Congratulations! Cats are great!
ReplyDeleteI paid my way through my undergrad degree working as a vet tech in a small animal practice, so I will pass my learnings on to you.... ;)
Cats are pretty low maintenance. I would bring a stool sample (for a fecal) to their July appointment. They'll get a booster of the combo shot (I'm assuming it was distemper?) and their rabies vaccine. After that, they'll need another rabies next year, then they can go to a three year rotation for the rabies vaccine.
First question: Will they be indoor only kitties? No judgement here, my cat goes outside. I know many people don't think that's right, but it makes him happy. The vaccines are different for cats that go outside. Outdoor cats need a distemper and feline leukemia vaccine every year, because they come into contact with other cats. Indoor cats don't need a leukemia vaccine and can have a vaccine titer done instead of the distemper vaccine, as long as they had both doses as kittens. The rabies vaccine is a state mandated thing, so you can't just get a titer done. You can get the rabies vaccine done at your local animal shelter for much cheaper than a vet visit, though.
Revolution is a great product if the kitties will stay indoors. If not, you need to worry about ticks, too.
I don't feed my cats wet food. I've always been told it's just "cat candy" and it's not great for their teeth. A good quality dry food is fine.
I highly recommend "The World's Best Cat Litter". It's in a black and red bag and you can get it at Tractor Supply. I believe it's made of wheat, but whatever it is there is no smell and the cats like it. You should always have one more box than the number of cats you have, so that's three boxes for you. High sided boxes are nice, because cats will kick the litter out. Some cats don't like covered boxes. I find them hard to clean, too, but they are more aesthetic.
Enjoy your kitties!
Woo, thank you for the response! They are going to be indoor-only cats, so the information about Revolution/vaccine titers is really helpful, thanks.
DeleteI was under the impression that wet food is candy, like it is for dogs, but after reading up online it seems that the popular opinion has changed now to shift to wet food good dry food bad, so I guess I'll just keep reading and see how it goes.
I've heard great things about World's Best, I just wish it weren't so expensive!
Thanks again!