Introductions

New Environment: A cat is naturally inclined to investigate new surroundings. It may be helpful to limit their area of exploration initially so that their natural tendencies don't create an unmanageable task. After confining the cat to one room for the first few days, slowly allow access to other areas of your home.

Other Cats: Most new kittens receive a hostile reception from existing household pets, especially other cats. The other cat usually sees no need for a new kitten in their household, and they worry about losing their place in the family if they perceive any favoritism toward the kitten. Therefore, the existing cat must not be forced to compete for food or attention. The new kitten should have its own food and dish, and it should not be allowed to eat from the other cat’s bowl. And although it is natural to spend extra time holding and cuddling the kitten, it's important not to neglect the existing cat. In fact, the introductions will go smoother if the existing cat is given extra attention too.

The introduction period usually lasts 1-2 weeks and has three possible outcomes:

1. The existing cat will remain hostile to the kitten. Fighting may occur occasionally, especially if both try to eat out of the same bowl at the same time. This is an unlikely occurrence if competition for food and affection are minimized during the first few weeks.

2. The existing cat will only tolerate the kitten. Hostility will cease, but the existing cat will act as if the kitten isn't there. This is more likely if the existing cat is very independent, has been an only cat for several years, or if marked competition occurred during the first few weeks. This relationship is likely to be permanent.

3. Bonding will occur between the existing cat and the kitten. They will play together, groom each other, and sleep near each other. This is more likely to occur if competition is minimized and if the existing cat has been lonely for companionship.

Play

Stimulating play is especially important during the kitten's first week in your home. Stalking and pouncing are typical kitten behaviors that play an important role in their muscular development. If given enough toys, your kitten is less likely to use you for these activities. The best kitten toys are lightweight and movable: wads of paper, small balls, and strings or ribbons. Remember, kittens should always be supervised when playing with strings or ribbons; don't let them swallow them! Any other toy that is small enough to be swallowed should also be avoided.

Discipline

Disciplining a young kitten should only be necessary if its behavior threatens people or property. Harsh punishments are unnecessary and should be avoided. Hand-clapping and the use of shaker-cans or horns are usually intimidating enough to inhibit undesirable behavior. However, remote punishment is preferred because it allows the kitten to associate punishment with the undesirable act and not with you. Remote punishment consists of using something that appears unconnected to you to stop the problem behavior. Examples include using spray bottles, throwing objects in the direction of the kitten to startle (but not hit) it, and making loud noises.

Vaccinations

There are many diseases that are fatal to cats. Fortunately, we have the ability to prevent many of these by using very effective vaccines. In order to be effective, these vaccines must be given as a series of injections, ideally at about 8, 11, and 14 weeks of age.

The routine vaccination schedule will protect your kitten from four diseases: distemper, two respiratory viruses, and rabies. The rabies vaccine is given at 16 weeks of age. If your cat does or will go outside, or if you have another cat that goes in and out, a leukemia vaccine with a subsequent booster 3 weeks later is necessary since this deadly disease is transmitted by contact with other cats, especially when fighting occurs. A vaccine is also available for protection against feline infectious peritonitis (FIP); this vaccine is not necessary for all cats and is only recommended in certain situations.

Why Vaccinate?

When the kitten nurses, it receives temporary immunity through its mother's milk. This immunity is in the form of proteins called antibodies. For about 24-48 hours after birth, the kitten's intestine allows absorption of these antibodies directly into the bloodstream. This immunity covers the first few weeks of the kitten's life, but it eventually fails and the kitten must be able to make its own long-lasting immunity. Vaccinations enable the kitten's body to do this. However, as long as the mother's antibodies are present, vaccinations will not "take." The mother's antibodies will neutralize the vaccine so it does not get a chance to stimulate the kitten's immune system.

Many factors determine when the kitten will be able to respond to the vaccines. These include the level of immunity in the mother cat, how much of the antibody has been absorbed, and the number of vaccines given the kitten. Since we do not know when an individual kitten will lose the short-term immunity, we give a series of vaccinations. We hope that at least two of these will fall in the window of time when the kitten has lost the immunity from its mother but has not yet been exposed to disease. A single vaccination, even if effective, is not likely to stimulate the essential long-term immunity.

The rabies vaccine is an exception to this, since one injection given at the proper time is enough to produce long-term immunity.

To receive e-mail reminders when your kitten or cat is due for its annual exam, vaccinations, etc., please send us your address.

Intestinal Parasites (Worms)

Intestinal parasites are common in kittens. Kittens can become infected with parasites almost as soon as they are born. In fact, the major source of roundworm infection in kittens is their mother's milk. The microscopic examination of a stool sample will usually help us detect the presence of intestinal parasites. We recommend this exam for all kittens. If you are unable to get a stool sample in time for your visit, please bring one at your earliest convenience. Even without the sample, we will recommend the use of a deworming product that is safe and effective against the most common types of worms. These products are given at the first visit and repeated in approximately 3-4 weeks, as they only kill adult worms. Within the 3-4 week period, larval-stage worms will have become adults requiring re-treatment

Cats remain susceptible to reinfection with hookworms and roundworms throughout their life. Periodic deworming may be recommended for cats that go outdoors.

Tapeworms are the most common intestinal parasites of cats. Kittens become infected when they swallow fleas; the eggs of the tapeworm live inside the flea. When the cat chews or licks its skin as a flea bites, it may accidentally swallow the flea. As the flea is digested within their intestine, the tapeworm hatches and anchors itself to the intestinal lining. Therefore, each exposure to fleas can result in a new infection - even in as little as two weeks.

Cats infected with tapeworms will pass small segments of the worms in their stool. The segments are white and look like grains of rice. They are about 1/8" long and may be seen crawling on the surface of the stool. They may also stick to the hair under the tail. If that occurs, they will dry out, shrink to about half their size, and become golden in color (looking like a grain of white rice). However, the segments do not pass every day or in every stool sample; therefore, inspection of several consecutive bowel movements may be needed to detect them. If you find them at any time, please notify us and bring a stool sample so we may prescribe the appropriate drug for treatment.

Diet

Diet is extremely important as your kitten grows, and there are two important criteria to search for when selecting a food:

Look for a NAME-BRAND food made by a national cat food company - not a generic or local brand, and

A formula that is MADE FOR KITTENS. This formula should be fed until your kitten is about 6 months of age.

We highly recommend food with the AAFCO certification. Usually, you can find this classification very easily on the label. AAFCO is an organization that oversees the entire pet food industry. It does not endorse any particular food, but will certify food that has met the minimum requirements for nutrition. Most commercial pet foods will have the AAFCO label. Generic brands often do not.

Feeding a dry, canned, or semi-moist form of cat food is acceptable. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Dry food is definitely the least expensive. It can be left in the cat's bowl at all times. If given the choice, the average cat will eat a mouthful of food about 12-20 times per day. The good brands of dry food are just as nutritious as the other forms. As a rule, most veterinarians will recommend dry food for your kitten.

Semi-moist and canned foods are also acceptable, and often more appealing to the cat's taste. However, both are considerably more expensive than dry food, but not more nutritious. In fact, most are high in sugar. Plus, favoring taste over nutrition creates a cat with a finicky appetite.

Table foods are preferred but not recommended. If you choose to give your kitten table food, be sure that at least 90% of its diet comes from a quality commercial kitten food.

We enjoy variety in our diet. Most cats, however, actually prefer not to change from one food to another unless they are trained to do so by the way you feed them. Do not feel guilty if your cat is happy to just eat one food day after day, week after week.

Commercials for cat food can be very misleading. If you watch carefully, you will notice that many promote their food on one basis: TASTE. Nutrition is rarely mentioned. Most of the "gourmet" foods are marketed to appeal to owners who want the best for their cats. But these foods do not offer any nutritional advantage over a good quality dry food, and they are far more expensive. If your cat eats a gourmet food for a long period of time, it probably will not be satisfied with any other foods. If it needs a special diet due to a health problem later in life, it is very unlikely to accept it. Therefore, we do not encourage feeding gourmet cat foods.

Socialization

The Socialization Period for cats is between 2 and 12 weeks of age. During that time, the kitten is very impressionable to social influences. If it has good experiences with men, women, children, dogs, other cats, etc., it is likely to accept them throughout life. If the experiences are absent or unpleasant, it may become apprehensive or adverse to them. Therefore, during the period of socialization, we encourage you to expose your cat to as many types of social events and influences as possible.

The Litter Box

The #1 behavioral issue with cats is inappropriate urination (outside the litter box). There are several possible causes for this frustrating problem, many of which are related to the litter box itself. The following suggestions regarding boxes, litter, and location may help you avoid problems:

Choose a litter box that is large enough for your cat to fit in and turn around in comfortably. An 18" X 14" box with 4" high sides is appropriate for most adult cats. Kittens may need a box with shorter sides so they can get in and out easily. Dog litter boxes have a lower lip on one side that makes it easier for geriatric cats to get in and out.

We do not recommend covered litter boxes. Although litter boxes with hoods are more private and better contain the litter, they also trap odors inside. Cats are so fastidious that these odors may make them seek other places to urinate. Many cats exhibiting inappropriate urination will return to their litter boxes once the lid has been removed.

The three types of litter are clay, clumping, and organic:

Clay litter absorbs 75-100% of its weight in moisture. This is good, but not adequate to keep urine from being absorbed throughout a widespread area of litter. Solid matter and wet litter should be removed 1-2 times per day, and the entire litter box should be changed weekly. Clay litter is also quite dusty. Cats with allergies can have increased problems when breathing the litter dust.

Clumping litter is also called scoopable litter. It absorbs urine and swells to about 15 times its original volume. Therefore, you need only to remove the litter clumps; you do not need to change the entire contents of the litter box. It tends to control urine and stool odors better than clay litter.

Organic litters are made of alfalfa, newspaper, peanut hulls, corn cobs, or recycled, biodegradable materials. They appeal to many cats.

Some litters contain scented or odor-controlling additives. While some cats may tolerate them, others find them objectionable. To minimize the chances of inappropriate urination, it is better to avoid scented litters.

Fecal matter and wet litter need to be removed once daily from each litter box. Even with clumping litter, it is necessary to dump and scrub out the litter box at least once per month to remove odors that may have collected in the box itself. Use warm, soapy water and avoid scented disinfectants.

The location of the litter box is important. It should be on an easily-cleaned surface as some cats don't always aim well. Litter is also scratched or tracked out of the litter box frequently. It is very important that the litter box be placed in a quiet, non-threatening location. Cats need their privacy and will avoid a litter box that is in a high-traffic area or accessible to dogs.

Flea Control

Fleas do not stay on your kitten all of the time. Occasionally, they will jump off and seek another host. Therefore, it is important to kill fleas on your new kitten before they can become established in your home. Many of the flea control products that are safe on adult cats are not safe for kittens less than 4 months old. Be sure that any flea product you use is labeled as safe for kittens. Even flea shampoos and sprays that are labeled for kittens can make them a little sick, so use them sparingly or call Valley View first.

There are two products that are used once a month to prevent and kill adult fleas: Frontline Top Spot and Revolution. These liquids that are applied to the skin at the base of the neck are very effective and easy to use.

Trimming Toenails

Kittens have very sharp toenails. They can be trimmed with your regular fingernail clippers or with nail trimmers made especially for dogs and cats. If you cut too much off the nail, you will get into the quick and cause bleeding and pain. If this occurs, neither you nor your cat will want to go through this again. The following guidelines may be helpful:

	If your cat has clear or white nails, you can see the pink of the quick through the nail. Avoid the pink area, and you should be avoiding the quick.
	If your cat has black nails, you will not be able to see the quick. Cut 1/32" of the nail at a time until the cat seems to be getting sensitive. The sensitivity will usually occur before you are into the blood vessel. With black nails, it is likely that you will get too close on at least one nail.
	If your cat has some clear and some black nails, use the average clear nail as a guide for cutting the black ones.
	When cutting nails, use sharp trimmers. Dull trimmers tend to crush the nail and cause pain even if you are not in the quick.
	You should always have styptic powder available. This is sold in pet stores under several trade names, but will be labeled for use in trimming nails.

Ear Mites

Ear mites are tiny insect-like parasites that live in the ear canal of cats (and dogs). The most common sign of an ear mite infection is scratching. The ears may appear dirty with black material that is sometimes shaken out. The instrument we use for examining the ear canals, an otoscope, has the necessary magnification to allow us to see the mites. Sometimes, we can also find them by taking a small amount of the black material from the ear canal and examining it under a microscope. Although they may leave the ear canals for short periods of time, ear mites spend the vast majority of their lives within the protection of the ear canal. Transmission generally requires direct ear-to-ear contact. Ear mites are common in litters of kittens if their mother had ear mites.

Heartworms

We are still learning about heartworms in cats. Recent studies have shown that heartworms in cats are more common than we previously thought and about 25% of cats with heartworms live strictly indoors.

Heartworms can be difficult to diagnose. Although we have newer and better tests than in the past, several different tests may be required for a confirmed diagnosis.

There is no good treatment for heartworms in cats. The drugs used for dogs are toxic to cats, so we try to stabilize the cat and let it outlive the heartworms. This takes about 2 years. However, heartworm-infected cats can be stable today and die suddenly tomorrow.

Heartworm prevention is nontoxic, inexpensive, and only needs to be given once a month. We recommend that you use heartworm prevention if your cat goes outside at all. The monthly chewable tablet, Interceptor, and the monthly topical product, Revolution, are easy protection against a disastrous disease.

Spaying Female Cats

Spaying removes the uterus and ovaries, thereby preventing heat periods from occurring in your female cat - and unplanned litters. Without it, despite of your best efforts, she may become pregnant.

Spaying offers several advantages. The female's heat periods consist of 2-3 weeks of obnoxious behavior every 2-3 weeks until she is bred. This behavior is especially annoying if your cat lives indoors, as male cats can be attracted to her from blocks away.

Also, as a female dog gets older, there is a significant chance of breast cancer or uterine infections if she has not been spayed. Spaying before she has any heat periods will virtually eliminate these risks. There is mounting evidence to believe that this is also true of cats. If you do not plan to breed your cat, we strongly recommend that she be spayed before her first heat period. This can be done anytime after she is 5 months old.

Neutering Male Cats

Neutering is the surgical removal of both testicles. It offers several important advantages:

Male cats go through a significant personality change when they mature. They become very possessive of their territory and mark it with their urine to ward off other cats.

Tomcat urine has a very strong odor that is almost impossible to remove from your house.

Male cats also try to constantly enlarge their territory, which means one fight after another. Fighting results in severe infections, abscesses, and angry neighbors.

We strongly urge you to have your male cat neutered between 6 and 9 months of age. If he should begin to spray his urine before that time, he should be neutered immediately. The longer he sprays or fights, the more ingrained the behavior and less likely neutering will resolve it.

Breeding Cats

If you plan to breed your cat, she should have at least one or two heat periods before becoming pregnant. This allows her to physically mature so she can be a better mother, and her pregnancy will be less of a physical strain on her system. We do not recommend breeding after 5 years of age unless she has been bred prior to that. Having her first litter after 5 years of age is more physically draining and increases the chances of problems during the pregnancy and/or delivery. Once your cat has had her last litter, she should be spayed to prevent the problems experienced by older non-spayed cats.

Neutralizing Destructive Clawing Behavior

There are four options to consider: regular nail clipping, nail shields, surgical declawing, or tendonectomy.

1. The nails may be clipped according to the instructions above, but they will regrow and become sharp again in about 4-7 days. Therefore, to protect your property, it will be necessary to clip them 1-2 times per week.

2. There are commercially-available products called nail caps; the most common are called Soft Paws. They're generally made of smooth plastic that attaches to the end of the nail with a special glue. The nails are still present, but the caps prevent them from being destructive. After 2-4 weeks, the nails grow enough that the caps will be shed. At that time, you will need to replace them.

3. Surgical declawing is the removal of the nail at its base while the cat is under general anesthesia. There is post-surgical discomfort, especially when the procedure is performed on a cat over 9 months of age, but this can be limited with postoperative pain medications. Often, a declawed cat will not realize the claws are gone and will continue to "sharpen" them as normal without inflicting damage to your furniture. This surgery can be done as early as 12 weeks of age or anytime thereafter. It can also be done at the same time as spaying or neutering. Once declawed, your cat should be kept exclusively indoors since its ability to defend itself has been compromised.

4. The tendonectomy is a procedure where the tendons that allow a cat to scratch are clipped and a small piece of the tendon removed. The procedure is less traumatic than a declaw, where the entire first digit of the toe and the claw are surgically removed. The disadvantage of the tendonectomy is that, since the claws are not removed, they must still be trimmed on a regular basis.

Pet Identification

The latest innovation in pet retrieval is microchipping. A tiny microchip is implanted in your pet with a needle; the process is much like getting a vaccine injection. Special scanners used by veterinarians, humane societies, and animal shelters across the country read the microchips and a national registry permits the return of microchipped pets throughout the United States and Canada. Valley View highly recommends this procedure for all dogs and outdoor cats.

Blood Typing

Blood typing is available for cats. This is important should your cat develop anemia (decreased numbers of red blood cells) due to disease or become anemic due to blood loss. It needs to be performed only once in your cat’s lifetime, but can save precious time in case of emergency.