• Pneumonitis
• Distemper vaccine
• Intestinal parasite screen
• Strategic de-worming (for intestinal parasites)

8 to 10 weeks

• Calcivirus
• Feline Leukemia Virus/FIV test
• Feline Leukemia vaccine (only for cats at high risk)
• Panleucopia
• Rhinotracheitis
• Distemper vaccine
• Intestinal parasite screen
• Strategic de-worming (for intestinal parasites)

12 to 14 weeks

• Calcivirus
• Feline Leukemia Virus
• Panleucopenia
• Rhinotracheitis
• Distemper vaccine

2 to 4 months

• Feline Lukemia Virus

One Year

• One-year Rabies vaccine
• Strategic de-worming (for intestinal parasites)
• Feline Leukemia vaccine (only for cats at high risk)
• Consult with your veterinarian to discuss your cat’s vaccination needs.

Some kittens dislike going to the vet … I know mine does. But it really should be vaccinated as it’s for their health.

Some steps you need to follow

1. Keep an eye out for fleas. Watch your cat if they show symptoms of having fleas such as becoming particularly itchy, or if you notice bites on human members in your household. To check for fleas, groom them over a sheet of white paper. Look for a few fleas caught in the comb’s teeth or flea dirt on the paper. Flea dirt is actually excrement of undigested cat blood, and appears black and comma shaped. If you place it on damp cotton wool, the flea dirt dissolves into bloody streaks. Many commercial products are available both to kill adult fleas and remove fleas from the environment. Ask your vet for specific recommendations.

2. Prevent hairballs by grooming your cat to remove excess hair. Hairballs are formed either at the back of the throat or in the small intestines. There are many products already on the market to prevent hairball build-up such as oils, treats, and diets. If your cat vomits frequently and the problem isn’t resolved with regular brushings, you should consult with the veterinarian to be certain that a more serious problem is not the cause.

3. Watch for symptoms of an overactive thyroid such as increased appetite or thirst, unexplained weight loss (particularly muscle mass), nervousness or irritability, frequent vomiting, lethargy and weakness, diarrhea, or a coat that looks ungroomed. An overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, is a condition where the thyroid gland becomes enlarged and produces excess amount of thyroid hormone. The condition is often provoked by a benign tumor on one or both lobes of the thyroid gland. The good news is that thyroid tumors have only a 2-5% chance of malignancy. A cat with the condition may not present every symptom, but the presence of two or more should prompt a visit to the veterinarian’s office.

4. Know the symptoms of feline diabetes, which include vomiting, dehydration, weakness and loss of appetite, increased thirst and urination, weight loss, breathing abnormalities, and an unkempt-looking coat. Feline diabetes can affect cats of any age, but is most common in older, obese cats—-typically males. If your cat has any or several of these symptoms, take him to the vet. The vet will test for blood sugar levels and sugar levels in the urine.

5. Be mindful of your cat’s litter box habits. If your cat starts meowing a lot and jumping in the sinks or bathtubs or has any other unusual behavior, be sure to have them checked by a vet. Inappropriate or difficult and frequent urination, appetite loss, listlessness, blood in the urine, or frequent licking of the genitals may indicate feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). This is a painful inflammation of the lower urinary tract that has the potential to be fatal very quickly (sometimes within 24 hours). Feline lower urinary tract disease has a number of causes, from decreased water intake and urine retention to viruses, bacteria, or diet. (Diet is especially important to male cats who have been neutered as some dry foods are prone to cause urinary infections). As with any serious condition that could threaten your cat’s life, if you see these symptoms, call or take it to the vet immediately. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

6. Watch for excessive discharge at the eyes and nose. If your cat constantly appears to be ‘crying’, s/he may have an allergy or sinus infection. This can also be a symptom of the onset of kidney failure, along with excessive drinking/urination, lethargy, and a lackluster coat. Have your cat checked by a veterinarian if s/he exhibits these symptoms. Kidney failure can be fatal and is common in older cats.

Tips

Watch your cat carefully for any change in their normal activities. Sometimes unusual changes are just normal, especially if they have been frightened or had their food or litter changed to a different brand. If in doubt, have them checked out by the vet. Waiting more than three days can be dangerous.

When brushing your cat, take a moment to feel along the limbs for any unusual lumps or bumps. These may be developing cancerous tumors and need to be checked out by your vet.

Warnings

The most common flea, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) may carry the Dipylidium caninum tapeworm larvae. If cats eat fleas during grooming, they may become infested with these tapeworms. Fleas also could transmit other infectious agents. If kittens are exposed to fleas, they may become anemic. Cats can also develop an allergy to flea bites, resulting in excessive scratching or possibly skin disease. Finally, humans are also susceptible to itchy flea bites, usually on the ankles.

If your cat does not eat/drink anything for 2 days, bring them to the vet immediately for an examination.

The most common symptoms of vitamin and mineral deficiencies in cats are lethargy and apathy. If your cat is unusually tired and loses interest in exercise and regular daily activities, this could be a sign that your pet is unhealthy, possibly undernourished.

Cat Bed

You have your own bed … comfortable and warm. A cat needs a bed to … why shouldn’t it have a place or it’s own ? As you love sleeping in your bed so does your cat.
Imagine changing your bed everytime you go to sleep … that would be a pain cause nobody sleeps better than in his own bed. Here’s an interesting cat bed you can buy.

Toys

Everybody loves toys, you loved your toys as a child and cats love playing. Playing cats stimulate their minds and help keep them active throughout the day.
You can either make your own toys or buy some. A large variety or toys exist, from balls, bells, mice or something attached to a string. Cats will play with anything that moves and catches their attention. They will play with a sock to … and they love it. Hopefully … that sock is clean …

Litter Tray

Imagine yourself without a bathroom … would you make your needs with somebody else watching you ? NO
This is why a cats needs a litter box … and it’s best to put it in a place you can’t see it. Make sure the cat knows where it is

Comb and brush

It’s very important to comb your cat especially it it has long hair.
Regular grooming is important to prevent the fur from becoming tangled and to make sure your kitty looks great! Some cats do not require constant grooming, it all depends on the type of fur they have. It is best to keep a comb or brush handy in case the kitten gets something stuck in its fur or rolls in something! Regular stroking will help remove dirt and dead hair.
Don’t worry cats care also on how they look … so they will groom to.

Medications & Healthcare

If your kitten is a pedigree and you have bought him/her from a trusted breeder, the kitten should have already been vaccinated. If you are unsure ask the breeder for the vaccination records. Kittens are vaccinated against flu, Enteritis and Leukaemia virus, vaccinations should be repeated at 9 and 11 weeks then annually. If your kitten is non-pedigree you may have to arrange the initial vaccinations with a vet yourself, your kitten should not be let outside until he/she had had the vaccinations. Ask your vet about worming as well, they will be able to recommend the best products for your kitten. Taking care of this stuff while your cat is still young will minimize the chances of your cat suffering from cat arthritis when it’s old.

Your cat will take care of grooming himself. However, you can give him some help, especially if he is a long haired breed. Brush him daily to avoid painful mats, and you may even consider bathing him occasionally. This will not only provide an extra boost of cleanliness; it will provide good quality time with your pet and will also help reduce annoying hairballs.
So … we searched for a veterinarian on the internet.
What amazed me was that Spock.com – A Great Place for Search is not the usual search engine.

What is Spock?

Spock is a free people and information search engine. People can be searched by name or by a “tag” consisting of a personal piece of information (e.g. Real Estate Agent, blind, curly hair, etc). These tags can be created by the person, or by other Spock members. Opinions can be voiced about a person by voting for or against a tag (this includes pictures as well). Although we’re not a social network we do have some capabilities such as messaging. Within a search result are links to a person’s other locations on the web (e.g. MySpace, Wikipedia, LinkedIn, blog, etc). People can be searched by name or by a “tag” consisting of a personal piece of information.
I also found people that love animals.

I’m glad I visited my old friend, learned 2 great things:
If a cat doesn’t groom itself it probably is sick and a great new piece of the internet Spock.