Cats

Why is vaccination important

Vaccination is vital in protecting your pet from key infectious diseases that cause pain, distress and can be life-threatening.

Annual preventative healthcare and vaccination appointments provide an opportunity for regular health checks for your pet and an understanding of their needs.

Vaccinations for cats and dogs usually consist of a primary course of two or three vaccinations to stimulate an immune response, followed by annual boosters to maintain immunity as the initial immune response gradually fades over time.

Vaccinations for cats

Cats can generally be vaccinated from eight or nine weeks of age, with a second vaccination given three to four weeks later.

Core cat vaccinations include feline herpesvirus, calicivirus and feline panleukopaenia virus – sometimes referred to as parvovirus – which causes feline infectious enteritis. We also recommend vaccinating most cats against the feline leukaemia virus, which suppresses the immune system and is potentially fatal.

Adult cats should receive annual booster vaccinations to maintain immunity – particularly if they are going to be spending time in catteries or going outside.

It is important to keep your cat’s vaccinations up to date, as overdue booster injections allow for a decrease in immunity and may mean that your cat needs to restart their primary vaccination course to be adequately protected.

What is microchipping?

Microchipping is a safe and permanent way of identifying your pet and is the best way to ensure that they can be returned to you if they are lost or stolen.

Many pets can be microchipped, including dogs, cats, rabbits and a variety of other species.

From 10th June 2024 it will also be a legal requirement in cats, with a failure to do so by the time they reach the age of 20 weeks punishable by a fine of up to £500

While collars and tags can be lost or removed, microchips are a more reliable and permanent form of identification.

However, they will only work if you keep your contact details, such as your address and phone number, updated and accurate.

What does the process involve?

Having your pet microchipped is both quick and safe.

The microchip is implanted beneath the skin of your pet, commonly at the back of their neck, in a procedure that causes minimal discomfort. Microchipping is carried out by your vet or another trained member of the team.

The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and will last for the duration of your pet’s life. Once it is implanted it is painless and your pet will not know it is there.

We will help you to register the microchip with the correct database to ensure your contact details are linked to the chip number for future use.

It is really important that these details are kept up to date if your contact information changes – we will show you how to do this if necessary.

How does microchipping work?

If your pet is found by anyone, a professional such as a vet or a dog warden will scan the microchip and be given a 15-digit code.

This code can then be searched on the microchip database, who will run security checks before supplying your contact details so you can be notified.

Providing you have kept your contact details up to date, this will enable you to be reunited with your pet!

When it comes to fleas, worms and ticks, prevention is better than cure. Speak to our team so we can help you work out your pet’s individual needs.

Preventing fleas

Fleas are small, brown insects that feed on the blood of your pet.

They are picked up by contact with other animals or from visiting an environment where fleas are present.

While only the adult fleas are found on your pet, their eggs, pupae and larvae live in your house, for example on your pet’s bedding.

Therefore, if adult fleas are found, it is important to treat for all stages of the flea lifecycle to prevent re-infestation.

There are a variety of products available. Some just treat adult fleas while others also work against other stages of the lifecycle. Your practice team will be able to advise you on the most effective products for your pet’s specific situation.

Many owners think that fleas are just a summer problem when the temperatures are warmer. However, fleas can be a year-round problem and maintaining flea protection throughout the year is advised.

Fleas can cause itchiness and skin disease and, in severe cases in very small or young animals, can cause blood loss anaemia. Fleas can also transmit diseases and tapeworm.

Preventing ticks

Ticks are small, eight-legged oval-shaped insects which attach themselves to a host animal to feed on their blood. They are greyish-brown in colour and can sometimes be mistaken for a wart or skin tag.

They can be picked up by your pet when they are moving through undergrowth or long grass and will crawl into the haircoat and find a place to attach on the skin.

When feeding, the tick will embed its mouth parts into your pet’s skin. Careful removal is required as accidentally leaving the mouthparts behind may cause local irritation or infection. A tick removal tool can be used to assist with this.

Contact us if you require help removing a tick or if you need advice on preventative tick treatments.

Preventing worms

There are two common types of worm that can infect cats and dogs and live within their digestive tract – roundworms and tapeworms.

Puppies and kittens can be infected with roundworms at birth, so require frequent treatment in their first few months of life.

Adult cats and dogs may also pick up worms in their day-to-day life, so regular treatment is required also.

The frequency of this treatment will depend on your pet’s lifestyle.

For example, dogs in regular contact with young children should be wormed more frequently, as roundworms transmitted via infected dog poo may cause serious health issues such as blindness in people.

Similarly, cats who are regular hunters are likely to be exposed to higher burdens of worms and will need more frequent treatment.

Another parasite to be aware of is lungworm, which can cause coughing and in some cases, potentially life-threatening clotting problems.

Lungworm can be contracted from eating infected slugs and snails or from contact with their slime. Where needed, lungworm prevention can be incorporated into your pet’s usual preventative treatment plan and you should speak to the team about your pet’s individual level of risk.

Please speak to our vets or nurses if you would like advice on how often to worm your pet, and which product would be best for them.

What is neutering?

Neutering is a surgical procedure which takes away a pet’s ability to reproduce. It is known as spaying in females and castration in males.

Spaying, sometimes spelt speying, involves the removal of the ovaries and uterus (womb). Castration is the removal of the testes (testicles).

Neutering pets can be beneficial for their health and wellbeing, as well as preventing unplanned litters.

Neutering cats

As a pet owner deciding to neuter your kitten is one of the most responsible decisions you can make.

Neutering prevents unwanted pregnancies but also has health and behavioural benefits.

Generally, kittens reach sexual maturity at around four months of age, so the safest option is to book them in to be neutered from four to six months of age. If they are not neutered, they can breed with other unneutered cats, including with their own relatives.

Castrating cats

Neutering male kittens will stop them from the smelly behaviour of spraying to mark their territory, and they will be less likely to fight with other male cats and thus reduce the risk of them catching the cat equivalent of HIV, which is spread by cat bites.

Neutered male cats also tend to stay nearer to home and are less likely to travel looking for female cats or get run over.

Spaying cats

Unneutered female kittens come into season every three weeks during their sexually active times of the year, and this will attract the attention of unneutered males who will fight, spray and vocalise.

Spaying a cat greatly reduces the chance of them getting the life-threatening womb infection called pyometra and reduces the chance of mammary tumours.

Why is dental care so important?

Dental disease is commonly seen in dogs, cats, rabbits and other species.

When your pets visit us we will routinely undergo a full clinical examination, which includes looking inside their mouths and at their teeth.

This is often when dental disease is discovered.

Pets often do not express pain in the way we expect them to and therefore dental disease often goes undetected at home and may be present for some time before it is discovered.

Some cats and dogs with dental pain may be quiet or irritable, rub or paw at their mouths, cease to groom themselves, avoid chewing hard foods or selectively eat on one side of their mouth.

You should always contact your vet for advice if you notice any changes that are not normal for your pet.

How do I find out if my pet has a dental problem?

If you have noticed any changes in your pet’s health or believe they are unwell, please book in for an appointment.

Annual vaccination appointments include a full health check and offer a great opportunity to have your pet’s mouth and teeth checked so that any signs of dental disease can be caught early.

What sort of dental problems can my pet get?

Below is a list of some of the common dental problems we encounter:

• Plaque is a bacteria-rich film which is tightly adherent to the teeth but can be removed by brushing. Plaque which is not removed, with time, will mineralise and become a hard discoloured material known as calculus, which can only be removed by scaling with a dental scaler.
• Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums, caused by infection or irritation. The source of the infection is typically plaque or calculus. Gingivitis can cause the gumline to become red, swollen or bleed easily.
• Gingivitis can lead to infection, known as periodontal disease. The further the infection tracks the more damage is done to the periodontal ligament. Deep pockets of infection form under the gum line and the tooth root attachment becomes weakened until eventually the tooth itself becomes loose.
• Tooth root abscesses can form as progression of periodontal disease, but also as a result of infections tracking down the inside of the tooth – for instance if the crown of the tooth has been damaged.
• Chipped, cracked or worn teeth are sadly not infrequent and can be caused by pets chewing on very hard objects.

In between check-ups, you can help to take care of your cat or dog’s oral health by brushing their teeth regularly with a pet safe toothpaste.

If you want to learn more about how to start brushing your pet’s teeth, are having problems  brushing or want any more information on how best to care for your pet’s dental health, please do contact a member of our team.

Key Points

• Poor nutrition may lead to health problems.
• Different life stages have different nutritional requirements.
• Always make fresh water available.

How important is proper nutrition?

The right diet is vital to keep your cat fit and healthy. Poor nutrition accounts for a remarkably high percentage of the health problems we see. These include vomiting, diarrhoea, flatulence, obesity, dental problems, growth deformities, heart, kidney and skin problems.

What type of diet should I feed?

• Home-made diets – Very rarely are these nutritionally balanced or complete. They are relatively difficult to prepare and expensive.
• Commercial Diets – These are convenient and unlikely to have deficiencies.

Is tinned or dry food better?

Dry food is more cost effective and helps to keep the teeth and gums healthy. Tinned food has a much higher water content which means that more is required to satisfy your pet’s appetite. However, some pets find tinned food much more palatable and easier to digest.

Which brand should I choose?

There are several good diets for kittens and is designed to provide the extra nutrients needed by growing kittens yet avoiding the excesses that often lead to obesity.

Growth stage

This is a diet for kittens and is designed to provide the extra nutrients needed by growing kittens yet avoiding the excesses that often lead to obesity.

Adult stage

Diets provide all the nutritional requirements of an adult pet while reducing the risk of obesity dental and kidney disease later on in life. They also come in an ‘Adult light’ formulation for obesity-prone individuals. Variations are also available for pets with sensitive skin or stomachs and for those prone to hairballs. For pets prone to dental problems there is an ‘Oral Care’ diet which uses unique fibre technology to ‘clean’ the teeth while eating equivalent to once weekly brushing.

Senior Stage

Diets are designed for pets over 8. They cater for the more relaxed lifestyle of the older pet helping them to remain in good shape while keeping the skin, coat and internal organs in good health.