Preventive Care for Your Kitten's First Year

By Carol Petit

Published: August 15, 2010

Thorough Preventative Care for your kitten's first year is one of the best ways to assure excellent health and a long life. At VCA Old Town we recommend the following as a schedule of care:

8-9 Weeks
Physical Exam
Fecal exam # 1(to check for internal parasites)
Deworming # 1 (for hookworms and roundworms)
Feline Leukemia & Immunodeficiency virus tests ( FeLV/FIV)
First vaccines: FVRCP, FELV
Discuss Heartworm disease and prevention, also flea and tick control
Begin Hearworm prevention (Revolution applied monthly)
Discuss pet health insurance

12 Weeks
Physical Exam
Fecal exam # 2
Deworming # 2
Vaccines: FVRCP booster, FeLV booster
Discuss home dental care

16 Weeks
Physical Exam
Fecal exam (as needed)
Deworming # 3
Vaccines: FVRCP (1 year), Rabies (1 year)
Discuss spay or neuter

6 Months
Pre-anesthetic blood test
Spay or neuter surgery
Microchip placement (permanent identification in case your cat is lost)

1 Year
Annual Physical Exam
Annual fecal test, wellness blood test
Vaccines: FVRCP (3 year), FeLV (1 year), Rabies (annual)
Nutrition and oral health review

Specialty Care

Sometimes sick or injured pets need the care of a veterinary medical specialist. When that happens, VCA specialty hospitals work closely with the general practitioner veterinarians who refer cases to us in order to provide seamless veterinary care to your pet. When your pet is facing any kind of serious illness or injury, our specialty referral hospitals will provide the compassionate and expert care your beloved pet needs.

Our goal is to make sure that when you and your pet are in need that you have access to board certified specialists who are up to date on the very latest developments in their field. In our state of the art hospitals, our specialists also have access to the most sophisticated diagnostic and treatment tools and techniques from ultrasonography and endoscopy to CAT scans and even MRI.

We have over 40 specialty hospitals across the US so there may be one near you. Our specialized services include: behavior, cardiology, critical care, dentistry, dermatology, integrative medicine, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, radiology, rehabilitation, reproduction, and surgery.

Emergency Care

In case of emergency, please call uss immediately. If it is after hours, please contact one of the following nearby emergency care clinics: