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Regular Check-Ups With Your Kitten

You should give your kitten regular checkups to make sure all is well. Get your kitten used to being handled; he should accept stroking and grooming, and a thorough once over as part of its daily routine. Once every week or so, take a good look at your kitten's eyes, ears, mouth, paws, nails, skin and coat. It is important to find problems early, before they become serious. If you notice anything unusual, be sure to consult your local veterinarian.

EYES

Check your kitten's eyes for

redness or inflammation,
a half closed lid,
excessive watering,
a yellow-green discharge or discoloration.

A kitten with an infected eye will rub it a lot. Should you notice any of the above conditions please contact your local veterinarian immediately; we do not recommend treating the eye unless it has been examined by a veterinarian. Cleaning around the eye with a cotton ball soaked in warm water is recommended.

EARS

Check ears for

discharge,
excessive wax build-up dark brown or black wax,
or an unpleasant odour.

Your kitten will scratch at its ears or shake its head frequently if its ears are dirty, infected or have ear mites. Healthy ears are pale pink, clean looking, and odour free.

A gentle cleaning periodically will help ears remain healthy. Moisten a cotton ball with either water or a veterinary ear cleaning solution. Clean only the reach external areas. DO NOT PROBE INTO THE EAR.

TEETH AND GUMS

At 4 to 6 months your kitten will lose its baby teeth and adult ones will come in. Examine the mouth for any

soreness,
discoloration,
broken or loose teeth
and inflamed or receding gums.

Pets, like people, need regular dental care. Dental disease is one of the most common health problems in pets, yet it can easily be prevented. Cats require frequent brushing and regular dental check-ups in order to prevent tartar, cavities, abscessed teeth and bad breath. It is important to start brushing your kitten's teeth early in life, so that it becomes accustomed to the procedure. Special animal toothpaste, toothbrushes and oral rinses are available at your pet supplies store. Do not use human toothpaste as they contain foaming agents, which may upset your kitten's stomach. If periodontal disease progresses far enough it could cause heart, liver or kidney disease.

NAILS

Kitten's nails can become very sharp. Therefore, to avoid any unwanted scratches or climbing, it is recommended that you clip your kitten's nails frequently.

Hold the paw firmly and clip a little at a time - don't try to take the whole tip off at once. Be careful not to cut into the "quick" - the sensitive flesh underneath the nail. Should you accidentally cut too far and bleeding occurs, use baby powder or flour to help stop the bleeding (it can take a while!). Don`t try and clip all the nails at one sitting - clip a few nails when your kitten is quiet to help accustom them to the procedure. If you have never trimmed a kitten's nails before, have your local veterinarian show you how. Pet nail clippers or human clippers are better to use than scissors.

Provide your kitten with a scratching post and every time he attempts to claw your furniture tell him "NO" and encourage him to use his post. Try toys and catnip spray to entice your kitten to use the post. A water spray bottle is a great tool to discourage your kitten from destroying your couch or drapes. A quick squirt when the inappropriate behaviour starts and then re-directing the kitten to its post will quickly teach him where scratching is and is not permitted.

BODY AND COAT

Watch for any changes in your kitten's skin and hair coat:

increased shedding,
dandruff,
raw areas,
dry,
itchy skin,
rashes,
lumps,
or anything unusual.

A healthy coat is a sign of a healthy pet. Regularly running your hand over the kitten's body is also a good way to determine if there are any lumps, swollen joints or painful areas. Should you notice any changes please contact your local vet.

Grooming should begin at an early age so that the kitten gets accustomed to the procedure. If your kitten gets dirty, wipe its fur with a wet cloth. NEVER use paint thinners or gasoline to remove paint, grease or tar from the hair of a cat because the agents will burn the cat's sensitive skin. To remove these materials, dissolve the grease or tar with vegetable oil and shampoo.