What initial health tests and care do 5-month-old stray kittens need?

Congratulations! What a beautiful kitten! Most vets start a vaccine series between 6-8 weeks of age, and will also deworm or check stool samples at the first visit. Following that, they typically need a visit/booster every 3-5 weeks until they are a few months old. The exact vaccines schedule will be individualized by your vet. They may also recommend parasite prevention or routine dewormers. Other things you can do at home include feeding a high quality kitten food, checking their urine and stool output and getting them used to being handled. Becoming well socialized is very important! Make sure they have plenty of vertical space like a cat tree, handle him gently and frequently - get him used to having his nail trims, etc. Don't let him bite you:) It looks like you are off to a great start!

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! I would recommend deworming the kittens and starting their first vaccinations (FeLV and FVRCP vaccinations). These vaccinations will need to be repeated two more times after the initial vaccine. These vaccinations will help develop immunity against Feline Leukemia, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia. I would also see if you can bring a fecal sample in for both of them to check for intestinal parasites. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At 13 weeks of age, Waffles will need her Feline Calicivirus-Panleukopenia-Feline Herpes Virus vaccine. She will need this vaccine 2 more times, each time given 3-4 weeks apart. I would also recommend she get her Feline Leukemia Vaccine at this time as well, especially if you plan on having her as an outdoor cat. She will need to receive a booster on this vaccine in 3-4 weeks. Depending on what state you live in, she may receive her Rabies vaccine now or when is 16 weeks old. There may be an associated county tag required to purchase. In addition, she will need a fecal test, Feline Leukemia/Feline Immunodeficiency virus testing (small sample of blood is taken) to ensure she is negative for these two viruses. She may need to be dewormed if she has not already. This is a tasty liquid that is given to kitties orally. I would also recommend you seek additional council from your primary care veterinarian. They will best be able to provide a tailored vaccine plan depending on Waffle's current and future life style.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Romeo is adorable! I like Purina, Hills, Iams/Eukanuba and Royal Canin pet foods. He should eat kitten food for the first year. The biting is normal kitten behavior and goes away with time. Just stop playing with him when he starts biting. As for the fleas, until he is 8 weeks or older, all you can do is bath him in Dawn and manually pick the fleas off. Once he is 8 weeks you can buy Frontline or Revolution to use topically for fleas. If you are seeing pieces of rice around his bottom that is likely tapeworm segments. Fleas are the intermediate host for tapeworm. When you go to the Vet bring a stool sample. Tell them about the tapeworms, he will need a specific dewormer for them. He will also be dewormed for round worms, be Feline Leukemia and FIV tested and receive his first FVRCP vaccine. He gets the FVRCP vaccine every 3-4 weeks until about 3-4 are given. The Rabies is given around 12-16 weeks. He can be neutered at 6 months. I hope this helps and I wish you and Romeo the best!

Congratulations on your new kitten! I would recommend taking Smokey for his first veterinary exam one day this week, if possible. At this visit, the vet will check his heart and lungs, palpate his belly, and make sure that he doesn't have any other problems like ear mites or fleas. A fecal exam for parasites, feline leukemia test, and first FVRCP vaccine for feline distemper and other common diseases should be done at this visit. After that, the FVRCP vaccine will need to be boostered every 3-4 weeks until Smokey is 16 weeks or older. He will also need his feline leukemia and rabies vaccines at that time, and can be neutered anytime after 16 weeks of age.

Congratulations on your new cat! The things you need to do are get all the vaccines (boosters included), a Feline Leukemia and FIV test, treatment for fleas and worms, and have his feces checked for parasites. Other potential actions are a microchip and a dental cleaning. Your veterinarian will do a physical exam and then let you know what else may need to be done. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

The first wellness check should be at the age of 6-8 weeks, coinciding with the first course of vaccination. The next wellness check should be at the age of around 13-16 weeks when he gets his rabies vaccine. After that I would have a wellness exam done every 6 month to a year. The best kitten food in my opinion would be canned kitten food from a reputable brand (not a store brand). I personally like Fancy Feast and kitten food from Hills and Iams.