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Pre-Surgical Information
Spaying or neutering your pet is a big step! There is a lot to consider
when we are planning your pet’s surgery. Here is some information to help
you make wise decisions.
Click here . . .
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Special LibraryOur Special Library
is a collection of informative articles on a variety of health topics.
Click here . . .
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Discharge InstructionsClick here for
information on how to care for your pet at home.
Click here . . .
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Kitten Visit Two
Welcome back! This is your second visit to our clinic. Last time we
talked about infectious disease control, the importance
of parasite control, and we even discussed behavior a
little. This month we will continue by discussing some
other very important health concerns.
Diet and Nutrition
In the month that has passed since your last visit, you kitten has
grown like a weed. That kind of growth is amazing,
and it takes a lot of groceries to sustain such rapid
growth. Kittens have a very high protein requirement to
enable them to successfully build new muscle. Kittens
need at least 25% protein in their diet in order to
develop normally. That is a lot more than is found in
adult cat food. Kittens also need a well-balanced
vitamin and mineral source to grow a healthy skeleton to
hang all that new muscle on. The best vitamin and
mineral source is a well-researched kitten food, rather
than a pill. Kittens also need a lot of calories
to provide energy to bounce around and play. Fats and
carbohydrates, both important calorie sources, are an
important part of kitten feeds.
So which kitten food is best? There is no one
ultimate absolute best puppy food. Most kittens will do
well on a
famous-name kittenfood, such as Science Diet, Iam's, or
Purina. At Sunnyside Veterinary Clinic, we carry the
Science Diet product line, and so we are most familiar
with those feeds. We find them to be an excellent source
of nutrition for all kittens. No matter which
kitten food you end up using, it is important to keep
your kitten on it for at least the first year. After
that, your kitten needs to be switched to an adult cat
food.
As your kitten grows up, his or her nutritional
requirements will change. From one year of age
until seven or eight years, their nutritional needs can
best be met by feeding the right amount of a well-known
brand of commercial cat food. Science Diet, Iams,
Royal Canine, Eukanuba, and Purina are all good choices.
Avoid inexpensive brands. There is convincing and
credible research that shows that cats live longer when
fed these premium diets.
Like many people in America, obesity is quite common in
our dog population too. And as in people, more is
not better. Obesity, and even being just plain
overweight, can lead to problems with heart disease,
arthritis, and other conditions in dogs as well.
It is very important to make sure that your dog does not
gain excess weight. How do you tell if your cat is
overweight? Ask the veterinarian!
Dental Care
In some cats, dental care will be a major issue
throughout the cat's entire life. Cat's,
unlike dogs or humans, often do not have serious
problems with periodontal disease. This isn't to
say that cats don't have dental problems. They do.
They just get different kinds of dental diseases.
Cat's quite frequently get Resorptive Lesions in their
teeth. These cavity-like sores are very painful,
and cause a lot of misery for a lot of cats.
because they can't tell us how much they hurt, many cats
suffer years in silence.
Click here to go to a page about
Resorptive Lesions.
Tooth brushing doesn't really help much for most cats.
There are exceptions to this, of course. The best
thing you can do for your kitten is to look at the teeth
periodically and get used to what normal is. If
you notice changes, especially reddening of the gums
around the teeth, let us know.
Sit, Ubu, Sit. Oh, Wait, You're a Cat.........
Behavior problems are a leading cause of premature demise in cats.
Begin now to teach your kitten how to behave
appropriately. Housebreaking is an immediate concern,
but there are other things that it is desirable to have
your kitten learn now that will make your interactions
with him pleasant and enjoyable throughout his life.
Remember that a kitten's attention span is very short,
so patience and consistency are very important in
training. And yes, cats can be trained.
Cats are a lot more emotionally complex than dogs are.
They have lots of needs that might not be readily
apparent. The Ohio State University College of
Veterinary Medicine has an excellent website dealing
with the complexities of feline behavior. I
recommend that every new kitten owner spend some quality
time with this website. It will give you some
insights into such topics as litterbox management,
scratching posts, hiding places, etc.
Click here to go to
The Indoor Cat Initiative.
This concludes your Second Kitten Wellness Visit
e-handout. We look forward to seeing you again in
three to four weeks for your next visit.
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