Veterinarian care, although it’s going to be the last topic we talk about, it’s definitely not the least important and if anything this is going to be one topic that you need to make sure you know without a doubt. Luckily for the average cat owner in the United States, Veterinarians/Pet Hospitals are plentiful usually no matter where you are located. My advice is that even before you bring your kitten home, please search for a good vet near you, the closer the better due to ease of transport and in case of emergencies. Most cats, if not kennel trained from a young age, will have a difficult time on car rides and simply getting inside their kennel. So as soon as you get your kitten home, try to make it a habit to simply put them in and out of their kennel, the goal is for them to be used to it so that by the time they need to make regular checkups to the vet, they won’t put up a fuss. You can even go as far as taking them on car rides, so that feeling becomes normal to them early on.

Please don’t put off taking your new kitten to the vet for their first checkup, most people may think, “but my kitten seems so healthy and active, is it really necessary?”. The short answer is yes. This is because there can be many things that can pop up from a first vet visit such as revealing underlying health issues that they may have had since birth, these can become serious quickly and you’d regret not sorting it all out when you had the chance. Besides, you’re going to eventually have to get their vaccinations and spay/neuter, so please take the time to confirm the health of your new kitten, trust me, you’d feel far more at ease by doing so.

It is very common for kittens to attract nasty critters such as fleas and worms early in age and into adulthood. It happened to my two kittens when I first got them and lasted with them for a few months, which was not fun for either me or them. This is why it’s so important to get them on the proper medication as soon as you can, ideally within the first week of adopting them. You’ll need them to be on flea medication monthly, and you have to keep it consistent with your vet as not doing so can lead to health problems down the road from getting off the medication. It may seem like you’re paying for nothing if your kitten has nothing, but it’s all preventative measures as ticks are more common than you think, and you definitely don’t want to have to deal with blood sucking bugs crawling on the kittens that you share a room with!

An important conversation to have with yourself very early on, whether it’s before adopting your kitten or within the first week of adopting your kitten, is that of pet insurance and whether or not you think it’s right for you. When it comes to cats, I think most don’t put as much emphasis on their health as, let’s say, dogs. Cats are very stoic creatures that don’t show that they’re in any discomfort or pain if they have an injury or health issue, not until it may be too late. This is simply how cats are, and it can make for very sudden emergencies to the vet, which is never good. This is where insurance comes in and can help with these potential sudden large costs; not only will it help with the annual checkup of your kitten, making sure they’re always in tip top shape, but also in very unexpected circumstances. I personally believe it’s well worth it, having that peace of mind that in case of anything, I’ll be able to be there for them no matter what the case. Plans can start as low as a couple hundred dollars, and can in return cover thousands of dollars of emergencies. The one thing you need to know is that if you’re planning on getting pet insurance, do not wait! The longer you wait, the more expensive it’ll become and fast. It’s ideal to enroll your kitten in pet insurance as early as possible, when their still babies basically.

Your kitten’s health is top priority, don’t take it lightly, put effort into making sure they’re as healthy as they can be and that they’re getting their appropriate vaccinations and medications when needed. Do this and your furry friend will be right by your side for decades to come!