What should I ask my veterinarian at my kitten's first appointment?

Usually, we'd like to talk about a vaccine schedule, a new diet, what they should be feeding, how often they should be feeding, flea and tick preventatives, deworming, and I'm always making sure you guys are bringing in a new fecal sample to ensure there are no parasites.

Dr. Jennifer Osborne
Newport Harbor Animal Hospital

How often does my kitten need to go to the veterinarian?

We usually start seeing brand-new kittens around eight weeks old. Then we see them every three weeks until they're 16 weeks old. After that, we have you guys return to get them spayed or neutered. Then we see you guys annually as long as there are no sicknesses.

What vaccines does my kitten need?

Depending on the lifestyle, we only recommend FVRCP and rabies for indoor-only kittens. If you have an outdoor kitty cat, we recommend adding a FELV shot.

Does my kitten need vaccinations even if I keep them inside?

Definitely, FVRCP and rabies are highly recommended for those babies.

What kind of preventative care does my kitten need?

That definitely depends on lifestyle, but we always recommend flea and tick, intestinal parasite, and heartworm prevention for any lifestyle. Another preventative care would be other fecal tests to make sure we're not acquiring parasites on the way. Spaying or neutering is very important to prevent mammary cancer, unwanted male spraying, and all those things.

When should I get my kitten spayed or neutered?

It depends on the breed and lifestyle of your kitten. Your veterinarian would be the best to ask when you bring them in for your first kitten exam, and we can get that scheduled.

If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (949) 612-2756, you can email us, or you can reach out on social media. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can.