A kitten’s first year involves much more than vaccines. Veterinary care tracks growth, body condition, heart and lungs, eyes, ears, mouth, skin, parasites, retrovirus risk, nutrition, behaviour, microchip status and spay/neuter planning. Several visits are usually needed because vaccination and parasite protocols unfold over time and maternal antibodies can affect early vaccine response. Quick answer…
Professional cat dental cleaning is a veterinary procedure used to examine and treat oral disease above and below the gum line. It is different from cosmetic tartar scraping. The 2025 FelineVMA oral-health guidelines emphasize comprehensive assessment, general anaesthesia, analgesia and appropriate dental imaging and treatment. FelineVMA specifically opposes anesthesia-free dentistry. Direct answer A complete feline…
A microchip gives a cat permanent identification, but it is not a GPS tracker. The small radio-frequency identification device stores a unique number that can be read by a compatible scanner. That number must connect to an up-to-date registry record for the chip to help reunite a lost cat with the correct caregiver. Direct answer…
Spaying and Neutering Cats: Timing, Benefits and Recovery Spaying and neutering are common surgical sterilisation procedures for cats not intended for breeding. Current feline-specific guidance supports completing sterilisation by about five months of age for many cats because sexual maturity can occur earlier than owners expect. The exact timing still belongs with the veterinarian, who…
Ear mites are tiny parasites that can live in a cat’s ear canal and cause itching and inflammation. They are especially common in kittens and cats from multi-animal environments, but dark debris or head shaking does not prove that mites are the cause. Ear infection, wax, blood and foreign material can look similar, so diagnosis…
Cats can develop heartworm after the bite of an infected mosquito. They are not simply small dogs: feline heartworm biology, clinical signs, testing and treatment differ substantially from canine disease. Cats often carry fewer adult worms, yet even immature or small infections can produce significant respiratory disease, and diagnosis can require several complementary tests. Direct…
“Worms” is not one diagnosis. Cats can acquire several intestinal parasites with different life cycles, exposure routes, testing methods and treatments. Roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms are among the important examples. A cat may have an intestinal parasite without visible worms in the stool, so prevention and faecal testing should be based on age, health, lifestyle…
Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that can attach to cats after outdoor exposure or be carried into a household by other animals. Distribution changes with geography and climate, so local risk can evolve over time. Regular coat checks and cat-specific preventive products are safer than waiting until a tick is noticed. Direct answer Check cats that…
The most common flea found on cats is the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. Adult fleas feed on the animal, but eggs, larvae and pupae develop largely in the environment. That is why treating only the fleas you can see may not quickly end a household infestation. Prevention must use products specifically appropriate for cats and…
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a retrovirus that affects cats and is most efficiently transmitted through deep bite wounds. A positive FIV status does not mean a cat is currently sick or will become ill immediately. Many infected cats can live for years with good quality of life when they receive appropriate preventive care, dental…
