Wellness Exams

Newborn kitten wellness 

Newborns should receive a physical examine within 24 hours of birth to check for congenital or other health issues that may require surgical intervention, or that might be incompatible with life.

   
Kitten wellness 

Most kittens receive protective antibodies from the queen’s colostrum, but that protection begins to wane as early as six weeks of age, and is completely lost by twenty weeks, as the kitten's own immune system develops and takes over immune functions. Orphaned or abandoned kittens may have never received maternal antibodies. Vaccinations to maintain or confer that protection should be given at six to eight weeks, and repeated every four weeks up to sixteen weeks of age, so the kitten can start to build its own immunity against the most common and deadly cat diseases. Kittens are also eligible for rabies and FeLV vaccination at sixteen weeks, but I prefer to space out vaccinations to avoid creating an unnecessarily overwhelming immune response within the kitten (or cat!) I only use non-adjuvanted, low volume, and when possible intranasal vaccines for this same reason. 

  
ZenCat kitten vaccine schedule (updated to reflect the 2020 recommendations of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and American Animal Hospital Association guidelines, which can be found here):         

• FVRCP (intranasal)
  • Protects against these feline diseases:
    • Feline viral rhinotracheitis or feline herpes virus
    • Calici virus
    • Panleukopenia  
  • Intranasal is effective with just one dose given at 12 weeks; booster at 15 months
  • If circumstances warrant it (such as a lack of maternal antibodies), it may be given every 4 weeks from the ages of 6 weeks to 20 weeks; booster 12 months after last dose
• Rabies (non-adjuvanted, 0.5mL dose)
  • Protects against the always-fatal rabies virus
  • Given at 20 weeks; booster at 17 months     
• FeLV (non-adjuvanted, recombinant, 0.5mL dose)
  • This vaccine is now considered a core vaccine for kittens under one year. For adult cats, this vaccine is administered based on lifestyle only and is not considered a core vaccine; it is recommended for cats that are indoor-outdoor, outdoor-only, show cats, and cats that live in large groups, such as a cattery, rescue, or shelter
  • Given at 24, and 28 weeks
  • Booster at 18 months

Kitten wellness is also dependent on nutrition and water intake, so feeding the highest quality, balanced kitten food you can afford is the best insurance you have against your kitten developing allergies, bladder crystals, diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroid, and a host of other diseases we are starting to think are mostly related to kitties not getting enough hydration. ZenCat recommends a balanced, home-made raw diet as the best, most species-appropriate diet for cats. That said, we understand the convenience and cost-savings afforded by commercial diets, and can make recommendations for one to accommodate budget or lifestyle concerns. Wet cat food, be it raw, home-made, or canned, and plenty of access to water will keep your kitten on the path to wellness. We will discuss nutrition during your kitten’s wellness exam. 

  
The physical exam, which is the foundation of every wellness exam, allows me to examine your kitten’s body systems to the extent my senses will permit. I’ll be observing your kitten’s overall appearance and how s/he moves and interacts with the environment, examining your kitten’s coat and skin, looking into the eyes, ears, and mouth, checking claws, paw pads, and in-between toes, and palpating your kitten’s muscles, skeletal structure, and internal organs. I will discuss any significant findings from the physical exam with you.

   
Internal and external parasite control is also important for wellness, and prevention of zoonotic diseases associated with some parasites. A fresh fecal sample should be checked for eggs and worms – PCR testing for coccidia, giardia, and tritrichomonas is warranted if your kitten has diarrhea. Testing and deworming protocols will be discussed as part of your kitten’s wellness exam. 

  
Additional testing for feline leukemia (FeLV), feline immunosuppressive virus (FIV), Heartworm, and testing for genetic diseases is appropriate at this time. My recommendations for your kitten will be discussed during the wellness exam.

   
Behavior issues can be avoided if your kitten is provided with ample opportunities for accessing the litterbox, places to scratch, high and low hiding spots, and appropriate play interaction with you. We will discuss your kitten’s specific needs and recommendations during the wellness exam. 

Please ask us about spay and neuter services during your ZenCat visit, as well.

First I want to clarify that the Life Stage designations adopted here are based on the 2021 guidelines released by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and American Animal Hospital Association, which can be found here.  Why more kitties aren’t living into their twenties is a mystery, but we’re starting to realize that the convenience of dry kibble, excessive vaccination, and stress have been taking their toll on our beloved cats.  

So let’s start with vaccinations, and the elephant in the room: vaccine-associated sarcomas, or VAS. After the introduction of a vaccine for feline leukemia in the early 1990’s, kitties started showing up with these huge invasive tumors between their shoulder blades (which is where all vaccinations were given up until then.) So while the researchers tried to figure out what was causing the tumors, veterinarians started giving vaccines under the skin of the distal limbs—the idea being that if a tumor formed, it is easier to remove a limb (barbaric, I know.) In the years since, most of the evidence points to the adjuvants in vaccines as the inciting factor in VAS formation – adjuvants being basically irritants added to vaccine in order to increase a cat’s immune-response and make the vaccine more effective. Unfortunately, that increased immune response appears to be what was causing the tumors (though it is still possible that any injection of any substance at any site can cause formation of a tumor.) Unfortunately not all vaccines are non-adjuvanted, only the more expensive ones are, and that (or intranasal vaccine, which has no risk of tumor formation) is all I will ever give your cat. How often your cat needs to be vaccinated is still not known exactly – for the vaccine I use the recommendation is annual revaccination for core FVRCP vaccine after the first year, but titer testing (which gives us an idea of your cat’s current immunity) is available if you’d prefer to know whether or not your cat is still protected. There are now low-dose three-year vaccines available for rabies, but I will no longer administer any injectable FVRCP vaccine, due to its implication in causing chronic kidney disease in cats. 

The physical exam, which is the foundation of every wellness exam, allows me to examine your cat’s body systems to the extent my senses will permit. I’ll be observing your cat’s overall appearance and how s/he moves and interacts with the environment, examining your cat’s coat and skin, looking into the eyes, ears, and mouth, checking claws, paw pads, and in-between toes, and palpating your cat’s muscles, skeletal structure, lymph nodes, and internal organs. I will discuss any significant findings from the physical exam with you.  

At some point during this life stage, perhaps in conjunction with a scheduled teeth cleaning, or spay/neuter procedure, a complete blood count (CBC), chemistry panel, urinalysis, SDMA and CardioPet tests should be performed to screen for early disease processes and to get your cat’s baseline levels.  

Additional testing for feline leukemia (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), heartworm disease (HW), and internal parasites may be appropriate at this time. My recommendations for testing and treatments for your cat will be discussed during the wellness exam.   

Nutrition and water intake is the foundation of wellness at every age, so feeding the highest quality, balanced cat food you can afford is the best insurance you have against your cat developing allergies, bladder crystals, diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroid, and a host of other diseases we are starting to think are mostly related to kitties not getting enough hydration.  ZenCat recommends a balanced, home-made raw diet as the best, most species-appropriate diet for cats. That said, we understand the convenience and cost-savings afforded by commercial diets, and can make recommendations for one to accommodate budget or lifestyle concerns. Wet cat food, be it raw, home-made, or canned, and plenty of access to water will keep your kitten on the path to wellness. We will discuss nutrition during your kitten’s wellness exam.    

Behavior issues can be avoided (or corrected) if your cat is provided with ample opportunities for accessing the litterbox, places to scratch, high and low hiding spots, and appropriate play interaction with you. We will discuss your cat’s specific needs and recommendations during the wellness exam.   

First I want to clarify that the Life Stage designations adopted here are based on the 2021 guidelines released by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and American Animal Hospital Association, which can be found here.  Why more kitties aren’t living into their twenties is a mystery, but we’re starting to realize that the convenience of dry kibble, excessive vaccination, and stress have been taking their toll on our beloved cats. 

  
So let’s start with vaccinations, and the elephant in the room: vaccine-associated sarcomas, or VAS. After the introduction of a vaccine for feline leukemia in the early 1990’s, kitties started showing up with these huge invasive tumors between their shoulder blades (which is where all vaccinations were given up until then.) So while the researchers tried to figure out what was causing the tumors, veterinarians started giving vaccines under the skin of the distal limbs—the idea being that if a tumor formed, it is easier to remove a limb (barbaric, I know.) In the years since, most of the evidence points to the adjuvants in vaccines as the inciting factor in VAS formation – adjuvants being basically irritants added to vaccine in order to increase a cat’s immune-response and make the vaccine more effective. Unfortunately, that increased immune response appears to be what was causing the tumors (though it is still possible that any injection of any substance at any site can cause formation of a tumor.) Unfortunately not all vaccines are non-adjuvanted, only the more expensive ones are, and that (or intranasal vaccine) is all I will ever give your cat. How often your cat needs to be vaccinated is still not known exactly – for the vaccines I use the recommendation is annual revaccination for core vaccines after the first year, but titer testing (which gives us an idea of your cat’s current immunity) is available if you’d prefer to know whether or not your cat is still protected. There are now low-dose three-year vaccines available for rabies, but I will no longer administer any injectable FVRCP vaccine, due to its implication in causing chronic kidney disease in cats. I am currently recommending titer-testing every three years for my senior patients who are indoors-only. We will discuss your cat’s specific vaccination recommendations during the wellness exam.

The physical exam, which is the foundation of every wellness exam, allows me to examine your cat’s body systems to the extent my senses will permit. I’ll be observing your cat’s overall appearance and how s/he moves and interacts with the environment, examining your cat’s coat and skin, looking into the eyes, ears, and mouth, checking claws, paw pads, and in-between toes, and palpating your cat’s muscles, skeletal structure, lymph nodes, and internal organs. I will also be checking your cat's blood pressure, as hypertension is an underdiagnosed problem in cats. I will discuss any significant findings from the physical exam with you. 

This is the life stage where bi-annual screening for early disease processes becomes essential; your kitty is aging way faster than you, so even a bi-annual wellness exam and screening are the equivalent of you getting your annual physical every four or five years!  A complete blood count (CBC), chemistry panel, thyroid testing, SDMA (kidney) testing, NT-proBNP (heart) testing, and urinalysis should be performed bi-annually to give your cat the best chance at early intervention and disease prevention. 

Nutrition and water intake is the foundation of wellness at every age, so feeding the highest quality, balanced cat food you can afford is the best insurance you have against your cat developing allergies, bladder crystals, diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroid, and a host of other diseases we are starting to think are mostly related to kitties not getting enough hydration.  ZenCat recommends a balanced, home-made raw diet as the best, most species-appropriate diet for cats. That said, we understand the convenience and cost-savings afforded by commercial diets, and can make recommendations for one to accommodate budget or lifestyle concerns. Wet cat food, be it raw, home-made, or canned, and plenty of access to water will keep your kitten on the path to wellness. We will discuss nutrition during your kitten’s wellness exam.     

Behavior issues can be avoided (or corrected) if your cat is provided with ample opportunities for accessing the litterbox, places to scratch, high and low hiding spots, and appropriate play interaction with you. We will discuss your cat’s specific needs and recommendations during the wellness exam.