FAQ about Adopting a New Kitten

How old can kittens be when taken away from the mother?

At least 6 weeks old.  Mother cats naturally start weaning kittens at 4-6 weeks.

When do I need to make the first vet appointment?

The 1st vaccinations can be given at 6 weeks.  A comprehensive examination to ensure proper development as well as the leukemia/FIV test, deworming, and fecal testing can be performed prior.

What vaccines are needed and how much do they cost for a kitten?

At the first visit we recommend the following: testing for feline leukemia & FIV, a fecal test, deworming, and vaccines depending on the age. If the kitten is younger than 9 weeks it would only get the first FVRCP ("distemper"). If it is 9 weeks or older it can get FVRCP and leukemia. They have to have both of those boosted 3-4 weeks later. The rabies is given once they are 12 weeks old and requires only a one-time immunization. Depending on how old the kitten is at the time of the first FVRCP vaccine, boosters will be needed 2-3 times.

The cost of the first visit with all the testing ranges from about $170.00 to about $205.00

How often does the kitten (cat when it's older) need checkups?

We recommend every 6 months for young, healthy cats. On average they age about 4 years to our 1 so that's like you going to your doctor every 2 years.

How much is spaying/neutering?

A routine neuter ranges between $90.00 to $212.00 depending on how long it's been since we've seen the patient and if you elect pre-anesthetic lab work. A routine spay ranges between $190.00 and $312.00

What about declawing?

Declawing is controversial; kittens use their claws to learn how to manipulate the environment.  Frequently the climbing of curtains and people stops or decreases with age (as they learn to leap rather than climb with their hands and as they calm down).  Learning to trim nails as well as the use of scratching posts, Sticky Paws (double sided tape), and Soft Paws (plastic nail caps that you glue over the cat's nails) decreases furniture scratching.  The surgery involves removing the tip of the digit. It is the same as if you removed the tips of your fingers at the first knuckle. We do everything we can to keep the patients comfortable, but as with any surgery of that type there is some pain involved.  If you decide to proceed with declawing, it is best to do it with the spay or neuter to decrease anesthetic procedures.  The smaller and younger the kitty is, the better the recovery and healing.  We use a laser for the declaws. The laser cauterizes the surgical site, resulting in less bleeding and pain. They seem to recover much faster than with the "old-fashioned" method.  We take a lot of care with our surgeries to make sure we use the safest anesthetic protocols and to make sure the patients are as comfortable as possible. We use multiple methods of pain control, the patients are monitored by a technician and a machine that monitors heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation, and all surgeries except the neuter (because it's very quick) get IV fluids.

Neuter with declaw $335.00 to $457.00

Spay with declaw $405.00 to $527.00

Spays and declaws stay a night in the hospital which is included in the price.

What are the average vet costs for a cat, assuming there are no unusual problems?

A comprehensive examination to check for any problems should be performed every 6 months, with vaccines administered as indicated by the life style of the individual cat (contact with other cats, etc).  We also recommend keeping them on monthly heartworm prevention, as heartworms DO affect even indoor-only cats, and heartworms are not treatable in cats. Our favorite product for this is Revolution which runs about $89.00 for a 7 month supply (6 pack + 1 free dose). They should also get their teeth cleaned annually or every other year starting when they are 2 to 3 years old. A comprehensive oral exam and cleaning is about $220.00 to $343.00 depending on how long it's been since we've seen the patient and if you choose to do pre-anesthetic lab work.  You also need to factor in costs for food and cat litter.

How long must the kitten be on kitten chow before moving to adult food?

We suggest they transition to adult food when they are spayed or neutered or at about 6 months of age.

Is it preferred to give the cat food twice a day or just leave some in a bowl?

With some cats it's ok to just leave food out, but a lot of them tend to eat whatever is in front of them and in those cases you have to meal feed. They do prefer to eat frequent, small meals.  We prefer for kittens to get accustomed to a variety of textures and  flavors (canned and dry food) in case something specific is needed later in life.  Sometimes cats become used to the one or two types of food presented to them and then they won't eat anything else, even if it would be better for them.

We're glad that you are taking the time to be prepared and really think about your decision. Although pets can require time, effort, and money, they can be extremely rewarding and bring years of joy and companionship.