Cat Information

Biological Data

• Male: Tom
• Female: Queen
• Young: Kittens
• Sexual maturity: Female, first litter 6 to 8 months old
• Females are fertile from: 3.5 to 4 months
• Males are fertile from: 4 to 5 months
• Oestrus: Breeding from January/February to September/October
• Gestation: Average 63 days (can be as little as 56 days)
• Average litter: 4 to 6
• Kittens are born with their eyes closed. Eyes open around 10 days,weaning commences from about 21 days and are fully weaned at 6 to 8 weeks depending on breed and number in litter

Kittens

Buying your first Kitten.

Cats have a distinct seasonal breeding pattern and at certain times of the year there will be a surplus of kittens. Conversely, in the winter months you may find that none are available. When buying a kitten you must check their health and condition very carefully. Handle each one gently but firmly. The body should be firm and not bony. Kittens should be active. Place each one on a firm non slip surface and gently open the mouth by placing the finger and thumb of one hand on each side of the top jaw across the nose. Prise open the lower jaw with your other hand. In this way you can examine the teeth and gums, check that the gums are pink and healthy and there is no deformity of the jaw.

Kittens should not be offered for sale until they are fully weaned. This is stipulated in the Pet Animals Act. No definite age is given but in general, kittens are weaned between the sixth and eighth week. The time can vary according to the breed, the number in the litter and the age and condition of the mother cat.

A good guide is the presence of a complete set of milk teeth. If the teeth are just emerging the kittens are too young and should remain longer with the mother.Check that the nostrils are free from any discharge and that the eyes are clear without undue wetness. Any sign of pus indicates an eye infection. Look in the ears for any sign of a brownish crust, redness, hair loss or scratch marks. All these can indicate the presence of ear mites.

Examine the coat for any evidence of fleas or lice. There should be no scaly or bare patches as even very young kittens should have a smooth coat. Kittens are very quickly toilet trained and a litter tray with sides which are not too deep should be provided. This must be kept clean and the solid matter removed immediately. It should be changed completely and disinfected at least every 24 hours. Finally the kitten should be sexed. This can sometimes prove to be difficult in very small kittens and most vets at some time have been asked to 'spay' a female cat which is actually a male. In the female the vulva (the passage to the reproductive organs) appears as a slit almost directly below the anus. In the male the undeveloped scrotum shows as a slightly raised area beneath which is the circular opening which conceals the penis. A good rule of thumb is that in the female the two openings are close together in the male they are further apart.

Shopping List

• Food
• Litter Tray (small to begin with)
• Litter
• scoop
• deodorant
• Food and water dish
• Basket or bed
• Toys
• Brush and Comb
• Pet Carrier
• Wormer
• Book on cat care

Tips

Kittens can be fun and rewarding - and challenging too! To help give your kitten the best possible start in life, here are a few essential tips to prepare for the new arrival.

• She will need a bed , her own feeding bowl, litter and litter tray. Keep your kitten in one room at a time in the first few days.
• Close all doors so your kitten can investigate one room at a time. Each new room will seem like a whole new world to your kitten and this can be stressful.
• Keep the litter tray in the same room as your kitten. If your kitten cannot find the litter tray you could find an accident on the floor and even behind furniture that may not be discovered for sometime.
• Secure doors and windows and check that fireplaces are covered.
• Make sure you have removed anything breakable -and sharp.
• A new kitten needs lots of attention, so take time to play with your pet.
• Kittens need around three times more calories, relative to their size and weight, than they will as a adult.
• Kittens nap for an average of 16 - 18 hours a day!

NO MILK ---- ONLY WATER AS ORDINARY MILK FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION WILL CAUSE DIARRHOEA IN YOUNG ANIMALS.

Feeding

When you buy a kitten/s ask the seller for details of the food they have been given since they left the mother cat. Keep to this at least for the first few weeks. It is not unusual to find very young kittens which have been weaned solely on canned dog food with the resultant digestive upsets.From weaning to twelve weeks kittens require four small meals a day. A large tablespoonful of food at each meal is a good rough measure. Proprietary foods especially prepared for kittens can be used along with dry premium foods that are now available. There is a wide range of products available. Many young animals will refuse food which has just been removed from a fridge and veterinary opinion differs as to whether this is harmful or not. A few seconds in a microwave oven can bring food to room tempreture. Uneaten food should be removed after ten minutes and food and water dishes kept scrupulously clean. Fresh water should always be available.

Worming

It is fair to say that most young kittens harbour roundworms. During pregnancy, hormone activity stimu-lates the larvae in the mother cat and these become active developing into mature worms causing pre and post-natal worm infection in the litter.

A pot belly usually indicates roundworm infestation as does a foul smelling breath.
All young Animals should be regularly wormed from 2 wks old. Products from the shop shelves are perfectly adequate as a prevention and will even kill mild infestation of worms.

Providing an animal is wormed regularly, worms will not be a problem. If a pet is not wormed you will see symptoms such as thin waste and bloated stomach, possible listlessness and lack of appetite and even vomiting. The animal will look frail and the coat will appear dull. Worms in the animal faeces can be a danger to young children, pregnant women and the elderly.

WORM YOUR PET AT............

2wks old....4wks....6wks....8wks....12wks.... 16wks....20wks....24wks..... and then 3 to 4 times a year for the rest of its life .

Worming your PET

Prevention is better than cure. Cure is available.

GENERAL

Worms found in Dogs and Cats fall into two main categories-
Roundworms (Toxocara Canis for Dogs and Toxocara cati for cats) and tapeworms although there are several species of roundworms that effects dogs, the most important one being called Toxocara canis. The cat worm species is called Toxocara cati. Tapeworms( Taenia and Dipylidium ) Dipylidium Caninum the most common tapeworm. The symptoms can vary in their intensity. In young pups and kittens, worms may cause abdominal swelling and pain, loss of weight, vomiting or diarrhoea and on rare occasions rupture of the bowel.

N.B fleas pass on the tape worm larvae. To successfully prevent worms in your pet you should use an effective flea remedy. Deflea your pet and your pets bedding.The flea is the intermediate host for the tapeworm as the eggs of the worm are swallowed by fleas (or by wild mice or rabbits). Within the host the eggs become larvae and when the host is eaten by the animal the life cycle is complete.

Every so often 'scare' stories appear about the danger to humans from round or tapeworm in cats or dogs. A programme of regular worming coupled with common sense hygiene is a wise precaution even though the danger to human heafth is very slight.


ROUNDWORMS

(Toxocara) is commonly found in dogs and cats. Almost all puppies are born with Toxocara, they and kittens can catch Toxocara through their mother`s milk. Microscopic Toxocara eggs are present in the faeces of infected animals. Many of these eggs can remain in the soil for 2 years or more after the faeces have disappeared, and these eggs can still be infective. An animal will pick up Toxocara eggs by simply swallowing the infective Toxocara eggs from the ground, either playing or sniffing or licking the ground.

Toxocara Canis, the dog roundworm, can endanger human health. toxocara cati, the cat worm, has been associated with rare cases of Toxocariasis. 100 new cases of Toxocariasis are diagnosed each year.Once swallowed, Toxocara eggs release larvae into the intestine. These larvae travel through the body until they die, which may take several years. Danger to Children. It is recommended that dogs and cats are wormed routinely to avoid any risk of infection to children through contamination of parks and playgrounds by faeces from dogs or cats infected with roundworm.
Adult worms are pinkish white and similar to very thin garden worms. They can be coiled up like a ball of string and can be vomited up or passed in the faeces.


TAPEWORMS

The most common sign of tapeworm infestation is to find the dried segments clinging to the hair round the anus. These segments look like melon seeds or grains of rice. Young animals are seldom infested with tapeworm but if symptoms of this parasite are found a vet should be consulted. Some proprietary tapeworm treatments are not suitable for very young animals.

(Taenia and Dipylidium) Dipylidium caninum the most common tapeworm is usually passed on at the larvae stage by Fleas which bite its host to feed from or the dog or cat swallowing a flea containing the larvae of the tapeworm whilst grooming and thus becomes infected. Because tapeworm is passed on by fleas biting to feed on the host blood the tapeworm therefore starts its journey in the dog or cats blood and due to tempreture ends up in the stomach where it is warmest for the tapeworm larvae to develope, breed and feed. The other main tapeworm Taenia comes from the dog or cat eating a bird, mouse or uncooked animal carcass that is infected.

WHEN TO TREAT YOUR PET

PUPPIES and KITTENS
are wormed at 2 weeks old then 4, 6 and 8 weeks old and then once a month until 6 months old.

ROUNDWORM = Puppies and kittens must be treated from 2 weeks old and continue to be wormed on a regular basis for the rest of their life.
Typical signs of roundworm in a young kitten or puppy are poor growth, swollen stomach, poor coat and general listlessness.
Roundworms are transmitted directly owing to their simple life cycle. The adult worms, which feed on partly digested food in the stomach and the small intestine, shed thousands of eggs when they reach maturity. The eggs which are only visible under a microscope, are passed out of the body in the faeces and then swallowed again by the animal while grooming.

DOGS AND CATS should be wormed 3 or 4 times a year throughout their adult life.

ROUNDWORM AND TAPEWORM = Once a puppy or kitten reaches 6 months old you should worm against Roundworm and Tapeworm at 6, 9 and 12 months old.

PREGNANCY

The mother must be treated for Roundworms in the 6th week of her pregnancy. Traditional products are available off the shop shelf and do not need proffesional attendance when administering.

HOW TO TREAT YOUR PET

The Roundworm. Control of ascarids (Toxascaris and Toxocara) are treated with a course of tablets given two weeks apart. The Tapeworm. (Taenia and Dipylidium but not Echinococcus) are treated with just one dose.

These treatments should be given separately.
There are other worms that can occur in adult cats and dogs but are not so common.
If you feel that your cat or dog has not benefited by the above treatment then you should consult a Vet.

Products presently available for cats are

• Johnson`s Twin Wormer for cats
• Sherley`s Multi Wormer for Cats

These are just two examples available that will treat the more common worms in adult cats.
Johnson`s and Sherley`s both have products that treat just Roundworms in Kittens under 6 months old.

Products presentlyavailable for Dogs are

• Johnson`s Easy Dose Wormer for Dogs and Puppies
• Sherley`s One Dose Wormer for Dogs and Puppies.

These are just two examples available that will treat the more common worms in Dogs.

Traditional Products are :- Common contents in Worming products are three doses given over two weeks of treatment Example :- Pink tablets for treatment of Roundworm given on the first day. Beige tablets for the treatment of Tapeworm given on the 7th day. Pink tablets for the treatment of Roundworm given on the 14th day. Number of tablets to give are relevant to the animals weight. A more recent product for DOGS ONLY is a one dose given in the number of tablets relevant to the dogs weight. You can email us for more info on the latest products available.

Fleas

Fleas can carry the tapeworm larvae and pass the larvae on when they bite their host. So to worm your pet is to also DeFlee it. The best way to DeFlee a young animal is to use a Flea shampoo. At the same time use a household spray for the pets bedding and home. Other products such as Flea collars, Sprays and powders are all good preventative measures on an ongoing basis.

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

Pets can be protected from Fleas in a variety of ways. You can use a collar, shampoo, spray, powder or drops on the body of your pet or you can use a powder that you put in their food. All these things will keep fleas away from your pet but you must also treat your home and the pets bedding to do a thorough job, along with worming your pet to be complete.

Visit us at WEST LONDON PET CENTRE to obtain the right product for your PETS needs.

Read about Fleas and how they can pass on worms to your PET.

FLEAS

• Only adult fleas are found on dogs and cats. They don't come and go, but stay until they die naturally or are removed.
• Within 48 hours of its first bite, the female flea starts to produce eggs, 20 or so at a time. These simply fall from the animals coat into the environment. (A single flea can produce over 2,000 eggs in its lifetime.)
• Flea larvae hatch from the eggs and begin to feed on organic debris, such as flea dirt and tapeworm eggs.
• The larvae pupate and spin a cocoon, within which the adult flea develops. Stimulated by the warmth and movement of a nearby cat, dog or owner, the flea emerges and jumps on, to start the whole cycle again. Under favourable conditions, the whole process can take as little as 12 days.

and now a fuller explanation.............read on

Eggs.

Eggs are laid in hundreds by adult fleas only, they are laid on their host where the fleas live and feed, although as their host moves around the eggs and the fleas fall off into the carpet, bedding etc. Eggs can lie dormant for months, it all depends on temperature and vibration from people and pets around them.

Larvae.

When eggs hatch they are called larvae, at this stage they will move around to cocoon where they develop into adolescent fleas, this period can last 2/3 days. Whilst moving around in the pet bedding or carpet the larvae will feed on other mites and Tapeworm eggs that have also been laid recently.

Adolescent Flea.

The adolescent Flea will live on their host purely to feed from it, this enables them to develop into the last stage of their life which is the only stage that they can reproduce. As an adolescent flea it will pass on the tapeworm larvae when feeding from its host.

Adult Flea.

This is the final stage in the flea life cycle, the only time in its life that it can reproduce. The adult flea can lay hundreds of eggs within a few days and in doing so then dies and so the cycle continues.

Ear Mites

Another common problem in young animals is Ear mites. Clean ears with soft tissue first before putting 2/3 drops in each ear, this should be done once a day for at least 2 weeks and continue using drops even if ears look clean, using drops once or twice a week will prevent ear mites. Ear drop products from our shop shelves quote, that they kill ear mites, and are perfectly adequate to clear mild infestations of ear mites. If you do not clean your pets' ears and ear mites are present you will see your pet scratching at its ears and eventually a black discharge will cause further infection that may need an antibiotic to cure.

Vaccinations

Vaccinating your pet is not recommended for at least one week from the date of purchase due to the stress caused by the change of environment. Until your pet is fully vaccinated it should not be taken out to walk in public places. Your own home or garden is safe so long as there is no access for stray animals.

ABOUT VACCINES

So what can you do to protect your pet?

WHEN TO HAVE YOUR PET VACCINATED

The best possible advice is to discuss timing of vaccination with your Veterinary Surgeon. In high risk areas he may recommend a vaccination course starting from as early as six weeks. As most pups are bought between the ages of six to nine weeks, the need for immediate consultation cannot be over-emphasised.

If you have bought an older pet and there is uncertainty about its vaccination history, you should also seek the advice of your Veterinary Surgeon without delay.

BOOSTER VACCINATIONS

Upon completion of the initIal vaccination course, your Veterinary Surgeon will hand you a Vaccination Record Card. Within this card you will find a section reserved for Booster Vaccinations and a date advising when your pet should be re-vaccinated. When the time comes, please remember to take your Vaccination Record Card to the surgery in order that your pet`s vaccination history can be up-dated.

Remember!
BOOSTER VACCINATIONS are Vital to maintain protection BOARDING KENNELS AND CATERY may not accept your pet unless regularly Vaccinated YOUR RECORD OF VACCINATION is an important document. Please keep it in a safe place.

We advise that you have your pet neutered from six months old.

 Diseases and Ailments

Diarrhoea

Frequent, loose or extremely foul smelling motions are symptoms which should never be neglected. Cats become dehydrated very rapidly and this can cause collapse in young kittens. Veterinary advice is necessary.

Eczema

General skin irritation and loss of hair can be caused by a variety of reasons such as parasites, change of diet, allergies or hormone imbalance. Veterinary investigation is necessary for an accurate diagnosis.

Feline Virus Enteritis

This serious disease is often fatal and is most prevalent where a lot of cats are kept together. It can however also occur with a single cat in a private home. The incubation period can be from six to ten days after contact with an infected animal. First symptoms may be lack of appetite followed by diarrhoea and vomiting, rise in temperature and signs of abdominal tenderness. The cat will sit hunched in one position and may cry out if it is lifted. Veterinary help should be sought immediately as antibiotics coupled with careful nursing can relieve the symptoms. Prevention is by vaccination which is almost 100% effective. Anyone selling young kittens should be aware of the dangers of this disease.

Feline Respiratory Virus Infection (also known as Cat Flu)

This is a disease spread by droplet infection and early symptoms are just like a severe human cold. In acute cases the animal will have a high temperature and pneumonia may be a secondary infection. A vaccine is available as a preventative measure but veterinary advice is required as soon as the symptoms become apparent. Careful nursing will often lead to complete recovery but many cats are left with permanent catarrhal symptoms as a result of this disease.

Hair Ball

All cats swallow a certain amount of their own hair with constant self grooming. Usually this is passed through the digestive system and causes no problems. Sometimes the hair forms a hard ball in the stomach or intestine and the cat will appear to be straining to pass this object. This can lead to small amounts of watery diarrhoea being passed.

Neutering Females.

There is no medical evidence to back up the theory that a cat should have at least one litter of kittens 'for her own good'. Female cats will come into season at around six months or earlier and during the main breeding season January to May and July to September a female will 'call' at fourteen day intervals. She will also come into season again within four or five weeks of having a litter. In order to avoid unwanted kittens female cats should be neutered (spayed) at around five months or earlier.
Male cats can be neutered from 12 weeks of age. The vet should be consulted as to the best time to carry out these simple operations.

Teeth

Cats have two sets of teeth. The twenty six 'milk' teeth should be through the gums by the time the kitten is seven or eight weeks old, and this is a good guide to the kitten's age. The permanent teeth numbering thirty grow along-side the milk teeth and gradually replace them from around the third month. At seven or eight months the cat should have a full set of permanent teeth.

Rabies

Cats are subject to our quarantine laws because of this dangerous and usually fatal disease. First symptoms are a marked change in behaviour followed rapidly by the classic symptoms of mania and excessive thirst. Cats to be exported also require health certificates, inoculations and sometimes antirabies vaccine as demanded by the country which they are entering.