Kitten Wellness: What to Expect
Welcoming a new kitten into your home is a joy, and ensuring they have a healthy start is our top priority. Kittens have unique health needs as their immune systems develop, which is why we recommend a structured series of visits to provide them with essential protection.
The Kitten Vaccine Series
Kittens require a series of three vaccine visits starting at 6–8 weeks of age. These boosters are typically spaced 3–4 weeks apart to ensure the vaccines effectively build the kitten's own long-term immunity as the antibodies from their mother begin to fade.
Standard Kitten Schedule:
Round 1 : FVRCP (Feline Distemper)
Round 2 : FVRCP and FeLV (Feline Leukemia)*
Round 3 : FVRCP, FeLV (booster)*, and Rabies
*A Note on Feline Leukemia (FeLV): We recommend the FeLV vaccine for kittens who may be "at risk"—this includes kittens that will spend time outdoors or live in households with cats that go outside. We will discuss your kitten's lifestyle during your visit to determine if this protection is right for them.
FeLV/FIV Testing
In addition to vaccines, we strongly recommend that every new kitten be tested for Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). Knowing your kitten's status early helps us prepare for their future health needs and protects any other cats in your home.
Internal Parasite Protection & Testing
Just like puppies, kittens are very susceptible to internal parasites. To keep your kitten (and your family) safe, we follow a strict screening and treatment protocol.
Why We Do Fecal Testing at Every Visit
It is our standard of care to perform a fecal exam and administer a broad-spectrum oral dewormer at every single kitten visit.
Catching Emerging Parasites: Because of the parasite life cycle, a kitten might test negative at their first visit if the parasites are still immature. By the next visit, those parasites may have matured and started shedding eggs, allowing us to detect and treat them.
Confirming Success: If your kitten was previously positive for parasites, a follow-up test allows us to verify that the medication successfully cleared the infection.
Building a Healthy Future
Your kitten visits are the perfect time to discuss all aspects of feline care. During these appointments, our veterinarians will:
Perform a comprehensive physical exam.
Discuss proper nutrition and weight management.
Provide guidance on litter box training and scratching behaviors.
Answer questions about spaying, neutering, and microchipping.
We love helping kittens grow into happy, healthy adult cats!