Emma Jones
Kittens need their first visit to the vet at an early age. Visiting the practice with all the strange noises and smells is of course exciting for kittens and a bit scary for many. But health checks and vaccinations are important – and if the little tiger has successfully completed its doctor’s appointment, it will later react more confidently to check-ups and necessary treatments. Read here how to master the first visit to the practice together with your kitten.
How do I take away my kitten’s fear of the vet?
The first doctor’s appointments are usually simple initial examinations or vaccination appointments. The kitten is therefore not suffering from acute pain and it is not an emergency. But even then, there are two worrying factors for the kitten: the transport and the fact that strangers will touch, feel and possibly poke it with a needle. Stressed out in this way, an inexperienced kitten may internalize the visit to the vet as a negative experience and may be reluctant to be brought into the practice as a result. Even if empathetic veterinarians work with a professional calm and sophisticated tricks for distraction and bribery – you yourself can ensure that the kitten embarks on the vet adventure with curiosity and trust.
Once the kitten has survived the exciting doctor’s appointment, let it rest at home for a while and then reward it with a cuddle session or an action-packed game.
How can I transport kittens to the vet?
Now for the second hurdle on the way to the vet: the transport. The aim is for the kitten to go into the transport basket voluntarily and to remain relaxed during the journey. Get the little cat used to the transport box as playfully as to being touched. You benefit from the fact that kittens are curious and generally find things interesting to sit in – especially if there is something desirable hidden inside, such as a toy, a treat, or a pleasant scent. If the transport box in the cat household serves as a “piece of furniture” and is therefore not an unknown object, you will be able to easily put the kitten in or lure it. If possible, practice driving before you go to the doctor. Used to being transported in the car when they are kittens, many a cat has developed into an enthusiastic passenger. By the way: Transport boxes that can be opened from above are perfect. The kitten sits securely in it and the vet can easily lift it out.
What dates and intervals should I schedule for visiting the vet?
In the kitten’s first year of life, you will be in the vet’s office comparatively often. The reason for this is the vaccination dates for the first immunization. If the cat does not become acutely ill after the age of two, visits to the doctor are reduced to an annual health check; If necessary, booster vaccinations can then also be combined with this date.
With these examinations, the vaccination marathon for the kitten is over for the time being. The next appointment for the little picker is at fifteen months for a refresher; the repetition in the following years depends on the preparation used – in the meantime vaccines are in use that only has to be administered every three years.