Spring is around the corner – make sure you keep an eye on your cat as the weather gets warmer and they venture back outside
As the days get longer it will soon be breeding season for cats.
If you are not planning a litter, and your kitten is a ‘teenager’ (4-8 months of age), now is the time to get them down to the Vets for their neutering operation. There is something about the lengthening of the daylight hours that triggers their hormones, and pregnancy is all too easily the outcome. I have known little queens caught by their unneutered brothers at just four months of age, giving birth at the tender age of six months, when their bodies really are still too small for giving birth.
Soon there will be lots of kittens and pregnant queens arriving at the local rescue centres, as they do every year, and it is certainly a wonderful time to bring a cute new friend into your lives.
When my sister made this very step she was new to pet ownership, so she asked me what kind of costs were involved.
Owning a cat is not especially expensive, and most of the outlay is in the first year of their lives. They need two vaccinations at approximately 8 and 12 weeks of age. They also require monthly flea control and worming very regularly, depending on their mother’s lifestyle and whether they are to be let out or kept indoors after their vaccination program is complete.
We will happily guide each pet owner towards the perfect personalised parasite program for their pets.
Then they return to the Clinic, usually at six months of age, to be spayed. However, for many kittens there are reasons to do it earlier, such as living with an unneutered tom cat. If that tom is her brother and she becomes pregnant, then the kittens may be misformed.
Thereafter the main costs are simply a good quality pet food, pet insurance and the cost of an annual vaccine, as well as any accidents or incidents that crop up.
I advised my sister to join our Well Pet Plan, which allows her to spread the cost of her cat’s vaccines, parasite control and regular check-ups, and also qualifies her for discounts on all services and products she receives from us. It gives her peace of mind that her two lovely cats are getting the very best care, without anxiety about what it might all cost.
If you would like more information, or advice about neutering your pet, call the friendly team at The Mewes Vets on 01444 456886.
