Nurturing your kitten

Regular kitten weight checks are an important part of your kitten’s long-term health; they enable our team to check your bundle of joy is growing at a healthy rate, tailor their diet for optimal wellbeing, and catch any concerns early on. Weight checks are also a great opportunity to get your kitten used to travelling in their cat basket and visiting our Practice.

Your kitten’s maternal immunity inherited from their mother will only last a few weeks, so an initial kitten vaccination at 9 weeks of age followed by a second booster at 3 months are recommended. As your kitten grows into an adult, annual booster vaccinations are best for optimal protection against some nasty infectious diseases such as:

• Cat flu (feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus)
• Feline infectious enteritis
• Feline leukaemia virus

Nurture is passionate about people protecting their pets and families by using parasite prevention. Not only can parasites cause infection, disease and discomfort, they can also infest your home or affect those with a weakened immune system. Safeguard your kitten and family and talk to our team about the best wormers and flea treatments for kittens.

Before your kitten reaches 20 weeks of age they must be microchipped by law – learn more.

A microchip provides the best chance of you being reunited with your kitten should they get stolen or become lost or injured, and can be implanted during a consultation or procedure at Nurture – book now.

Nurture wants kitten owners to understand the benefits of neutering from 4 months of age and before 6. Neutering your kitten will provide peace of mind there will be no unwanted litters. Female kittens can become pregnant and male kittens can mate as just 4 months of age so it’s important to keep them indoors until they have been neutered. Kitten neutering can also deliver numerous health benefits and prevent unwanted behavioural traits too.

Connect with us to book a pre-neutering consultation – our knowledgeable team can perform a thorough examination as well as any pre-operative tests required, and then take the time to discuss the procedure and aftercare with you. This means you can feel confident in the care your kitten will need post neutering.

Cats are carnivores and must eat meat to remain healthy. Nurture recommends feeding kittens four times a day, using an appropriate food formulated for kittens and allowing constant access to fresh water. Establishing a good oral care routine early in your kitten’s life will decrease the chance of dental disease in the future.

Discuss all elements of kitten nutrition and dental care with our vet nurses in Wells or Weston.

Kittens are naturally inquisitive and love playtime! Try to incorporate exercise and play into their daily care routine and use toys that simulate their natural hunting instincts. Using props to mimic their natural environment (such as scratching posts & cat trees) will also keep your kitten healthy and active and will reduce the number of claw clips they may need.

Our nurses love discussing kitten care and how best to support your kitten as they grow and develop – connect with us to book a nurse appointment.

Exploring life as a fluffy bundle of energy can sometimes get kittens into a bit of bother. Nurture ensures around-the-clock care through our own RCVS Tier 3 Vet Hospital in Wells and our close connections with Langford Emergency Service near Weston-super-Mare. You can rest assured your kitten will be in the best hands whatever the time of day – learn more.

Nurture recommends embracing the adventure of your kitten’s life with the right type of pet insurance. There are many types to choose from, but having a dependable pet insurance policy ready helps to ensure your kitten can receive vital care when unforeseen circumstances arise, whether that be through illness or injury. Take a look at how Vetsure policies are designed with your kitten’s ongoing care at heart.