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532 results for “Kitten disease”
Why Does Your Kitten Smell Bad? Check These 5 Spots
Cats are clean and rarely smell even without baths; a persistent odor points to a cause. Teething or dental disease (tartar, gingivitis) gives a sulfur smell; ear mites, poor digestion, or impacted anal glands add odor; and a cat that won't self-groom in a dirty home (uncleaned litter, moldy bed, poor airflow) becomes an 'odor magnet.' Check the mouth, gut, anal glands, ears, and environment.
Why a Mother Cat May Kill Her Kittens
A queen may kill a newborn because of low milk, post-partum distress, a weak kitten, strange smells on the kitten, stress, or poor nutrition. Keep the nest calm, feed her well, and isolate any rejected kitten to hand-rear with formula.
Why is my two-month-old kitten vomiting yellow foamy liquid?
This signals gastrointestinal disease (bacterial enteritis, parasites, obstruction, distemper) or serious internal illness (pancreatitis, kidney failure). See a vet — home care isn't enough.
Bringing Home a 2–6 Month Old Puppy or Kitten: A Complete Care Checklist
A new 2–6 month old puppy or kitten is fragile, and mistakes in the first weeks—too much handling, wrong food, missed vaccines—can cause stress, illness, or worse. Start by letting the pet settle alone for 1–2 hours before gentle interaction; keep the same food it had before (soak kibble if needed) and feed 3–4 small meals a day. Watch the first week closely, since transport can expose them to panleukopenia, cat flu, distemper, or parvovirus on top of stress. The vaccine and deworm timeline matters: deworm first, wait at least 7 days, then vaccinate (dog multivalent from ~45 days, three shots 21 days apart, rabies at 3 months; cat FVRCP from 2 months, three shots 28 days apart, then rabies). Don’t bathe, delay outings until vaccinated, and never feed toxic people foods like grapes, chocolate, coffee, or avocado.
What to Do When You Bring Home a Found Kitten
Finding a stray kitten is tempting to take home right away, but the right sequence protects both the kitten and your household. Because strays can carry parasites, panleukopenia, or ringworm—some transmissible to other pets and people—the first step is a veterinary check-up before the kitten enters your home; treat any illness in the clinic first if needed. At home, set up a quiet, enclosed room with a litter box, water, and food so the kitten feels safe, and avoid bathing it, which can trigger stress and illness. Ease the diet in with plain food and probiotics rather than rich treats. If you have resident cats, isolate the newcomer for 7–15 days, then slowly mix scents before supervised meetings. Finally, deworm and vaccinate (FVRCP and rabies) after a short settling period.
What Diseases Does the FVRCP Cat Vaccine Prevent?
The FVRCP vaccine, commonly called the cat triple vaccine, protects against three contagious feline diseases: feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), calicivirus (FCV), and panleukopenia (FPV, or feline distemper). It greatly lowers infection risk but is not a full guarantee. Kittens can start at eight weeks, need two to three shots three to four weeks apart, and then an annual booster. Sick or pregnant cats should not be vaccinated.
Can an Unvaccinated Cat Pass Disease to People?
The 'FVRCP' (cat triple) is a common name, not a product - it bundles herpes (cat flu), calicivirus and panleukopenia into one shot; each dose contains all three to build antibodies through repeated shots. None of those three pass to humans; the famous human fatal cat-borne disease is rabies, given separately at the end. Kittens start at 8 weeks, then every 21 days for three shots; indoors-only cats may boost every three years, high-risk ones yearly; rescued strays get an antibody test first. Do not vaccinate under 8 weeks, pregnant cats (use killed only), with worming that confuses gut reactions, or when unwell - and always keep one brand and skip baths.
Bad Breath, Tartar, and Lost Appetite: Feline Periodontal Disease
By age three, roughly 70 percent of cats have periodontal disease, and the first sign owners notice is bad breath. Left alone, bacteria-laden tartar inflames gums, weakens immunity, and can force extraction. This guide covers what periodontal disease is, its signs, vet checks, and how to build a brushing routine that protects your cat's teeth.
Preventing Common Spring Cat Diseases
Spring raises two risks. Urinary disease peaks in damp weather, driven by low exercise and water intake; watch for straining and act fast to avoid acute kidney failure. Colds strike with big day-night temperature swings; keep cats warm, dry, and sheltered from drafts, and seek care if they refuse food with a high fever.
What to Do About a Kitten’s Bad Breath
A cat's breath should be a faint fish or food smell; obvious odor with yellow teeth, tartar, or calculus means serious oral disease that can become gingivitis, periodontitis, or stomatitis. Build cleaning habits early: brush with a finger brush or gauze, use vet-recommended rinse or powder, or offer dental chews that scrape away plaque.