| Feline Owners Manual and Maintenance GuideMaintenance ScheduleAdherance to the factory maintenance schedule will help to ensure optimum performance of your cat and to extend its lifetime. Failure to provide the required maintenance may void your warranty, and lead to sudden engine or drive-train failure. For new models (kittens): - 6, 9, and 12 weeks: Kitten shots. Also at 12 weeks, your veterinarian may want to test for FeLV (feline leukemia) Although a vaccine is available for FeLV, many breeders and other experts do not approve use of this vaccine for indoor-only cats.
- 16 weeks: Rabies shot. Mandatory in many states.
- Three to Six Months: Neutering. It is essential for your cat's health and well-being that he or she be spayed or neutered, preferably before achieving sexual maturity. Spaying a female cat will prevent unwanted litters of kittens in a society already overburdened with an excess of homeless cats. Neutering a male will help prevent territorial spraying, as well as violent and dangerous territorial fighting, as well as helping ease the overpopulation problem.
Important Tip If by chance, when you make the appointment to get your kitten neutered, you are asked, "Would you like a declaw with that neuter?" the correct response is "No, thank you." This will be covered in greater depth under Spare Parts, but you need to know at this point that claws are not "spare". - One year:
- Booster shot (FVRCP or other, as your vet recommends)
- Physical examination-- usually done at time of Booster shots
- Dental examination and cleaning
- Thereafter:
- Annual examination and dental cleaning
- Booster shot and Rabies vaccine every three years, or as required by law
Note: The new protocol of the American Association of Feline Practitioners is that cats ten years old and older have probably acquired immunity, and no longer need booster shots. Annual titer testing is recommended for seniors, instead. For previously owned models (adult rescues and adoptees from shelters) - One dose of FVRCP at time of adoption, along with spaying or neutering if not already done
- Rabies vaccine, then every three years, or as required by law
- Booster shot one year later, then every three years as above
Owner-Provided Maintenance Items - Cleaning
Your Cat is a self-cleaning design and will rarely need, nor appreciate washing by you. Should your cat become excessively dirty or greasy, follow these cleaning directions. - Brushing
Most cats enjoy a daily brushing, which is best accomplished at a time when the cat is relaxed. Brushing will help reduce shedding on furniture and clothes and hairballs, which form when cats ingest hair during grooming operations. - Claw Trimming
Claw trimming is a simple process, which the cat will adapt to readily, if made part of a regular schedule early on in the cat's life. Trimming instructions can be found here. Trimming should be done every three weeks or so. - Ear Cleaning
Cats sometimes find it difficult to clean the inside of their ears, but it is a fairly simple maintenance task for you to perform. Clean your cat's ears weekly, or as indicated by the visual appearance of dirt, using these instructions. - Teeth Cleaning
One of the most common diseases in cats is dental disease, which is not only painful to the cat, but can also lead to other infectious conditions, along with anorexia. Regular dental cleaning by the owner, along with annual professional cleaning, will go a long way in keeping your cat's fuel injection system in good working order. Brush or clean your cats teeth three or four times a week, preferably daily, following these directions.
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