Vet Care

Vet care has a calendar, and knowing it in advance removes most of the anxiety. A kitten's first year carries the heaviest schedule: the primary vaccination course runs in the first months, with outdoor access advised only a week or more after it finishes at around 13-14 weeks, and neutering is usually discussed around four months. Adult cats settle into preventive checks, and from about seven years old — the stage International Cat Care calls mature — the checks get closer together because the risks do.

What you bring to the appointment matters too. Weight is the single most useful number a home can track: Cornell's Feline Health Center uses a 9-point body condition score where 5 is ideal and obesity is the most common nutrition-related problem in cats, and a slow trend is far easier to act on than a sudden crisis. Note appetite, water intake and litter box habits before you go.

See vet care basics, the kitten year and when a cat will not eat.

Sources: International Cat Care — Helping your new cat or kitten settle in, Cornell Feline Health Center — Feeding Your Cat.