Do I need to take my recently-acquired formerly-stray cat to the vet?

September 26, 2013 5:24 PM

Do I need to take my recently-acquired formerly-stray kitten to the vet for a check-up or anything? She had fleas but we washed them off and put a flea collar on her, and they haven't returned. Other than that she seems in good health, and I'm wondering if there's any reason to take her to a vet or not. (I can get her spayed and vaccinated for really cheap, but, a vet visit costs a lot more...)
posted by yeoz to Pets & Animals (17 answers total)

Do you have other cats? Making sure she doesn't have something chronic and contagious would be a priority in that case.
posted by restless_nomad at 5:30 PM on September 26, 2013

Best answer: Worms. She almost certainly has worms--most stray cats do--and she needs to be treated.

Also HOLY CRAP that's a cute kitten.
posted by jesourie at 5:31 PM on September 26, 2013

Best answer: You must take her to the vet if you didn't get her through some type of organization that already did due diligence with a check-up. As a former stray, she may have picked up any number of serious ailments that could require medical attention. (Worms, FIV, leukemia, etc.)
posted by xyzzy at 5:33 PM on September 26, 2013 [6 favorites]

Shots. Distemper is a terrible way for a cat to die. And rabies shots are legally required in many States, especially for the first few years.

And do the kitten a favor, and have the vet put Revolution or something on her rather than the collar, a lot of cats are sensitive to those and they can rub their necks raw.

(And yeah, if she was a stray, the chance of worms is 99.9%)
posted by instead of three wishes at 5:53 PM on September 26, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Yeah, those flea collars you can get at Target and similar are not very effective and are actually not very good for the cat, either. You need to get real flea medicine at the vet.
posted by something something at 6:01 PM on September 26, 2013 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Agreeing with the consensus. Flea collars aren't very effective and can be fairly toxic; you want a vet-recommended flea med instead. And it's good practice to get all new animals checked out by a vet, so you can stay on top of any medical needs they might have. (Which probably means worms. My kittens, adopted from a shelter that supposedly had vet care, still needed to be treated for worms.)

Also, yes, CUTE KITTEN!
posted by jaguar at 6:06 PM on September 26, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Everyone's right - take Maddie to the vet, please. Call around - many vets do discounted vaccines, in addition to the spay/neuter discounts. Call around. Some vets also do a reduced rate for an exam if you say that you've adopted a stray and/or are a new customer.

ALSO: You're awesome. You adopted a stray! YOU ROCK.
posted by BlahLaLa at 6:32 PM on September 26, 2013 [2 favorites]

A lot of places that do the cheap spay/vacs sometimes do cheap de-fleaing/deworming/FIV-tests too. Those are not a good substitute for a proper vet check-up, but if you need to save money they're good to do in the interim.
posted by Anonymous at 7:33 PM on September 26, 2013

Response by poster: honestly, it's less about the money and more about the whole anxiety involved with not knowing if there might be something wrong, and being sorta paralized by that :x if i don't go and find out, then there's nothing wrong, right? (well, obviously not, as the comments above have shown. i will call tomorrow and schedule an appointment with someone...)
posted by yeoz at 8:02 PM on September 26, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Vaccinations. Definitely need the FVRCP, and a booster three to four weeks later.

Don't use flea collars if you can avoid them; most contain propoxur and may, with long-term use, lead to cancer. Get a Revolution treatment at the vet: it will take care of the fleas and the worms. (And then there will be more worms -- tapeworms, which are the result of flea-eating. Those you'll see in a few weeks, and then you'll need a second deworming probably at about the same time you'll need the booster shot.)

Spaying should be done at about five or six months. If your vet charges more than you can afford, there are ASPCA mobile spay/neuter vans. You'll need to make the appointment several weeks in advance and then stand outside for like five hours, though, so be prepared.

Others have said it before, but they say it because it's true: the Williamsburg Veterinary Clinic is a good affordable option for decent pet care.
posted by brina at 8:14 PM on September 26, 2013 [2 favorites]

Spaying's actually often done at about 8 weeks now, or as soon as a kitten reaches two pounds. So you may be able to find some sort of discount rate for spaying, vaccinations, and vet check. I'd contact your local shelters.
posted by jaguar at 8:49 PM on September 26, 2013

You want to get her tested for FELV (feline leukemia virus) and FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). Nthing the no flea collar thing. And it's good to have a yearly visit with the vet so they can catch any problems if they pop up.
posted by bolognius maximus at 9:17 PM on September 26, 2013

Best answer: Do not subject the health of your new pet to any anxieties you may have about doctor's offices and health. Make an appointment, and when there, I would also ask for a thorough examination of her eye area as she appears to be a little weepy there which could mean an infection.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 10:36 PM on September 26, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Also, ear mites are probable.
posted by thebrokedown at 11:32 PM on September 26, 2013

I think your kitten is too young to be wearing a flea collar; they are supposed to be 8-12 weeks old or the toxins affect their nervous systems.
posted by Anwan at 11:46 PM on September 26, 2013

Best answer: Take the kitty to the vet. She'll get used to it, and not be so freaked out if she has to go when she's sick. Also, when she's spayed, get her a microchip.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:55 AM on September 27, 2013

Response by poster: Ok. I've made an appointment for this coming monday at 3:15... (and i've removed the flea collar for the time being)
posted by yeoz at 1:17 PM on September 27, 2013 [1 favorite]