Getting a kitten: what do you need?

[Jonathan Bones]

My family's going to be getting a kitten in Toronto, possibly from a private citizen (rather than a pet shop or animal shelter). What do we need to get for it? I'm not talking about the obvious pet supplies (i.e., food and grooming equipment, etc.). What in the way of:

- any licensing or registration
- vaccinations/deworming
- microchip implantation

Anything else? And, approximately how much does it cost? I presume we can just call around to local veterinary clinics, but I was hoping to put together a loose estimate.

Thanks!

[Spor 13]

I got a kitten last year and basically I called up the Cat Hospital (Finch/Willowdale) and asked to get a checkup for a new kitten since it had never been done and it was also scratching its ears alot. They checked him out, found some minor things and treated it. Then they gave him all the vaccinations he needed. I think the cost was about $100 for the initial checkup. They took care of everything, even booked an appointment for neutering at 7 months old. Neutering IIRC, cost $300ish..it might've been even less cause I remember thinking to my self that it wasn't as bad as I expected. I just went back to the Cat hospital 2 weeks ago, and they gave him booster shots and an annual checkup which cost $160.

As for licensing/registration, I can't remember if I did it. It didn't matter anyways, I don't let my cat outside anyways so he doesn't need to wear a collar/tag.

Good luck and enjoy! Play with it lots so they don't become lazy when they grow up. I can't get my cat to stop wanting to play now, which has its disadvantages lol.

[AngeLLB]

Technically, licensing and registration is required for all domestic animals, but if you're keeping your kitten indoors only (recommended!) then you really don't need one. But if you do decide to get it done, it's $10 for cats.

Microchipping is important in the event your cat gets out (even if it happens to be an indoor cat). Also - when it's time to bring your kitten in for vaccines, talk to your vet about the rabies shot and the FIV vaccines...some cats react very badly to these shots (my bf's kitten was paralyzed for two days after the FIV shot, and apparently, this isn't an unusual side effect!) - if your cat will be an indoor cat, consider bypassing those.

If you're getting the kitten from a breeder, get the kitten checked out as soon as you bring it home. Most breeders give a written health guarantee that is void if you don't get a clean bill of health from a vet within 48 hours. (That was the rule for my new kitten - I got a ragdoll that I'm bringing home in a month and the contract was very specific on this).

Good luck, and congrats on the new kitten!

PS - for costs, initial check up will generally run you about $80. Vaccines vary, but should cost around $100 in addition to the check up fee. Neutering and spaying will cost you between $150-$225 (depends on whether it is the new laser surgery, and also depending on the pain medication they provide, anaesthetics used, etc. Neutering is cheaper than spaying). Microchipping is $75. These are all costs that my vet charges...so of course YMMV.

[Valek]

While you're doing research on getting a new kitten, I suggest maybe waiting a bit and rethinking about adopting from an animal shelter (THS). It's about that time right now when the animals are gonna be getting it on, and in a couple of weeks the Humane Society is going to be overflowing with new kittens, you'll end up saving some cash from them too.

[Lava]

www.icanhascheezburger.com

[Symcrapico]

Getting a kitten: what do you need?

A brain surgery.

[Jonathan Bones]

Thanks for your replies so far, guys. Very helpful information. (The first three responses, anyway.)

A brain surgery.
What is that even supposed to mean? :confused:

[Happy13178]

Congrats....post pics when you get it.

[setell]

I got my baby from a dog breeder and didn't pay a cent. I could have gotten a kitten from the animal shelter but they just never seem to have any orange/tan kitties so I got one from somebody else. Almost everybody will give away free domestic kittens if they have any unless they are breeds. You'll have to pay a lot for a specific breed, if that is what you're looking for. Oh if people are charging you for a domestic kitten than I would just go get it from somebody else since you'll have to question their intentions if they are charging you for a domestic kitten.

When I first got my kitten I asked if the kitten had been dewormed, needles etc. to see what I needed to do. I sorta trusted my breeder and didn't go for a vet checkup asap but about two weeks later. The first needle I gave my cat came with a free checkup so all I had to pay was around ~$70 for the vaccine.

I choose not to microchip my cat because I find it unethical. It's a decision up to you to decide since you have to do the right thing for yourself. I couldn't bare the thought of putting a chip in my baby because she never leaves the house. She already wears a name tag with all our contact info and address if she ever runs out of the house. I guess I would never want anybody putting a chip in me than I don't think it's right that my cat gets a chip.

If you're getting your kitten from somebody private you'll have to pay to get him/her neutered/spayed. I paid ~$200 to spay my kitten. If you get your kitten from an animal shelter usually your adoption fee includes spaying/neutering when they are old enough. Also if you spay your girl before her first heat cycle it's significantly cheaper since it goes from ~$200-270/300 (for me anyway).

Anyway I think that's my blurb since AngeLLB have already gave you so much info. Enjoy your little baby and post pics if you have time :)

[jetz]

My gf found a kitten 2.5 years ago. He was only days old, palm sized and a cute little bugger (little b*****d takes up a chair in the living room now). She was terrified to turn him over to the humane society so I decided to keep him. It cost me about 300 bucks to get him the shots, microchip and registration. Though, when the vet checked him, she said he had worms so she gave him some other medicine that we had to give to him as well.

One word of advice. If you have a male cat, you should buy him the vet recommended food. My friends mom is a vet and she gave me that advice. According to her the cheaper food brands are not sufficiently pH balanced and could lead to urinary tract infections for male cats. This is apparently very expensive to treat (1000+). She said the whole issue could be avoided by just spending the few extra dollars on food.....she recommended Science Diet. And no I am not buying food from her so she isnt making money off the advice.....

[Valek]

My gf found a kitten 2.5 years ago. He was only days old, palm sized and a cute little bugger (little b*****d takes up a chair in the living room now). She was terrified to turn him over to the humane society so I decided to keep him. It cost me about 300 bucks to get him the shots, microchip and registration. Though, when the vet checked him, she said he had worms so she gave him some other medicine that we had to give to him as well.

One word of advice. If you have a male cat, you should buy him the vet recommended food. My friends mom is a vet and she gave me that advice. According to her the cheaper food brands are not sufficiently pH balanced and could lead to urinary tract infections for male cats. This is apparently very expensive to treat (1000+). She said the whole issue could be avoided by just spending the few extra dollars on food.....she recommended Science Diet. And no I am not buying food from her so she isnt making money off the advice.....

Hills Science Diet for Kittens, Purina One for Kittens and Iam for Kittens are all good food imo for the cats under 1 year. I've fed my kitten this past year with a mixture of three, alternating every few months between brands, and boy has he grown. He's not even 1 year old yet, picked him up from the THS at 8 weeks, he's a good 8-9.5 lbs now, gonna be a nice fat cat when he grows older.

[FunkyLady94]

taste of the wild is a good cat food as well - its grain -free which is all the rage for pets these days and has healthy, wholesome ingredients.

[teknoluv]

Getting a kitten: what do you need?
Heart

[branat]

pot of boiling water

[aimfox]

pot of boiling water

You think that's funny?

[BlueMax]

pot of boiling water

I was wondering when the first cat-eating joke would come in.....

I was half-hoping for something a little more colourful though... you disappoint me. Booooo!!!