Your Cat — November 2017

We check the facts on some

widely held beliefs about kittens.

Kittens should

be given milk

Once a kitten has

been weaned from his

mum’s milk, there is no need

to keep giving him milk. Your

Cat’s nutrition expert Libby

Sheridan explains: “This is

because lactase, the enzyme

they need to digest milk, is

only present in their digestive

systems during the first few

weeks of life.

“Consequently, older kittens

(over seven weeks of age) do

not have this enzyme. Feeding

milk to kittens who have been

weaned can do more harm

than good, as they will be

unable to digest it properly,

so it can upset their tummies

and cause diarrhoea.”

Indoor kittens

don’t need to

be vaccinated

If you decide to keep

your kitten indoors,

and have no intention of

MYTH

busters!

We’re hunting

out the truth!

74 Your Cat November 2017

YOUR KITTEN

MYTH!

MYTH!

MYTH!

FACT!

FACT!

FACT!

Kittens from the

same litter are more

likely to get on.

š

Pra

cti

cal^ advice

letting him have access to

the outside world, it’s still

important that you vaccinate

him against diseases, and

regularly worm him and check

for fleas.

There are many reasons

why this is vital, as vet

Aga Zoltowska explains:

“Unvaccinated kittens can

become exposed to infectious

diseases, not only by direct

contact with a sick cat, but in

some cases, by contact with

objects which have been in

contact with a sick animal.

“Unvaccinated cats who

visit the vet will be at a much

higher risk of catching a viral

infectious disease while

being in a place which sees

many ill animals.”

She continues: “Kittens

can also become infected

while still with their mum,

and carry the virus with them

throughout their lives. For

example, the herpes virus

resurfaces during times of

stress. A vaccination may

not stop the disease

completely, but helps the cat

by reducing the severity of

the clinical signs.”

Female kittens

should have one

season before they

are spayed

Sadly, this is a widely

held belief which is

completely untrue. Some

people also believe young

cats should have a litter

of kittens before they are

spayed, but this is also not

true, and the sort of ignorance

which could contribute to the

ever-growing cat population

that sees rescue centres

packed to the rafters.

It is advised that

kittens are spayed

before they reach

sexual maturity,

between the ages of

four and six months.

74-75 YC Kitten myths CS2 CC.indd 74 29/09/2017 12:51