Monthly vet appts for kittens - is this a thing now?

[Castleking]

Hi all
We recently got a kitten, and took her for her 2nd vaccination appointment yesterday. The vet suggested we make an appt for a months time, as they like to give kittens a monthly health check. Is this standard now?

We last had cats about 15 years ago, and only ever took them to the vets for vaccinations or if they were sick.

Anyone else with a kitten who is taking the
To the vets for a monthly health check?

Our vets did an initial appointment for a 3rd vaccine. It's their usual practice to do 3 in the first year and it comes within the monthly plan we use. They did a follow up appointment a month later to check growth and estimate when the kitten could be neutered. Our latest cat is a maine coon so he grew quickly and his follow up ended up being his pre-op check instead. For our others, they went back again another month or two later for pre-op. It all came within our monthly payment plans. For cats over a year old it covers flea, worming, vaccines and 6 monthly checks. In the first year they offer more regular check ups for the same price and I was more than happy to use it.

I wouldn't go unless there was a specific reason like a vaccination.

Our cat goes once a year for his annual MOT and vaccination. He's 13 and in fine fettle.

OP it was not you that was vet bashing at all and you raised a valid point. I am surprised they wanted to charge you for these appointments. I'd be interested to know what your initial costs were? Maybe they were lower? (One would hope).

There is a great deal of debate about whether or not nurses appointments should continue to be free of charge. Registered vet nurses are qualified professional and they offer a range of clinics to support patients and their owners. From claw clips and anal glands to complex clinics such as diabetes monitoring, weight clinics and more.
Weight monitoring for flea and worm products really shouldn't be charged for imo and are a useful opportunity to discuss any concerns.

People take the piss too - nurses appointments are not to diagnose illness. No I cannot just take a look in your dogs sore ears and no I can't tell you what that lump is, I am a nurse and my job is to treat,observe and advise it is illegal for me to attempt diagnosis and wrong for me to do so. Yet it doesn't stop clients trying it on and becoming rude and snarky when I say that they will need to make a separate vets appointment and no the vet does not have time to just have a quick look for free

So whilst I love my job, I really do, being underpaid and undervalued by the corporate money makers (I'm not naive enough to think anything other than this I work for) and dismissed by the unlicensed for being "just a nurse" apart from when they want free vet care , makes these threads a bitter pill to swallow.

I am the one that monitors your pet during their stay,comforts them when they are frightened and in pain, I get bitten sometimes because these animals don't understand that I'm trying to help. I cry with owners at end of life, I am there for the pets whose owners cannot bear to be with them at the end and it breaks my heart every time. But I do this, alongside thousands of other nurses and vets and if people think I do all of that for the money then maybe they would like to come and do a couple of shifts with me and go home with a wage that is woefully inadequate for what we give of ourselves daily.

People saying how ridiculous, their cats only go once a year, blah blah blah... OP has a KITTEN. Of course they need to be seen more, whilst they're growing, especially in the run up to being neutered. Speak to your surgery to get the answers you need, OP. Weighing at home is a good alternative if you can't get in, but it's important for the vets to know the exact weight before prescribing a prescription-only medication. It's great to get your little one used to going in a carrier and in the car. It's in your kitten's best interests and a good chance to check ears, teeth etc.

People saying how ridiculous, their cats only go once a year, blah blah blah... OP has a KITTEN. Of course they need to be seen more, whilst they're growing, especially in the run up to being neutered.

Yes, we're all aware of that.

I've had several kittens over the years, none of them have ever seen the vet beyond the necessary appointments. One of mine only ever went to be neutered - they're indoors only so have never been vaccinated and I buy non-prescription flea and worming treatment online. The other two have each been once apart from their neutering - one for an injury and the other for cystitis.

They're aged 6, 6 and 1 and are absolutely fine.

There really is no need to take a kitten to the vet each month - people have scales at home and are more than capable of checking what dosage their pet needs from that, I'm sure.

Speaking as someone who was doing weekly appointments with my little one for the last few months of his life: no symptoms = hurrah, no vet visit. Why stress the cat if there's no obvious reason to go?

@Chunkymenrock

People saying how ridiculous, their cats only go once a year, blah blah blah... OP has a KITTEN. Of course they need to be seen more, whilst they're growing, especially in the run up to being neutered. Speak to your surgery to get the answers you need, OP. Weighing at home is a good alternative if you can't get in, but it's important for the vets to know the exact weight before prescribing a prescription-only medication. It's great to get your little one used to going in a carrier and in the car. It's in your kitten's best interests and a good chance to check ears, teeth etc.

The OP said it was for the whole first year. I could understand maybe seeing them between jabs and neutering, but every month from six to 12 months? Also, my seven month old does not have an exact weight, that's going to vary through the day! I can weigh him to the nearest 100g and he eats more than that.

People saying how ridiculous, their cats only go once a year, blah blah blah... OP has a KITTEN. Of course they need to be seen more,

Of course kittens don’t need to be seen more. They need the necessary vaccinations and to be neutered. That’s it. They do not need to be seen every month to be weighed or for some other spurious reason. You buy flea and worm treatments online.

@daisypond, you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. The most safe and effective flea and worm treatments are prescription-only treatments which can only be purchased at vets clinics, or from online pharmacies with a prescription from your own vet. General non-prescription meds are crap, a total waste of money and do not work. As I said before, it's usually 2 checks a month apart after the vaccine course, then the neutering, then it goes to normal boosters as the kitten is just about adult size.

The checks are very often part of the kitten package and so paid for as part of the vaccination course. If you think that vets are making up spurious reasons to see every kitten for no reason, you're utterly deluded. Vets are extremely overstretched at the moment, many have closed their books to new clients, as there are so many new pets and not enough vets. They are trying to do their best and care properly for the animals in their care. That means carrying out the pup and kitten checks as they have always done, to treat them using proper products at the correct amounts for actual weights. You have no idea. I suggest you educate yourself. I've worked in the veterinary industry for almost 30 years.

But it's not actually necessary to buy prescription flea and worm treatment unless the OTC stuff doesn't work.

I have a dog and three cats - I have never once paid for prescription flea or worm medication. I use OTC stuff and have never once had an issue with fleas or worms in any of my pets. It's about 1/3 of the price to buy OTC treatment and if it works, why would I waste money and time going to the vets to buy something else?

I can weigh my pets at home and figure out the dosages myself - I don't need to stress my cats out by taking them to the vet for that.

Hell no.
My kitten had his first vaccs recently and unless he is ill, he won't be going back for a year.

I’m taking mine back monthly at the moment for her worming/flea treatments as she has to be weighed to work out the dose. Once she’s over a certain weight I will just collect the meds monthly.

@Chunkymenrock
I’ve had long-lived and very healthy cats for many years, thanks very much. I don’t need educating. A “kitten package”? Give me strength!

[quote daisypond]@Chunkymenrock
I’ve had long-lived and very healthy cats for many years, thanks very much. I don’t need educating. A “kitten package”? Give me strength![/quote]
Yes, it's a fully discounted initial plan up to the age of 6 months. Or owners can pay separately if they prefer. How strange that it makes you feel a little weak. I don't doubt for a moment that you look after your cats wonderfully. That's great to hear.

I've got two kittens, now five and a half months. Other than their two rounds of vaccinations and now neutering ops, all the vet suggested was one follow up to make sure they were healing ok (which I was not charged for). Certainly no talk of having them back every month! My cats don't like going in the cat basket so don't see why you'd need to stress yours out this way.

[quote daisypond]@Chunkymenrock
I’ve had long-lived and very healthy cats for many years, thanks very much. I don’t need educating. A “kitten package”? Give me strength![/quote]
Strength for what? Odd comment. I did the one for my dog as it was significantly cheaper than paying for the vaccinations, flea and wormer separately. They also give a large discount on spay/neuter so you can save a decent amount of money. Guess it's a way to get customers in the door by offering discount on the routine things in the hope you use them for anything non routine. Seems good sense to save money ime and doesn't need fainted at.

*But it's not actually necessary to buy prescription flea and worm treatment unless the OTC stuff doesn't work.
*
But OTC stuff doesn't work ...

Depends which OTC stuff you buy e.g. Advantage has the same flea killing ingredient as Advocate; it just doesn't contain the worming ingredients that Advocate has.

@liveforsummer

*But it's not actually necessary to buy prescription flea and worm treatment unless the OTC stuff doesn't work. * But OTC stuff doesn't work ...

Well, considering we've never had fleas in the 10+ years I've had pets, I'll continue to use it :)

As @dementedpixie says, Advantage works just fine for fleas, and I've never given my dog worm treatment as he's never needed it.

My kitten had his second vaccination yesterday, we got a kitten care plan thing, two injections, worm and flea treatments for the first 6 months and 15% off neutering.

I had to ask about booking him on to be neutered, he’s all done for the 3rd Dec and will be chipped whilst he’s under too (that was free the last time too) it’s costing £57 for neutering and £13 for the chip (I think that’s a bargain really).

They won’t see him again until his annual vaccination next year after that.

It’s the stating as a fact that OTC/online flea and worm treatments don’t work, which is simply not true, that is annoying. They may not work for all pets - who knows - but they worked fine for mine. So, my cats had their vaccinations and were chipped and neutered. They then saw the vet once a year after that. They did not get flea or worm treatments from the vet - the vet never even suggested it as an option.

@daisypond

It’s the stating as a fact that OTC/online flea and worm treatments don’t work, which is simply not true, that is annoying. They may not work for all pets - who knows - but they worked fine for mine. So, my cats had their vaccinations and were chipped and neutered. They then saw the vet once a year after that. They did not get flea or worm treatments from the vet - the vet never even suggested it as an option.

I agree.

Mine suggested it once, which is when I first registered them, but when I said no, they accepted it just fine and have never asked again.

You really don't need to buy flea and worm treatment from the vet. If OTC medication works for you, why on earth would you go out of your way to spend more money on something else?

hi, just to say we got a kitten in summer, and I signed up to the vet's health care plan (for cat, not me, obvs) which is about £14 per month, plus I pay (separate) pet insurance which is about £5 per month. pet plan thing covers all vaccinations, flea treatments etc, and gives discount on neutering, and vet said they like to see them regularly until they are 1 year. last appt was with vet nurse. hoping cat has put on sufficient weight to then get the 3-monthly flea stuff instead of monthly. my cat is a moggie, but I think they like to get you to sign up for the plan and I like to know that my wee kitten will be seen whilst she's growing, then would only take her as required.