Did you welcome a new cat over the holidays? Congrats! Regardless of when you bring in a new kitty into your family, it's crucial to start them off on the right paw by having your cat see a veterinarian right away. Dr. Michele Drake discusses the importance of a cat's first exam and what topics will be discussed during your kitty's first visit in our latest video.

Featured Quote:

When you get a cat, adult cat or a kitten come in right away so we can have a conversation with you and set you up the best possible way.

Video Transcript:

Okay. Hi, I'm Dr. Michelle Drake and I'm here today with Moki who's really excited about wearing this little Christmas ornament. Actually, he'll get okay with it. Anyway, whether you found a lump of coal, hopefully not, under your tree or possibly a cat under your tree. Hopefully one looks happier than this. Let me make him happier. All right, we're done with that. Okay. Is that better? Anyway, if you get a new cat, whether it's over Christmas or anytime in the future, so you get one from your neighbor or hopefully one from a shelter, there's any number of possibilities where you're going to pick up a kitty from. It's just really important to come in here right away. There are a few things that cats can bring home, bring to you, whether it's an adult cat or a kitten. Things that include fleas, intestinal parasites, some of which can be transmitted to children and ear mites are possible things that they actually come with.

Even some other kind of mites sometimes too, so it's really important to come into the veterinary office first. Let us have a look at them and then let us help you get set up well so that you're set up for success. Some things that cats need specifically or they need, we really want you to get set up on some good scratching post habits. So we're going to help you figure out what the best way for that is, not so that we can avoid having to even have a conversation about declawing.

So we really never ever, ever want to declaw a cat if possible. What we'd like to do is find ways of setting up really good habits at home that kind of meet up with the needs of cats cause they do have special needs with the need to scratch things. So there's lots of things for behavior, there's certainly health issues and then nutrition. We're going to talk to you about what are some of the best diets for kittens and what we prefer and then anything specific for your family that we may need to address. And certainly ways of avoiding fleas or parasites in the future. So when you get a cat, adult cat or a kitten come in right away so we can have a conversation with you and set you up the best possible way.