When should you take a kitten to the vet for the first time?

My vet recommends a first visit when they are about 2 weeks old (whole family including mum), and second visit about 9 weeks for first vaccination. The dates vaccinations are given vary from place to place though. If you have just taken on a kitten, not had it from birth, then you should take it for a check up as soon as you can arrange it. Your vet can then check for any problems and vaccinate or tell you when to come back.

The cost will also vary a lot from place to place. I just paid £68 for vaccinations (total cost for 2 injections 3 weeks apart) and £25 for micro-chipping. Then there's neutering: I've had quotes for a female for between £60 and £120 (males are generally cheaper, neutering is a correct term for either sex, spaying is the operation for the female, castration the operation for the male. People tend to talk about neutering males rather than castration, I think because male humans are squeamish! It's actually a lesser operation than spay).

Mine are being seen at a private vet: you may have a charity vet clinic in your area that can vaccinate and chip more cheaply. Also check out local neutering schemes if you are on a low income. I'm actually getting my cats neutered free at my vets as they qualify as strays on a local charity scheme.

No such thing as a free kitten *G* They are expensive... however a cat with cat flu, or that gets lost, pregnant, injured in a fight or run over due to looking for a mate is more expensive. (My cat is an obviously pre-owned girl who I found lost, un-chipped, un-neutered and pregnant. She's now chipped, vaccinated and neutered. And I still have all 4 of her kittens too! Getting 5 of them sorted was not cheap even with the free neutering!)

Prices vary depending on which clinic you go to and where you live.

My clinic the prices are as follows:

1st visit - $40

FVRCP vaccine - $20 each - you will need a booster every 4 weeks until the cat is 16 weeks old.

Rabies vaccine - $20

Fecal floatation - $19.50 each - if your kitten has intestinal parasites, a follow up test will need to be done to make sure they are done

Dewormer - $20-40 - depends on which dewormer and how big the cat is.

FeLV/FIV/Heartworm test - $40 - especially important if the cat was outside at any point

rest of the visits - $35

spay/neuter - I paid $180 which included spay/preanesthetic blood work. neuters are less expensive. also my vet does take the vouchers from the humane society for $15 spay/neuters.

It's been awhile since I had a kitten, but I believe it was three rounds of shots, first one at 8 weeks old. It was around $30 each time, but I know vet fees can vary greatly from area to area and clinic to clinic so I would call around.

as soon as you take home

$45 up

eight weeks