Bringing a kitten into your family is exciting and a responsibility we are honored to help you with. At Ocean Avenue Veterinary Hospital, we keep visits calm and positive, and tailor timing and care to your kitten’s lifestyle and needs. Because one size does not fit all, we will personalize timing and treatments after we examine your kitten and discuss options that align with your situation, priorities, and budget.
At-a-Glance Schedule
A simple series to build strong immunity. If your kitten is starting late or has missed a dose, we will tailor a catch-up plan by age.
8 weeks
• FVRCP #1 (feline herpesvirus/rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia)
• Deworming and flea/tick prevention
• Fresh stool sample test available for screening
12 weeks
• FVRCP #2
• Feline Leukemia (FeLV) #1
• Deworming and flea/tick prevention
• Fresh stool sample or follow-up test available to check efficacy
16 weeks
• FVRCP #3 (final kitten booster; sometimes given at 18 to 20 weeks based on risk)
• FeLV #2
• Rabies (strongly recommended in San Francisco; required under California law for cats in many local jurisdictions)
• Deworming and flea/tick prevention available
5 to 6 months
• Spay/Neuter (add a microchip if not already placed)
12 months after the 16-week visit
• FVRCP booster (1-year)
• Rabies booster (per California law and product label)
• FeLV booster for at-risk cats
Notes:
• If you are starting late, we will design an age-based catch-up plan.
• Ask about split-visit vaccine appointments for additional safety or if your kitten has a history of vaccine sensitivity.
• Rabies is a core vaccine alongside FVRCP. While California law (CA Food and Agricultural Code Section 9001) mandates rabies vaccination for dogs, rabies vaccination is also strongly recommended for cats and required under some San Francisco municipal ordinances. We will advise based on your kitten’s lifestyle.
• FeLV vaccine is very important for protecting young kittens, especially those with any outdoor access or exposure to other cats in San Francisco.
• FeLV/FIV testing: We may test at intake and before or around the FeLV series when practical. Retest approximately 60 days after any possible exposure.
Parasites: What to Know
Intestinal parasites including roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and coccidia are common in kittens. Signs can include diarrhea, vomiting, a pot-bellied look, and poor growth. Kittens can pick them up from their mother before or after birth, from the environment, fleas, or prey.
Can parasites affect people? In some cases, yes. Good hygiene, regular deworming, and prompt litter clean-up help protect the whole family.
Deworming and Stool Sample Checks
• Deworming plan: every 2 weeks until approximately 12 weeks, then monthly until approximately 6 months. For adult cats: indoor cats need a yearly fecal; outdoor cats or hunters need a fecal every 3 months plus targeted deworming.
• Why stool tests? They find parasites even when no signs are present and confirm that treatment worked.
• First-year fecals: plan 2 to 4 tests at intake, after deworming, and again by 6 to 12 months.
• Consistent flea control helps prevent tapeworm infections.
Fleas and Ticks
San Francisco’s mild, year-round climate means fleas are active in every season and 12-month prevention is essential. The Western black-legged tick (Ixodes pacificus) is the primary Lyme disease vector in the Bay Area and is found in parks, trails, and green spaces. While cats are less commonly affected by tick-borne disease than dogs, outdoor and indoor/outdoor cats should be protected. Ask us about safe flea and tick prevention products appropriate for cats, as many dog products are toxic to cats.
Heartworm Advisory
Heartworm risk in California is lower than in other parts of the US but is increasing statewide. Cats can be infected and have no effective treatment, making prevention critical. If your kitten came from or you plan to travel to a heartworm-endemic area, ask us about monthly prevention. We will tailor our recommendation to your kitten’s lifestyle.
Home Hygiene Tips
• Scoop litter daily
• Wash hands after handling litter or soil
• Keep play areas clean
• Pregnant people should avoid litter box duty (Toxoplasma risk)
Grooming Basics (Low-Stress)
• Baths: Not usually needed for most kittens, but helpful for long-haired ones. Use kitten-safe shampoo, keep water away from ears and eyes, and keep first baths brief and positive.
• Brushing: Short sessions build trust and affection and prevent mats.
• Ears: Check weekly and clean only with vet-approved products.
• Nails: Trim small amounts often and reward calmly.
• Teeth: Start early with cat-safe toothpaste and a soft brush or finger brush.
Spay/Neuter: Why and When
Spaying and neutering helps prevent roaming, spraying, fighting, heat cycles, and certain reproductive diseases. We offer pre-anesthetic bloodwork to identify hidden issues early and improve safety and recovery.
San Francisco Municipal Code (Chapter 41B) requires all dogs and cats over 4 months to be spayed or neutered unless an unaltered animal permit is obtained from SF Animal Care and Control. We can help you understand your options and obligations.
• Recommended at 5 to 6 months (we may advise earlier or later in specific cases).
• Consider microchipping at the same visit. San Francisco strongly encourages microchipping for all cats.
• Home care: Pain control as prescribed, e-collar if needed, and activity restriction for 10 to 14 days. Monitor the incision and call if you see swelling, discharge, foul odor, or if your kitten will not eat.
Nutrition and Feeding
• Wet and dry balance: Cats have a low thirst drive. Including wet (canned) food supports hydration and urinary health, which is particularly important for reducing the risk of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). Offer balanced and measured portions of dry food to complement wet meals.
• Starting point: Aim for at least 50% high-quality canned kitten food and feed kitten-specific diets until 9 to 12 months.
• How to feed: Small, frequent meals for growing kittens. Introduce new foods gradually over 7 to 10 days. Provide fresh water and skip cow’s milk.
• Treats: Use sparingly, ideally no more than 10% of daily calories. Count treats in the total daily portion.
• Feeding targets: We will help you set daily calories and track body condition score at each visit.
• Slow feeders: Consider puzzle feeders or timed feeders for mental enrichment.
Bringing Your Kitten Home
• Start in one quiet room with litter, water, food, bed, and toys.
• Let curiosity lead. Open the carrier and allow voluntary exploration.
• Expand their world room by room over several days.
• Sit nearby, speak softly, and let them choose when to interact.
Introducing Your Kitten to Dogs, Cats, and Children
• Start with scent swaps: Exchange blankets and towels and feed on opposite sides of a closed door.
• First looks: Use a gate or carrier and keep dogs leashed. Short, calm sessions of 3 to 5 minutes.
• Watch body language: Pause if stress signs appear.
• Go slow: Gradually allow supervised room sharing. Provide vertical spaces for cats and separate resources including beds, litter, and food and water bowls.
• With children: Always supervise. Teach gentle petting and quiet voices.
Never force interactions. Short, positive sessions beat long, stressful ones. If tension persists, contact us for a tailored plan.
Kitten Gentling (Cooperative Care)
• Sessions of 30 to 60 seconds, once or twice per day: gently touch ears, gums, paws, tail, and collar or harness. Reward after each.
• Touch then treat. Stop before the kitten pulls away.
• Practice exam positions: chin-rest, stand, and side-lie.
• Carrier as safe den: Keep it out at home, add treats, and use pheromone spray before travel.
• Introduce surfaces and sounds calmly.
Goal: A kitten who opts in to handling.
Signs to pause: Flattened ears, tail swishing, crouching, growling or hissing, and swatting.
Play, Enrichment, and Safety
• Predatory play: Wands, toy mice, crinkle balls, and lasers (always end with a catch). Remove broken toys immediately.
• Avoid unsupervised string or ribbon as these are a foreign body risk.
• Climbing and scratching: Provide cat trees, vertical scratchers, and horizontal scratchers. In San Francisco apartments and condos, vertical space is especially valuable for indoor cats.
• Never use hands or feet as toys.
• Daily social play builds confidence.
Foreign Body Ingestion: Prevent and Act
Avoid: string, yarn, ribbon, hair ties, elastics, tinsel, thread and needles, small toy parts, and rubber bands.
Watch for: repeated vomiting, drooling, pawing at mouth, loss of appetite, lethargy, painful belly, and hiding.
Do not pull visible string. Call us immediately at (415) 586-5327. Do not induce vomiting unless advised.
Holiday and Household Hazards
Lilies (extremely toxic to cats and commonly found in Bay Area homes and gardens), essential oils and diffusers, human pain medications including acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen, onions and garlic, chocolate, xylitol (found in sugar-free products), open-flame candles, and marijuana and cannabis edibles (legal in California but toxic to pets). When in doubt, keep it out of reach and ask us.
Litter Box Success
• Use one box per cat plus one extra.
• Quiet location, away from food and water.
• Litter: Unscented, low-dust clumping litter for kittens 12 weeks and older. Non-clumping paper litter for younger kittens or homes with respiratory concerns.
• Depth: Start at approximately 2 to 3 cm (about 1 inch).
• Size and access: Box length should be at least 1.5 times your kitten’s body length. Use low entry and avoid covered boxes early on.
• Scoop daily and wash monthly.
• Training: Praise only. Move boxes gradually if needed.
Pregnancy Detection (Planned or Accidental)
Pregnancy in cats can be hard to confirm early via physical exam alone.
• Blood test: Positive approximately 25 to 30 days after mating.
• Ultrasound: Assesses pregnancy and viability from approximately 20 to 25 days. Timing and body condition affect accuracy.
• Radiographs: Best for fetal count once skeletons mineralize at 45 days or later.
If timing is unknown, we can plan a stepwise timeline with ultrasound around day 25 to 30 and radiographs around day 55, and discuss care options with you.
Low-Stress Vet Visits
• Use a sturdy top-opening carrier with familiar bedding.
• Leave the carrier out at home, add treats, and use pheromone spray 15 to 20 minutes before travel.
• Practice short car trips.
• Pre-visit medications such as gabapentin are available. Ask us if your cat is anxious and we will advise case-by-case, providing dosing to trial at home before the appointment if needed.
• Prefer to wait in your car? Let us know on arrival. Please note we have limited exam rooms and may not always be able to accommodate this immediately, but we will do our best to escort you to a cat-friendly room.
Family Consistency
• Use consistent cues and rules throughout the household.
• Supervise children and teach gentle handling.
• Keep training sessions short at 5 to 10 minutes and practice in different rooms to generalize behaviors across the home.
San Francisco and Bay Area Health Notes
• Upper respiratory disease (URD): Very common among cats in San Francisco, particularly in multi-cat households, shelters, and catteries. Signs include sneezing, nasal or eye discharge, and reduced appetite. Call us promptly if you notice these symptoms.
• Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and FIV: Both viruses are present in the Bay Area cat population, particularly among outdoor and stray cats. Testing at intake and before introducing new cats to the household is strongly recommended.
• Ringworm: A zoonotic skin fungus. Look for patchy hair loss or crusts. Treatable with medication and hygiene. Report to your household members as it can spread to people.
• Ear mites: Look for head-shaking, scratching, and dark debris in the ears. Easily treated once diagnosed.
• Outdoor and hunting risk: San Francisco has a significant feral and free-roaming cat population. Outdoor and indoor/outdoor cats face increased risk from fleas, ticks, bite wound abscesses, rodent exposures, and infectious disease. We will discuss appropriate prevention based on your cat’s lifestyle.
• Foxtails: A Bay Area-specific hazard in dry months. These grass awns can embed in paws, ears, nose, and skin. Check outdoor cats thoroughly after time in grassy areas, particularly in summer and fall.
• Toxoplasmosis: Cats can shed Toxoplasma gondii in their feces. This is a concern for pregnant people and immunocompromised household members. Pregnant individuals should avoid litter box duty and practice strict hand hygiene.
When to Contact Us
Call or text (415) 586-5327 if you notice poor appetite, repeated vomiting or diarrhea, sneezing or eye discharge, coughing or trouble breathing, lethargy, pain, or any change that worries you. Trust your instincts. Kittens can decline quickly. We are open 24/7. For after-hours pick-up (10 PM and later), call (650) 608-0802.
Pet Insurance
Pet insurance helps offset costs from accidents and illnesses. When comparing plans, review waiting periods, exclusions including pre-existing conditions, reimbursement percentage, annual and incident limits, and deductibles. Ask whether claims are direct-pay to the clinic or owner reimbursement, and about pre-approval for major procedures.
Examples available in the US include Trupanion, Healthy Paws, Figo, Embrace, and Nationwide. We are happy to discuss what to look for at your first visit. Many families also set aside a small monthly pet-care savings fund for unexpected expenses.
We are here to help every step of the way.
Contact Ocean Avenue Veterinary Hospital at (415) 586-5327 or oavhreception@gmail.com to schedule your kitten’s first visit and start on the path to a healthy, confident life together in San Francisco.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: The information provided in this guide is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every pet is unique. Always consult your veterinarian regarding your animal’s specific health condition before taking any action or changing their care routine. Ocean Avenue Veterinary Hospital is licensed by the California Veterinary Medical Board (CVMB). All vaccine protocols follow current AVMA and AAHA guidelines.