Five things to know before getting a kitten

[@MissMTurner]

By the way, my number one tip for kittens is to "gentle" them. Take 2 minutes EVERY SINGLE DAY and touch their ears, touch the paws, touch the face, touch paws, push gentle for the claws, etc. Do it every single day when they're young and they get used to it. This makes it easier to trim their nails, check their ears, or mouth, or pill them later in life.

[@sroycze9284]

I have a question!what would yiu suggest for someone getting a cat Just a month before exams?there is very little choice here, as the cat is feral and needs help immediately. also, what would you suggest for a 1.5 month old kitten (feral) in general ?

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

@S. R Bottle feeding and a gradual weaning onto kitten food.

[@denasharpe2393]

Thanks so much!!!❤

[@larsonfamilyhouse]

@@sroycze9284 The Kitten Lady yt channel has great tips for that, hope everything went well

[@sroycze9284]

@@larsonfamilyhouse sadly,the cat died.she was killed by a pack of dogs.I am getting a cat,however. one of my friends has 9 cats and four dogs,all rescues. one of the cats is not neutered and she gave birth to three tiniest kittens.i am getting one of them

[@VinePest]

Sir Lancelot is such a damn good-looking cat, it's unreal.

[@katachlizma]

This man is the Bob Ross of cats. I absolutely love him. As a long time lover of cats, I say EMBRACE the crazy kitten phase! It is precious. They run around all crazy and cute! Every plant knocked over, every glass of water, and even every vet bill... It's worth it!! 😻

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Too true!

[@denasharpe2393]

Absolutely kittens..so adorable!!!🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@karindickinson7993]

When our first two cats were kittens, they gave us wonderful everlasting memories. We rescued them from a riding stable. The owner lived at the other end of the town . She brought the two remaining kittens to this place and left them there. Our TRINE and JACKSON were just about 6 weeks old, poor liitle girls. At that time we had fancy wood-chip wallpaper . They loved the wallpaper when they were tiny : runnig up and down. JACKSON also loved to sleep in a bouquet of flowers from the garden. There she was, happily snoring away. And of course the wonderful CHRISTMAS TREE. We had to put a nail into the wall and tight the tree . We never ever regretted this time. It still makes our heart jump for joy and happiness. We still love you TRINE and JACKSON (named after Sir Charles Jackson, book about silver hallmarks)💖🐈🐱💖

[@katachlizma]

@@karindickinson7993 Aww!! 💕 Such a great rescue story. My dad once rescued a kitten left for dead on the side of the highway in Wichita Kansas, when I was about 5 years old. He was my cat's and my hero, of course. That cat lived to be 21!

[@karindickinson7993]

@@katachlizma that's wonderful !!! And they will always be in your heart and be with you. Where ever you go, they are with you. Open your heart and let your wonderful memories out. Bless you.

[@msspentyouth]

Y’all are the best. I’ve had kitty companions my entire life but didn’t know 1% of what I’ve learned from Helpful Vancouver Vet’s KZbin channel. Endless gratitude to you for helping me be a better family member with my kitties. 🐾🐾

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Glad to hear it. I hope your comment encourages people to seek education (and sign up for my webinar/course).

[@denasharpe2393]

Thank you so very very much!! How is your eye injury healing??? I seem to have a formerly feral female who was maybe 3/ 4mo old and l found her under a male crying one nite after l had fed her outside!! About 3 days later she came into stay..until she went into heat and ran out for 4days and l missed her so much!!

[@utsutsu123]

heres something that i wish someone had taught me before getting my cat as a kitten: desensitize your kitten to a lot of things they may be exposed to during their life, especially as they get older and lose mobility or get sick, such as being in the carrier, car rides, taking medication, nail clipping, wiping their fur and tooth brushing, for example my cat is healthy now, but was going through a pretty rough patch recently.. the frequent car rides & daily medications were stressing him out so badly and making things worse, i felt like i had failed him... dont make the same mistake :(

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

This is an absolutely fantastic tip! Race horses are trained from a young age to have their teeth and hooves handled, but for some reason we forget to do this with our pets! I always tell my clients that "There should be no part of your pet that is off limits to you". Especially important to handle their feet and nails, gums, ears, and to get them used to accepting oral medications (as treats of course).

[@garykubiak]

Great tips! I will add to this to make sure you get a flea comb ahead of time and check your kitten for signs of fleas before taking them home. I learned this the hard way. 😢

[@ats-nj5hr]

Lancelot's voice is so beautiful! Such a big, fluffy old boy.

[@amulango1995]

About accepting sleep deprivation with kittens: Last summer I found a very sweet tortoise colored girl in our communal entrance hallway. Since I have already had a cat, I brought her to my sister to another city. She is now 10 month old, vaccinated, spayed and very energetic. But an amazing thing about her is from the very beginning she always went to sleep with people. Once lights are off, she goes to her place, lays down and falls asleep. Of course, she is happy when someone goes to the toilet in the middle of the night and tries to play with this person, but she doesn’t bother them when they go back to sleep. Such a good girl

[@TheNadinucca]

My mother adopted a kitten from a pet shop that collaborates with shelters. A shelter took in his entire litter and they all got adopted out except him. He ended up spending two weeks alone there (the people at the shop really pampered him, though!). During the first few weeks at home, he would fall asleep at around 9 and sleep right through the night! Poor baby, that was when the pet shop closed! After some time, though, he started to get active and play with my mom's other cat at night. Now they drive her crazy, lol.

[@amulango1995]

@@TheNadinucca lol the other cat spoiled him😂

[@nuthinbutlove]

That's wonderful!

[@herb_rolls]

The pricing is real! We had an emergency clinic beside my house and I was forced to go there because I didn't have a vehicle. The exam was veryyy cheap but I knew something was up when they immediately tried to pressure me into extremely invasive procedures and an assortment of shots. Ended up getting a second opinion at another vet and they saved my cat's life! The other clinic made me actually cry but shouted in the middle of the waiting room that my cat had cancer, turns out she has an autoimmune disease that is extremely manageable and non-life-threatening! Cost is always a great thing to pay attention to.

[@bebbo]

These videos are therapy i swear

[@DustyMusician]

Hi Lancelot!

[@bratsmom6749]

I just rescued a senior cat who was terrified of everything. She is 4-paw declawed (I have never done such a thing to a cat!). She trusts me now, but it's been a long haul. I'm determined to give her a long, healthy, happy life. She's very sweet! 😻

[@LilyFields-l4h]

I swear declawing is the most cruel thing ever… and all 4 paws!? How do they itch themselves!?

[@crownprincesebastianjohano7069]

Sir Lancelot is such a charming fellow!

[@limiv5272]

I would really appreciate a more detailed video on how to pick a veterinarian. There must be some specific questions that one can ask or things to notice about the vet and the facility.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Definitely in the works. I'll be talking about this in my webinar as well.

[@Spikypotato.]

This is so difficult, to find a good vet in a small city🙈 and the pets hate to travel to any bigger city with more vets to choose from.. last time we took our cat to the vet she wouldn’t even check her butt since ”only dogs need their anal glands emptied”. She also sedated our dear cat for dental cleaning and gave us no advice at all, resulting in us having to call an online vet late that evening to check if she is ok since we couldn’t wake her up 🙈🙈 not going back there.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

@H N The struggle is real. Even in a big city, finding a veterinarian who is a competent doctor and communicator is a challenge.

[@andreah6379]

@@Spikypotato. This is my major problem, too where I live. It's so damn frustrating to find out that some supposed professional vet doesn't really give a damn. Mine is a long, sad story. But I learned. I aspire to finding someone even 1/2 passionate about clients' pets as Doc Uri. I hope you find yours.

[@MissyQ12345]

I'm sorry, andrea. My sister and I have had some sad stories as well. 😓

[@MissyQ12345]

I choose to keep my two boy cats indoors only. I'm glad you don't judge those of us who choose this life. My boys are happy, and we play all the time. My house looks like kitty city with trees and toys and tunnels!!

[@przytulanka1979]

We need more veterinarians like you, doctor!

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Well, I have a heck of a time getting vets to join my internship program even though the veterinarians I train both earn more money and kill fewer patients after 1 year than most of their colleagues will 10 years into their careers. Maybe some of them will see this comment and think "Hmmm... I really do want to actually be good at my job" and reach out to me :-). You can tell I'm more than a little frustrated by my professional colleagues :p.

[@katekelley1533]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet do you have a way we can look up former students of yours to see if they are practicing near us?

[@Look_look_at_my_cats]

4:05 that little meow! Sounds like a duck quacking lol!!

[@Runoratsu]

A friend of mine is just finishing her vet training, and it‘s CRAZY regulated here in Germany. It was basically the same as a human doctor‘s education-a multi-year university degree with TONS of theory and multiple practical phases, just with a focus on all sorts of animals instead of humans.

[@simplystreeptacular]

....yes, that's what any good vet school will be like in most Western countries.

[@Runoratsu]

@@simplystreeptacular Contrary to what was said in the video, then.

[@Runoratsu]

@@simplystreeptacular (Watch from 7:00)

[@simplystreeptacular]

@@Runoratsu I said *good* vet school....

[@Runoratsu]

@@simplystreeptacular ok, here, this is simply _required_ for you to be able to call yourself a veterinarian and have a vet’s office. Of course there’s better unis and worse ones, but there’s no shortcut.

[@sarahschouveller1993]

I am SO LUCKY that the veterinarian near me is also amazing! Unfortunately, they're also pricey, but that's ok. Good vets aren't cheap and cheap vets aren't good!

[@PennySue]

Tip for kittens playing at 3am.....wear them out right before you go to bed. Playtime will make a difference. Playing with them with feather wand toys can get them wound up during playtime then when they are worn out, hurry and go get a few hours of sleep! 🤣 Works for me!!

[@deed5811]

Laser pointers and shoe string chasing have worked well for me. Yes, I buy shoe strings for my cats!

[@donnabaardsen5372]

When my soon to be four Siamese girl was a kitten, I started training her. We'd play all the time except for at bedtime. She discovered the difference very quickly, because I ignored her from bedtime until morning. It didn't happen overnight, but it worked. Then at five months she was spayed, and that calmed her right down. Still playful, but the crazies were gone. Now as an adult cat, she knows there's no playing after 11 pm. She'll try every so often though. Cat's are smart, can be trained, it just takes a lot of love, and patience. Just make sure to give them lots of it, just not during OUR bedtime. By the way, this works exactly the same for human babies/little ones😸🤗

[@sarahschouveller1993]

Mine do intense play, then their soft food, then my bedtime. It works great so long as I give em some dry food ahead of time for the morning 🤣

[@jennie9]

@@deed5811 I have shoe strings for my cats, too, but what they really love are elastic strings - the ones that you use when making clothes, NOT elastic bands. They're sturdy, can be cut to any length and the stretching adds another dimension to the play.

[@reginaromsey]

Get two kittens preferably siblings! They will be toys for each other. Then I recommend a tunnel. Endless amusement for you and fun for them.

[@Verballygreeky416]

💯 best idea. Two kittens typically don't cost that significantly more than one and it is so good for them socially. And unlike dogs, there's no worries of littermate syndrome.

[@lornarettig3215]

I second the tunnel idea! My cat is 12 and still finds it funny to pounce from the tunnel 😸

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

I agree, cats should come in twos!

[@casbot71]

I got my dog [my avatar is my previous dog] a kitten of the same breed and gender as the cat he grew up with in his original household (male tabby), who they touched noses with through the bars of the cage at a pet supply store (they host RSPCA shelter cats as well) … and then they told me the kitten with him was his brother. _So now I have two cats,_ and their dog dad loves watching them playfight with a look that can best be described as "my boys are strong". They all go rat hunting together as a pack - I live a few doors up from a food market, I really should charge them for pest control. But seeing the difference in psychological health of my two cats compared to single cat households I know is obvious, *I don't have a single scratch on me.* Of course I now have cats that sniff each other's butts cause they were raised by a dog …

[@casbot71]

@Michele Maliano I've got Brothers and they get on great as _they have separate stuff._ I got two litter trays after getting advice on how to stop the anxious one from going elsewhere when I had a single litter tray (I kept them indoors as kittens, with only being allowed out on harnesses and leads, until grown). I had just assumed they would share, until a hat getting wee'd on brought it to my attention. They have their own food bowls and so on, and tend to have their own favourite spots. But they play and playfight together and groom each other … and hunt mice together. It's like siblings having separate bedrooms.

[@chorizo2115]

Lancelot is the bestest co-host! 😍

[@Asya_msc]

Hello my favorite youtuber and beautiful old cat 💛

[@karindickinson7993]

The first cats we had were sisters. As kittens they were perfectly fine with each other, growing older there were from time to time problems . The fights were not really severe, but I wished for more cuddly times together. But the two girls were happily waiting together looking out of the window waiting for us to come home from work.. They possesed the whole house : 6 rooms, beds, sofas, wide window sills from where they were overlooking the garden: birds, cats, spuirrels you name. We still love you , little girls. 💖🐅🐈💖 You were wonderful girls. 💖🐈🐅💖

[@Sashazur]

Same for us, we got two sisters too. As kittens they loved each other and always snuggled up, but they became less affectionate as they aged, and around 5 or 6 years old they started fighting sometimes, though it’s never very severe - in fact sometimes we think it’s just heavy duty playing.

[@karindickinson7993]

@@Sashazur good to hear, that it was not only us. Maybe if they would have been a boy and a girl, maybe they would have been softer with each other. 💓🐅🐈💕

[@denasharpe2393]

Surely understand that!! They live in your heart forever!!!❤❤❤

[@kesorangutan6170]

I'm late to the video but for those who don't know, Lancelot is a very handsome cat who's also a hero. Watch the video about him!

[@DElyMyth]

About kittens being more energetic and eventually growing out of waking you up in the middle of the night... I have an 11 years old cat that didn't get the memo... She plays with pretty much everything that moves, prefers things that make noise, sleeps less than me (and I sleep 7 hours per night)... She never grew out of kitten phase 😂

[@bridgetdavlin4771]

Sir Lancelot likes the sound of your voice

[@nartyteek]

You are SO CORRECT about that pricing structure. My main vet costs a bit more for exam costs, but every time I've gone to my backup vet for urgent care, everything but the exam fee has cost waaaay more. Their bills have taken me aback pretty much every time. I don't have any kittens, but thanks for the throwback to when my old cat gave me giardia or something like that. It was a long time ago, but I'll never forget how nasty that time was.

[@donnabaardsen5372]

What is giardia?

[@nartyteek]

@@donnabaardsen5372 It's the parasite that usually gives you diarrhea when you travel, from fecal-oral transmission.

[@nannybannany]

@@donnabaardsen5372 It's a parasite and causes pretty bad diarrhea (for animals and humans).

[@Verballygreeky416]

As a current veterinary student and former vet tech, I personally would be more apt to try to educate clients to have their cats indoors for both safety and environmental reasons. Definitely my FIV+ boy was not going back outdoors after I decided to adopt him. And he's been just fine with the lifestyle change. I do come across a lot of people in Missouri, even vets, who have outdoor cats so the information on age is definitely interesting to take note of.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

This is a topic with no clear right or wrong answer. I suggest you look up the literature around the indoor vs outdoor from an animal welfare perspective. I feel that the ethical arguments are quite well balanced.

[@annettesmith472]

Agree. We are seeing laws changing all the time in Australia around outdoor cats and suspect it won’t be long before roaming cats are a thing of the past here. Mine are all indoors with two cat runs off the windows. Picked up too many flat cats off the road from the colony down the road to have an outdoor cat.

[@simplystreeptacular]

I'm a vet nurse who has worked in both the US and the UK and the difference in perspectives is fascinating - the UK encourages letting cats outside, whereas the US almost invariably recommends keeping them indoors unless they're barn cats. I can see both sides of the argument and would say it depends heavily on the individual cat. I would also point out, however, that the UK is almost entirely major-predator free, whereas the US has wolves, coyotes, bears, mountain lions, venomous snakes, etc. My cat is strictly indoors but that's mostly for medical reasons - there isn't really a right answer as Dr Uri said, but I would say be aware of your environment (and cat!) and adjust accordingly.

[@ikilledthemessenger]

In the us, we routinely have pit bull and other high prey drive/aggressive dogs kill and maim outdoor cats. They also die often due to ingesting poisoned rats and mice.

[@UmbreonLuv1]

I know from what I've seen, most vets in the US recommend keeping cats indoors unless you harness/leash train them or build an outdoor enclosure. Free roam cats are more likely to run away, get killed or injured by cars, animals (even dogs or other outdoor cats), and humans who hate feral or outdoor cats, or get into dangerous stuff like toxic plants or garbage. Not to mention they get more parasites and fleas/ticks unless you regularly treat them. To me, I see it as more expensive health wise so the owner can be lazy with their enrichment. Indoor cats on average also live longer, so keeping them inside should save you on vet bills and they're more likely to live longer. Sure you have to buy more in enrichment like toys and trees, but I'd rather spend $100 once for a good cat tree than $100 or more for regular treatment and possible injury

[@PghFlip]

Sir Lancelot, such a handsome and regal boy! =^_^=

[@catnotfat2707]

This youtuber is incredible, the advice also helps loads, thanks!

[@PennySue]

Thank you so much for the video and Sir Lancelot is so handsome!❣🐾❤

[@larsonfamilyhouse]

Best tip is to get two so they can play with each other and keep each other company and be friends. It’s less stressful for other animals already in the house and for you if you get two. Plus they’re so much fun to watch play together for many years to come. We like barely watch tv anymore and just watch the cats play instead:)

[@ioanalazar2114]

I love my vet. She was not the best but she is young and willing to inform herself on things that are new to her. She also permits me to bring my cat in a leash because I trained her from a young age.

[@anonview]

Thank you for this! Our rescue cat gave birth about a month ago. (She knocked out our window screen before we could have her spayed.) Every little kitten care tip helps.

[@annkadish9503]

Just one more suggestion… find a vet through your friends who specifically have cats. The vets I’ve gone to have “specialized” with felines and were clearly fond of cats on top of that. One of them used to stop in to say hi - to my cat more then me - whenever we were there for an appointment, even when it was with one of their colleagues.

[@Sashazur]

Our town has a cat-specific vet and he was great - saw our sick cat a few days before Xmas and he even called us on Xmas day to follow up and see how she was doing! No doctor for humans would ever do that.

[@andreah6379]

Wow. I am speechless. Uri, a great, big, THANK YOU! While I don't have a kitten/cat right now, the best thing for any new guardian is a healthy, comprehensive feline education. Your videos exceed that! Item 2 is my primary dilemma where I live. I won't rush into being a kitty guardian without feeling secure about my vet's competency level. You are the best! All your kitty companions agree. Re: Indoor vs outdoor cat, my neighbor was bent on letting her Maine Coon roam outside. She had the cat for only a few years. Now, I never see him. To me, there are just too many unknown things that can go wrong outdoors.

[@ixelism]

My kittens are 5 months. This is super useful

[@parodox1015]

Squish the cat

[@womanofacertainage5892]

THANK YOU for speaking to the worm issue. My kitten was dewormed BUT still had a HORRIBLE case of worms. (He was found on the streets, so did not come from a breeder, either.). And this is so gross, but the kitten was sleeping with me in my bed, right up around my face and head, and I started seeing the little worms in my bed and that's when I realized he still had worms. ICK!! We got it handled but yikes! So yes, make sure they are dewormed a few times. He also had giardia, so we had to medicate for that and it took a pretty long time to get him cured. He was still a terror though. LOL! It did not effect his energy level.

[@chorizo2115]

A video on how you would approach choosing a vet would be so insightful 🙏

[@claudiarusso6702]

So nice to see Lancelot lead the discussion on kitten care! Hi Lancelot!! You look so handsome, what a gorgeous face! He is just lapping up all the love!! Beautiful 🥰😻Thank you Dr. Uri for this very informative video. I've always gotten my cats as kittens and there trying moments but all fun and loving!!My rescue Angie is a different story but we got thru the ruckus with love, patience and prayers. I was not giving up on this kitty or rehoming her. Once in love, always in love!!!😻 But knowledge, your videos, love, patience, determination and yes, prayers!!! All helped. ☺️Thank you again, my prayers to Ukraine, a very beautiful country and the bravest person ever.🙏

[@ShadYYZ]

TY Dr. Uri. Love from Toronto from Indy and Peach my two sweethearts.

[@sirBrouwer]

A other tip with about any pet you are thinking of adopting. Question your self if you are quite sure you can take care of them for there entire life. (from feeding, grooming, exercising, medical check-ups and treatments.) but also that if you are not capable at a later point to do any of them for any reason. Take care that there is someone that might be able to do so and involve them before that point in the life of your pet. It's your pet from the moment you choose to adopt and until it dies it's your responsibility for a good life. if you are not sure please do not adopt. how sad that might sound.

[@sharpcanines3347]

Thank you so much for educating us.

[@wombat.6652]

Thank you ! Excellent advice as always. When I first had a young rottweiler ( I know this is about cats ) I asked if she could just practice sitting in the waiting room. 1- they were fine with that, 2- to get her used to the place - 3 to listen to the staff answering questions about other animals. I hope this idea might help someone else, You could do it with a cat -its a bit harder, but it could help you choose a good vet.* i adopt older cats.

[@simplystreeptacular]

The first rule of dealing with kittens is to worm your kitten. "But she was wormed last w-" Don't care. "But she's been indoors her whole li-" Don't care. When in doubt, WORM YOUR KITTEN!! Fabulous video as always Dr Uri - I've been in this game for ten years and practiced on three continents and I still always learn something new from your channel!!

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

So true! Thank you for the kind words.

[@MissMTurner]

My orange Siberian girl is so fluffy, her nickname is The FLÖÖF. She still gets annoyed that I brush her. I remind her being fluffy and beautiful takes upkeep. 😆

[@sarahschouveller1993]

My diluted orange half-Siberian boy Zephyr's nickname as a kitten was Baby Floof 🤣🤣 he also gets annoyed by grooming.

[@dongato6838]

16:27 - Lancelot’s cotton candy impersonation! 😹😹😹

[@whiteacedia]

Thank you, Dr. Yuri, for this amazing advice! I hope that more people find this video and that your advice helps them with their kittens!

[@carlaferong682]

I enjoy listening to you give advice on all aspects. You're informative and honest. I feel like I'm listening to my neighbor or best friend. Thanks for your videos!😊

[@dellybird5394]

Each of my cats have widely different toy/play preferences. The younger cat loves chasing plastic springs, she'll even fetch them! She will almost never touch soft toys. The older cat loves soft toys. She'll carry them around while meowing and bring them up to my bed. She also pays more attention to screens and loves playing phone games It's interesting how different their preferences and play styles are

[@MissyQ12345]

I learned a long time ago when my Chick had cat acne that you should put food and water in glass bowls, not plastic. My understanding is that plastic is very germy and doesn't clean as well as glass. I could be wrong, but it worked for my little Chick. I think it works for people as well. 🤗

[@alisonjetmar7437]

Hugs to Sir "L". Handsome boy! Am now a mommy to a Siberian kitten - " Flavio". This makes 3 cats for me} a 15 yr old DSH; a 4 yr old female Savannah - and the kitten. I appreciate your discussion as to determining a competent vet. I took my senior to a specialist to get a 2nd opinion on a clinic's diagnosis of early-stage KD. Expensive but worth having board certified specialists do tests and provide more guidance. My new kitten "Flavio" I'm taking to a practice that is regarded highly by many cat/dog/animal owners. I appreciate having choices for me and my pets. Listening to your discussion about worms in kittens; wondering if that is "Flavio's" though the breeder wormed him. Am bringing stool sample of all cats keeping in mind worms are easily transmitted. This boy "Flavio" - he can eat! Three times a day this 4 month old polishes off a can and a half (3.5 oz) of RC - Mother & Baby kitten food plus rationed amounts of accompanying dry kitten food. He has big feet and the breeder predicts a 20 - 25 lb. cat. I understand from researching and meeting his parents that these are two armfuls of cat! He's large for a kitten and has a wonderful clownish personality. It's a week now that we all are learning about him and each other - at this point all cats remain in the same room - tolerance is coming along nicely. The Savannah remains the holdout growling and hissing but very curious; Flavio is eager to engage in play. Would enjoy hearing more discussion re: choosing a Vet. Thank you for your great topics and knowledge!

[@Mike-pr8hx]

Hello Sir Lancelot, Claudia, and Mr. Pirate. :) I'm still adjusting to the loss of my 15 year old cat, Cosmo. I will adopt a couple fur buddies again, a bonded pair if you will. Thank you for your continued support of the caring kitty lovers community.

[@womanofacertainage5892]

I'm so sorry for the loss of Cosmo. I bet Cosmo was so lucky to have you -- and you, to have loved Cosmo. Your new kitties will be lucky, too!

[@SevCaswell]

I am registered with a chain vet that is embeded in a pet store here in the UK. I get reduced cost checkups, vaccines and parasite control, and the vets are excellent. 2 of my cats have suffered with long term issues, one had age related kidney failure and the other had a neurological issue that resulted in balance issues and eventually seizures. I was only once overcharged, and that was by a new vet who wasn't aware of the issue with my second cat and decided to do a full exam on her when that wasn't necessary. The only issue is that they don;t provide 24hr care, but they are partnered with a nearby vet hospital that they can refer complex cases to. This happened with my 3.5 year old who suffered actue kidney failure, likely due to anti-freeze, and he needed 'round the clock care and monitoring (it was ultimately unsucessful).

[@anglerfish4161]

Lancey's floof spikes at the end cracked me up 😆

[@Thatgirl1973]

Geez, can we just clone you and have you stationed everywhere!? At least North Florida. ❤❤❤ I am very jealous of your clients.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Aww thank you! I try to clone myself bytraining interns, but it is so difficult to find vets willing to get the training they need!

[@mariannepilgaard2524]

Yay! New video, so helpful as always

[@Nitaka12]

That cat is beautiful

[@jeangenie5179]

yes, please do a video on how to know if your vet is a good one; I need to know this for my fur babies🐈‍⬛💗

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

It's not too late to join me for the webinar. I can be a lot more frank in person than in videos.

[@jeangenie5179]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet oh, thx for the tip. How do I join?

[@SamTahbou]

We've had a bad experience with a vet during the pandemic lockdowns, he was both the doctor and owner, he was rude to my wife, he told us one thing and did another, and worst of all he injured out skittish cat and misdiagnosed her asthma. Later on he nearly resulted in the death of our friend's cat, luckily she made it to a hospital but that of course cost a fortune and the trauma to the cat was immense. When our other cat was having a renewed episode with his kidneys, his regular vet could not take him in, so I went with some friend's recommendations and found a new vet. They have been great ever since. Although my biggest tip to anyone is to look into let insurance.

[@marawatson6257]

I love Sir Lancelot's colouring especially his black nose, what a handsome boy. Are cats happy if they're an "only child" ?

[@paulschottke948]

Thank you for all the Advice, i really learned a lot from you. I hope you can keep doing this for a long time to come, because there is always something new to learn.

[@mirza1785]

I would love to see a video about what’s the best and healthiest cat food brands.

[@sarahschouveller1993]

Yes and the specific formulas within those brands that are stand-outs. Like for urinary health or senior nutrition or weight control, etc. categories like that

[@PCLHH]

I am already doing all of these awesome tips, including puzzle feeders. However my cat just loves to chew on rubber and silicone, when she gets to it. I bought her pencil-thick chew-sticks from the dog department and she loves them, but she still prefer rubber. Gladly she doesn't chew on electiric wires or other plastics.

[@Kleyguerth]

7:12 Just wanted to say that in Brazil, there is a government agency that regulates veterinarians!

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

There are several in all countries, but that doesn't mean any of them are that effective.

[@zero_bs_tolerance8646]

Thanks, Doc.

[@sherribrody5456]

I'd like to add a few things. First, start clipping your cat's toe nails when they are very young so they get used to it. This will save you a lot of blood down the line. Second, if your kitten is an only cat, it will be tempting to tussle with them with your hands and let them attack your hands. Bad idea. Just trust me on that. As they grow up, you can anticipate a lot of random and relentless attacks on your hands and arms with a lot of blood letting. People will think you are a drug addict with track marks or that you cut yourself, or that you routinely climb into rose bushes with thorns. Just use interactive toys. And finally, make sure you carry your camera around the house with you at all times. Because even when you're using the bathroom, you will want to get videos of your kitten chasing its tail in the bathtub, or bringing you its favorite toy and dropping it at your feet. You might pass out from the cuteness, but if you watch the video of it later, you might be able to stand it without passing out. :)

[@sarahschouveller1993]

I wholeheartedly agree with all of this ❤

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Excellent advice all around!

[@Kjll3rUnjc0rn5]

Thanks from the USA you rock!

[@reginaromsey]

I prefer not to provide my psychiatrist extra work by the anxiety caused when my cat doesn’t come home ! There are critters around my urban home that are known to snack on cats, or just treat them as fun chew toys! Micro chip kitty. If they are lost you have a chance of bringing them home!

[@MagnoliaPantherWoman]

I'm so glad you mentioned the quality including the Humane Society. That's where I'm going with my new cat.

[@LilyFields-l4h]

I don’t spay or neuter my cats but I watch them as they go outside. If they seem to like a cat, I keep them away. But I haven’t had to and it’s gone well for me.

[@albertinemangercats8349]

Oh the sleep deprivation! Not in the middle of the night but every morning 5 am, like an alarm clock. Luckily daylight savings is next week and 5 will be called 6 so a lot closer to my regular alarm, but 3 months with 5-6 hours of sleep are tiring but still worth it, because the cats are very sweet and cuddly.

[@Loki-and-Thor]

Don’t count on it! As sunrise gets earlier kitty will get up earlier! My oldest cat is 2 and my kitten is almost 10 months old and I haven’t needed an alarm in 2 years. The oldest did calm down with the early morning wake up calls when he was about a year old and came to wake me at 6:30/7am for breakfast. We feed them their last small meal at midnight which does help them sleep through the night a bit better. As you say, their cuteness and love makes up for all the lost sleep.

[@joannaedwards6325]

Gave my Mookie her own room so I get all the sleep I like and she doesn't seem to be lonely or resentful about her isolation. Also, since she is a non affectionate kitty, when I open her door in the morning she's so glad to see me she gives me a whole 2 min. of love and affectionate kuddling. Not nearly as much as I'd like but she gets her own way all the time. So 2 minutes is better than nothing.

[@re-tw6nh]

isn’t this guy the squish that cat guy

[@PennySue]

Yes indeed!! Love him!!

[@bettyng9880]

How did you keep Sir Lancelot so compliant for so long??? Kudos

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Chin scratches and squishing.

[@MagnoliaPantherWoman]

This is perfect, my new cat has long hair. He's grooming it well, but I'm prepared to help.

[@nannybannany]

After we got our kittens from the rescue we ended up taking them for their follow-up appointments to a vet 45 mins away because I didn't know any of the local vets well enough yet but I knew that vet and their practice. Our rescue also gave us a list of suggested vets and ones to avoid based on their experiences which was a helpful place for us to start when looking for a local vet. Also: The local vet we did choose even has an online tour of the facility (introduced through COVID times) so you can see the practice before deciding if you want to get to know them more and you can request an appointment online which is also so nice.

[@ElizabethJones-pv3sj]

I find it amazing that people think a kitten sleeping all the time isn't a red flag. By the time you get a pet kitten it's not a baby anymore, his/her mum dealt with the newborn phase when they sleep all the time, what you've got now at 8-12 weeks (when kittens are usually adopted) is the cat equivalent of a preschooler/school kid. If someone said 'my 4 year old sleeps all day' my immediate response would be 'What does the doctor think is causing that?' Also I was always told the 6 months desexing operation was just to make the vet's life easier because it's just harder to operate on a tiny kitten. Here the rspca do desex kittens before they are adopted but I assumed that was a compromise to make sure it's going to happen and not get forgotten.

[@resourcedragon]

That's interesting. I've seen some other videos that completely condemn the idea of outdoor cats. My own cat is indoor/outdoor, for the most part she chooses where she wants to be.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

There is a lot of activism on this topic. I approach it from an animal welfare perspective not an activist perspective and there are definitely pros and cons to both lifestyles.

[@donnabaardsen5372]

Your channel is the best. I'm learning so much about being the best cat mom possible. My girl, a Siamese mix of almost four, is a treasure. Very loving; moreso as she gets older. She was a real scamp as a kitten, until she was spayed at around five months. That calmed her right down. She was born of a feral mother/barn cat. Consequently, she has a congenital virus that causes chronic dental/oral problems. Once a year, she must have deep teeth cleaning's. Very expensive. On top of this, she now also has chronic cystitis, which requires very expensive Royal Canin Urinary food: $45.00 per six lb. bag, and Meloxicam as needed for pain! I'm very worried about present and future expenses accordingly. We love each other dearly, so there's no question about keeping her. Does anyone here have suggestions about how to keep her conditions, and expenses under control?

[@casbot71]

Start *scratching their bellies* from day one as a part of patting and play, so they don't develop _" touch my belly and die"_ attitude. My now full grown cats (brothers) love belly rubs and not only purr loudly when getting them, they will flop in front of me and expose their bellies for rubs 'in a wanton fashion'. Oh and if they ever do claw you as a kitten, correct them! A quick slap on their paw and a strongly worded _No!_ will let them know not to do that … and they understand and learn. *I don't have a single scratch on me.* Of course sometimes I'm trapped having to use both hands and a foot to rub two cat bellies and their dog dad's belly simultaneously.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Solid advice

[@sarahschouveller1993]

Yeah I think it's also important to respect their boundaries a bit too. I always included belly pets with my cats as part of being pet in general. But some people do it too much/too long/too roughly and the cats freak out and claw them. And then they get mad. But it's like, don't blame the cat. If I was being over stimulated by a creature ten times my size, I'd probably attack too!

[@MagnoliaPantherWoman]

An example of two very different vets in one small town. One office had a vet that could identify what's wrong by exam only, then only used tests as needed. She was right every time. The other office had a screaming dog in the back and nobody responding. It felt horrific.

[@nikolinagarvanska7369]

Very helpful video again :) thank you :)

[@Zinfrared]

I’ve found clinics that charge more for exams have more equipment on site and charge less for labs because they only order the tests they need at the moment. If a vet clinic doesn’t run basic labs on site, skip them for one that does.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

You make a good first point but I don't agree with the second. In house labs are inferior to reference laboratory unless you are in a remote area where the turnaround time on tests is >24 hrs

[@Zinfrared]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet You don’t have to be in a remote area to have long turn around times, I’ve had such a vet in Burlington Ontario. I paid $300 for full labs, then they forget to tell me to fast my cat so $300 again for the full set, then when fasted her blood sugar was normal so she was fine and just wasted $600. I’ll never set foot in a vet that doesn’t do basic labs on site after that experience. Both vets I’ve had with in house labs since charge $150-180 for labs and haven’t yanked me around like that.

[@ScaricoOleoso]

Some mammals do hatch (looking at you, monotremes). But they still drink mother's milk and get the immune joy. 🤓

[@mananabanana]

Hi doc, thanks for the really helpful video. What are your views about outdoor cat mediated wildlife loss? Especially with birds.

[@Verballygreeky416]

By the way, what would you recommend as far as FIV/FELV testing as far as age & how many times? I've heard different things, although I usually just default to AAFP recommendations. Does Canada do FELV vaccination and would you recommend to outdoors cat owners?

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Its complicated. Topic for a full video. Falling back on AAFP reccs. is a sound default position. We do vaccinate for FeLV. Nobody in their right mind vaccinates for FIV.

[@vernabryant2894]

I had to rescue 2 kittens.Then 2 years later an old sick momma cat had kittens.I had to bring them inside my house because they kept crawling up into my car.One got killed so I brought the other 2 inside.They are 9 months old now.

[@katekelley1533]

I'd really love a more in depth video on selecting a vet, we looked up a well reviewed one and have driven to it, I didn't know how unreliable that could be.

[@getoffmydarnlawn]

Even within a vet practice you will find doctors with varying bedside manners, levels of patience and specialties. My vet practice has all good doctors and I didn't specifically request one until I happened on Dr. S who is patient in answering my questions and seems to have a particulary good chemistry with Otto (he's a cat owner himself), now he is his official doc. Prepare questions in advance of your vet visit, whether you write them on paper or text them to yourself. I hate it when I get home and I forgot to ask something when I had face to face time with the vet. I think this is especially important for kittens and geriatric cats at opposite end of the age spectrum. Dental maintenance. Just please start early. And finally --- let your cat be who he or she is. You might get a cat with preconceived notions on how they will behave, how they give and receive affection, where they sleep (not all cats are going to snuggle your neck at night), etc. They're individuals with their own personalities and quirks.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

So true! You should be a guest speaker 🙂

[@Lol78209]

Hi Dr Uri ! I hope you get to see this, I just have a very quick question… I work quite a bit (8:30-5 Monday to Friday) I would love to get a rescue cat that has previously always been a house cat. I don’t want a kitten because in my opinion it’s cruel to keep a kitten inside all day. My friend has done this with two kittens and the poor cats are obviously under stimulated. However with an older cat that has never known any different I felt this would be okay. Growing up I always had cats, my two babies are still back at my mums, she lives very remote and the cats are very free to roam. I would feel very guilty keeping a cat in doors, but I live beside a road so a cat would likely get run over :( So my question is … should I feel guilty about keeping a cat in doors, even if that’s all it’s known. Thank you ! Love your videos ! Love from 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 xxx

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Not if you do it right. Check out the resources in my video, specifically indoor cat initiative link and please consider joining me for the webinar or getting the course once it is complete. I address questions like this in them.

[@Lol78209]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet thank you :) x

[@roadmonitoroz]

This is quite an informative video. My latest cat toy which really gets him going is a plastic shopping bag pushed along by a mop on the tiles. I think he likes the noise. Of course I don't let him eat / chew the bag (for obvious reasons). Before the bag he used to chase the mop when I was mopping. One thing I do find is that he doesn't like toys that are black. I made a toy out of old socks and scrunched up newspapers / rags. There is no scent on them (i.e. Washed) but he doesn't really show much interest in black items but will play with white or coloured items. Do you have any idea why he wouldn't like dark coloured toys ?

[@LieseFury]

My friend has an outdoor cat that isn't spayed and she keeps dragging her feet on doing it. How do I get her to get her ass in gear and go to the vet already?

[@Verballygreeky416]

Tell her that the only thing that costs more than getting your cat spayed is either getting them spayed while pregnant or having to then figure out what you need to do with a bunch of kittens and then get your cat spayed if you don't want to do that all again.

[@PennySue]

Tell her there's always a chance of things going wrong during the delivery of kittens. Kittens or mama could die if something goes wrong.

[@sarahschouveller1993]

I can't stand pet "owners" like this! Don't get a pet if you're not prepared to do AT LEAST the bare minimum for them, health-wise, ya know?

[@محمدبكحسينأبوأحمد]

Hello, to improve the quality of your videos, raise your voice because the sound is low, I am Egyptian, and I follow you. I apologize if there are mistakes. I am also a cat lover

[@eliscanfield3913]

When my human kittens are super quiet for more than 30min in a row, they're probably sick, too. The neighbors have an unneutered indoor-outdoor tom who keeps spraying my doors and windows, much to the annoyance of everybody in my house, feline or human. (Mine's supposed to be indoors but she does escape once or twice a month. She is spayed)

[@nuthinbutlove]

At what age should we start brushing kittens teeth and clipping their little nails? Thanks

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

As early as you can catch them. Though be prepared for a challenge! Look up my video on brushing a dogs teeth, same applies to cats.

[@solracer66]

How do you suggest dealing with the veterinarian shortage? Many of our local vets, and of course those are usually the best vets, are not accepting new patients or are booked out 2-3 months. As a result we've had to take our new kitten to the local no-appointment, walk-in vet because that is all that is available. Veterinary hospitals are even worse, our kitten ate and threw up some plastic and the only local Pet ER that was even taking patients (the others are so overbooked that there is an Instagram page showing the few Seattle pet hospitals that aren't full) and the wait times of 4-12 hours are normal on the few that are accepting patients. All of these things conspire to make a pet owner very frustrated and nervous.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Focus on preventative care to reduce the need for time-sensitive appointments.

[@classy2329]

Would you please do a video on feline CH , it's probably just my algorithm but I've seen an up tick in the massive Facebook pages that just clip other people's videos together about it. A lot of the comments are people saying they dont think the cat has a good quality of life and as someone who has a wobbly cat that's completely spoiled and knows they used to be put down for this condition i think a video from someone as knowledgeable and skilled at explaining things would really help.

[@vernabryant2894]

I have been treating my 2 kittens with tape worms.They were wormed at the vet but then they came up worms.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

Happens all the time!

[@yaboicolleen]

What do you think of Banfield Pet Hospitals? I've been taking my cat Milk Dud to Banfield for the last three years and I think they're doing an okay job but my only basis for comparison is my roommate's vet, who is one of the high-end clinics that doesn't seem like it's super great either.

[@Verballygreeky416]

I mean I personally being in the veterinary Industry would avoid it simply based on what I have heard anecdotally as far as high turnover of employees and poor working conditions for employees. To me that's a red 🚩 flag as far as quality of service. This is not to say the employees there are bad, but like he said in the video, it won't matter how good a doctor is if the practice itself is bad.

[@HelpfulVancouverVet]

No comment.

[@Sashazur]

It’s a chain so unless I hear otherwise from trusted friends I’m going to assume that they focus on volume and maximizing profits.

[@Sharon-pb7so]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet 🤣 Best comment!!

[@sarahschouveller1993]

@@HelpfulVancouverVet that says it all right there 👏