The boys were in for their 2nd shots yesterday.

We didn't see the same vet as last time (we went to the walk in clinic at our chosen surgery) but this vet handled the boys quite well as well. She apparently has her own kitten too.

Oslo is apparently a little underweight - she only checked his condition - though hubby and I weighed him before we left the vets -he has put on 750g in the 5 weeks since our last visit, and is now 2.25kg, while Odin put on 850g and is now 3.05kg. I'm hoping that now my 2nd Bozita order came in (first order was just the minimum amount to trial) and the boys are eating it full time, that Oslo will fill out a bit more.

When told that they are on just wet she did try to tell me that dry was good for their teeth. I was good and didn't actually laugh at her at that point (though did feel like doing so) instead I explained that I completely disagreed as most cats just ate kibble whole so how could that be of any benefit.

A big thankyou to everyone here (especially hobbs) for supplying the information needed to make this choice, and to stand up for it.

I then explained I gave the boys a raw chicken wing each week for their teeth. I guess she sensed that I she wasn't going to get anywhere trying to convince me that dry was better - so instead asked about teeth brushing. I don't currently do the boys teeth but we're working towards it - they currently get their teeth looked at & the outside of their mouths massaged and played with every other day - next we'll be introducing toothpaste before moving onto actual brushing - however as they are at an age to start teething (and we've had some extra chewing going on but no teeth lost yet) I didn't want to rush things atm.

As an aside, I don't actually have a problem with feeding the boys dry, and they were having a small amount left down for them at night (along with thier last meal of the day), but I ran out of Orijen, and wasn't prepared to get Go-Cat as a backup until I get more - didn't see the point with how little they actually eat, and they don't seem to miss it other than waking me up a little earlier for breakfast.

The vet didn't seem to think that either of them had a UTI despite my concerns - Oslo sometimes whinges near the tray (although to be fair he whinges about a lot of things) but still uses it and aside from the 2 times Odin has peed outside the box, there are not really any outward signs of trouble - so I'll just keep an eye on them, and if still concerned I'll ask them to run a test.

One other thing the vet did say they will snip the boys at 5 months - although that puts us a few weeks before christmas, so unless they start showing signs of spraying or wotnot I think we'll just wait the extra month and get them done in January (they will be chipped & at the same time). I did forget to ask about earmarking (it's common in Aus to mark one ear to indicate a cat is microchipped & the other to indicate it has been neutered and as the boys will eventually be living there I want it done if possible) but did see something on their website about them doing this, so will get hubby to ring them in the next few weeks to confirm.

For some reason the vets didn't charge us a consultation fee just the cost of the actual shots (we weren't complaining), so we stopped at the pet shop to buy them some applaws pouches on the way home (had to walk past it anyways). Then it was off home to snooze the day away.

They were definitely feeling a little sorry for themselves - I couldn't even tempt Odin with some whiskas temptations, and the Applaws I gave them at lunchtime in an effort to get them to eat something was only picked at (normally it's hoovered up and is guarded dilligently - for everything else plate sharing is fine but we get growls and hisses if one even looks at the other's applaws normally). They did eventually finish it but all they mainly wanted to do was sleep. No doubt this is due to the vacination, although it seems to have hit them harder in that respect than the last one. By late evening they did have the energy for a mad half hour before heading to bed for the night.

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The only comment the nurse made to me friday (at second shots) was 'oh dont feed them raw they will get worms' - this was after telling me they needed worming every month until they 6 months old - the first person to tell me this so subsequently Willow has had Advocate twice since I have had her and thats it! (and the second time was because she had earmites - which the vet disagreed with until he looked at a sample under the microscope)

She did give me another Milbemax for Willow - which Willow ignored me for the next 6 hours after I had given it to her.

So why, if they need worming every month for the first 6 months, did no-one tell me when I took Willow for her very firt vet check and jabs.

And when I took the babies they werent given Milbemax, and I only got it the 2nd time because I queried it?

I actually dont know where I am right now with when to worm and deflea them, and how often (being indoor cats)

I do wonder about vets - if its normal to worm kittens for 6 months why wasnt I told?

Sorry to hijack your thread - just gave me an outlet - was on too much of a high that Holly no longer had a heart murmur - to off load that on friday

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When I got Seb from Patsy, she told me to worm him every month up to 6 months. When we went for 2nd vaccs the vet mentioned this too and to also flea him every 5 weeks because of Frankie being an outdoor cat.

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i use advocate - monthly neck drop that does fleas & worms ( except tapeworm)

I use Drontal and Frontline on both boys, I've got 2 more pipettes left and was thinking of changing to Advocate when they've gone.

Do you use anything separate for the tapeworm?

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my vet said every 6 months unless theyre good hunters - galis biggest catch is a dragonfly!!

Seb's is a house fly

Frank kills birds and I'm sure he catches the odd mouse or two but does bring me presents

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oh - i was given the dragonfly, a damselfly and some large spiders......
lucky me.....

then she took em back & ate them

Hijack away

TBH - neither of my boys have been treated for worms or fleas - somewhere I have a script for worming paste that I asked for the first time we went in, and then put in "a safe place so I wouldn't lose it" and only found it again yesterday....tbh hubby doesn't seem to think they need it as they've shown zero signs of infection - however I'm thinking they should have 1 treatment just to be on the safe side, since I don't know what treatment thier mums had - I believe Odin's mother was wormed while pregnant but not sure about Oslo's...and lets face it considering they both came from people who hadn't taken the responsibility to get their female cats neutered I've doubts about thier worming regimes.

Being indoor only cats, once they've had their initial treatment, they will be probably only be wormed once a year - unless otherwise needed.

Luckily fleas don't seem to be that big a problem over here - so not sure if they will be done at all prior to moving to Australia (when they will need to be treated as part of their importation requirements) - they do get checked at least once a week however just in case, and will be treated immediately should the need arise.

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