New cat health baseline

What to bring to your new cat's first veterinary visit

AAHA advises scheduling a new kitten's first veterinary visit within the first week at home, or sooner when the kitten seems unwell. For a newly adopted cat of any age, prepare the known history, recent observations, and questions without filling gaps by guesswork.

The purpose is a reliable baseline

Bring source records and home observations so the veterinary team can examine the individual cat and build a care plan for their age, health, lifestyle, and location.

Private appointment checklist

Check eight items before leaving

Select only what is ready. Your selections stay on this page and are not stored or sent.

Name, known or estimated age, sex, and origin Differences between paperwork and what you were told are marked. Original vaccination and medical records Administration dates, products, providers, and planned follow-up are visible. Parasite treatments, medicines, and supplements Names, doses when known, and administration dates are recorded. Current food, feeding routine, and recent weight If exact amounts are unknown, note less, similar, or more than usual. Last urine, stool, and vomiting observations Times, frequency, and useful photos are ready when something changed. Eyes, nose, breathing, walking, and behavior Short videos include when the change began and what happened around it. A secure carrier and familiar cloth The carrier closes safely and can be supported or covered during travel. Questions about prevention and follow-up Vaccines, parasites, neutering, nutrition, and the next visit are listed.

0 of 8 ready

Bring source records, not a reconstructed story

Keep vaccination cards, prescriptions, test results, invoices, and parasite-treatment packaging legible. If a date, product, or provider cannot be verified, say so. Uncertainty is safer than accidentally treating an assumed dose as a documented one.

Home observations complete the examination

Food, water, urination, stool, vomiting, grooming, sleep, and activity happen mostly outside the clinic. Record when a change began and whether it is worsening. A short time-stamped video can help with a movement or sound that does not occur in the exam room.

Ask what happens next

Today

What does the examination show, and what needs action now?

Prevention

Which vaccination and parasite plan fits this cat's actual risk?

Growth and nutrition

What weight, body condition, food routine, and neutering discussion are appropriate?

Call-back criteria

Which changes after returning home should trigger another call or visit?

Make travel predictable

Let the carrier remain available at home before the visit. Use a secure, cleanable carrier with familiar bedding, support it from below, and prevent it from sliding in the car. Ask the clinic whether you can wait in a quieter area if the waiting room is busy.

Do not wait for a routine appointment

Trouble breathing, collapse, seizures, severe bleeding, repeated straining with little or no urine, or rapidly worsening illness needs immediate veterinary contact.