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Each kitten is vaccinated for Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia Psittaci and Feline Leukemia. FIP is not routinely given in a low risk environment. (More about FIP below.) The first vaccine is given 7 to 10 days after the kitten is weaned so the passive antibodies won't tie up the vaccine. A second "booster" is given 3 weeks later. Both shots are full dose vaccines. The kitten will not need any more boosters until it is a year old. Some areas recommend a Rabies vaccine. You should check with your veterinarian about if and at what age your kitten should be vaccinated for Rabies.
FIP: Feline Infectious Peritonitis. High risk factors include filthy living conditions, (IE: not enough clean litter boxes), cats that are poorly nourished, run-down or suffering from other illnesses such as Feline Leukemia. Even a seemingly healthy older cat just hanging around can be a carrier to the more vulnerable young cats and kittens. There is a vaccine, but effectiveness is still under investigation. Most veterinarians do not recommend it as part of the routine vaccination schedule.
Your kitten will be neutered or spayed a week before placement, anywhere from 14 to 16 weeks of age, depending on the kittens weight. The veterinarian gives each kitten a full health exam before surgery and before releasing them back to us. An unaltered cat spends it's life dealing with hormonal changes that alter personality and makes it a less loving pet.
A Devon Rex must never be let outside. That would be fatal. These cats are raised indoors and their people loving personalities make them very brave with no "street smarts". Devon Rex's are more susceptible to the cold, insect bites and even sunburn. They like the same warm temperatures as you and appreciate the same clean living conditions you have in your home. Do not commit yourself to one of these cats if you can't keep it indoors.
We recommend you feed your Devon Rex a high quality cat food, like Iams. We feed the Iams multi-cat dry food, always in the bowls. Their water bowls are always full, too. And we give the kittens each a tablespoon of Fancy Feast canned food twice a day. The older cats get it once a day. All bowls are stainless steel to keep bacteria down. Now for the other end...we use Tidy Cat or Scoop Away clumping cat litter in the covered Booda Box litter boxes.
Devon Rex's need their ears cleaned once a week, it's easy (and they enjoy it) with the use of Q-tips. A Devon Rex may need a bath once in a while. But not on a scheduled basis. Use a gentle shampoo, anti-bacterial if you can find it. During the winter, a kitten appreciates a sweater, even one made out of an old clean sock works, or you can make a fashion statement by going to a pet store and choosing something stylish.
Our "cattery" is a "closed cattery". We don't bring in outside cats for breeding and we don't take our cats to cat shows. Our house is not open to the public like a pet store. It is our private home with some extra rooms added on. Every room is completely furnished with heat and a screened window to look outside. We don't use cages. The extra rooms are used for breeding, queening and weaning kittens. Each room has a cat tree, cat condo, two litter box's, food, water, numerous toys, a table for me to work on, overhead lights, night light, radio-cassette player, (playing the "oldies") a clock on the wall, big thermometer on the wall, along with a calendar and pictures. The bottled water is changed 2 times a day, and the food is always kept fresh. The covered litter boxes are cleaned twice a day. After every litter of kittens I fully disinfect every room and it's contents.
If you've made a deposit on a kitten, I do my best to email you weekly pictures so you can watch your kitten grow. And who knows, your kitten may be the next one on my web page or in my Devon Rex calendar.
