The Vet Checks Your Russian Blue Kitten Should Have Before You Buy

The difference between a kitten that has had its veterinary work done and one that has not is worth $500 to $900 in your first month, and considerably more in risk. This is what should already have happened, what to verify, and what to ask.

Quick answer: Vet checks your russian blue kitten needs before you buy — here’s the short version. Always verify registration and meet the kitten (or video call) before paying — our Russian Blue kittens for sale come with full health records.

What should be done before the kitten leaves

Item	Typical age	Australian cost if you do it	Verify by
Full veterinary health examination	Before collection, and ideally again at 8 – 10 weeks	$60 – $90	Written vet record naming the practice
First F3 vaccination	6 – 8 weeks, sometimes 9	$80 – $140	Signed vaccination certificate with product name and batch
Second F3 vaccination	10 – 14 weeks	$80 – $140	Certificate; if not done, you must book it
Microchip implanted	From about 8 – 12 weeks, or at vaccination	$60 – $100	The 15-digit number in writing, matching registration
Worming	From 6 weeks, every 2 weeks to 12 weeks	$15 – $30 per treatment	Record of product and dates
Flea and parasite treatment	From about 8 weeks	$15 – $30	Record of product and date
Desexing	Often 12 – 16 weeks; some breeders do it before collection	$200 – $400	Certificate, or a written contractual commitment with a deadline
F3 covers	Cat flu (herpesvirus and calicivirus) and feline enteritis (panleukopenia)		Check the certificate specifies F3, not a partial
FeLV / FIV vaccination or testing	Varies by breeder	$50 – $120	Ask – not universal but worth knowing the status

The total value of completed vet work is typically $500 to $900. A kitten sold for $400 has not had it. Why cheap kittens cost more works through the arithmetic.

What our kittens leave with

Every kitten from our cattery goes home with a full veterinary health check, F3 vaccination, microchip implanted and registration lodged, worming and parasite treatment completed, and registration paperwork. Full details are in what is included when you buy a pedigree kitten and on our kitten care guide.

Parent health screening: the part buyers forget to ask about

Veterinary work on the kitten is visible. Screening of the parents is not, and it matters more for long-term health. Ask specifically:

• Cardiac screening. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs across pedigree cats. Ask whether the parents have had echocardiography, and by whom. A breeder with a considered program will have an answer.
• Genetic testing available for the breed. Ask what tests exist for Russian Blues and which have been done.
• Blood typing. Relevant in breeding programs to avoid neonatal isoerythrolysis.
• General health and body condition of the queen. You should see her. What a good visit looks like.
• Breeding frequency. How many litters has the queen had, and how often is she bred? Ethical programs limit this.
• Age at first breeding and retirement.
• Any hereditary conditions in the line, disclosed honestly.

Russian Blue health: what to watch for covers the breed’s specific considerations, and the 15 questions to ask puts these in a usable checklist.

What to physically check at collection

Even with paperwork, do your own assessment on the day:

• Eyes: bright, clear, no discharge, no squinting, no visible third membrane
• Ears: clean, no dark waxy debris, no odour, no scratching or head shaking
• Nose: clean, no discharge, no sneezing
• Mouth and gums: pink gums, no ulcers, no foul breath, no drooling
• Coat: clean, glossy, no bald patches, no flakes, no black flea dirt, no lumps
• Bottom: clean, no staining from diarrhoea, no visible worms
• Belly: firm but not distended or tense – distension suggests worms
• Body condition: ribs palpable but not prominent, visible waist
• Activity: alert, curious, moves freely, plays
• Breathing: quiet, no coughing, no open-mouth breathing, no wheeze
• Hydration: skin springs back when gently lifted at the scruff
• Microchip: ask the vet or breeder to scan and confirm the number matches the paperwork. Transfer it to your name.

Collection day: what to bring and expect covers the full day.

Your first vet visit, and why the timing matters

Book this before collection day, for a slot inside your health guarantee window – commonly 48 to 72 hours. Missing the window can void your cover even if the illness began at the breeder.

At that visit:

1. Full physical examination
2. Confirm and record the microchip number, and arrange the ownership transfer
3. Review the vaccination certificate and schedule the second F3 and later boosters. Australian schedule.
4. Set up parasite prevention. Worming and flea control.
5. Faecal sample for a worming check, if requested
6. Confirm desexing status or book it. What to know.
7. Discuss diet. What to feed.
8. Discuss insurance. Is it worth it?
9. Ask about council cat registration requirements in your area
10. Establish the relationship and ask about after-hours cover

Your kitten’s first vet visit walks through the appointment itself, and health guarantees explained covers protecting your claim.

What it costs if the breeder has not done it

Item	Cost
Health examination	$60 – $90
F3 vaccination course (2 – 3 visits)	$160 – $280
Microchip and registration	$60 – $100
Desexing (female higher than male)	$200 – $400
Worming and flea treatment to 16 weeks	$60 – $120
Total	$540 – $990

Add that to any kitten price to get the real comparison between offers. A $2,500 kitten with everything done can be cheaper than a $1,800 kitten with nothing. Negotiating value rather than price covers asking for vet work to be included.

Red flags in the veterinary picture

• No written records offered, only verbal assurance
• A vaccination certificate with no practice name, signature or product details
• No microchip number provided at collection
• Kitten offered under twelve weeks with “all vet work done” – the second vaccination cannot have been completed
• Desexing “will be done by you” with no written contractual deadline or contribution
• Breeder cannot name their veterinary practice
• Breeder declines to let you have your own vet examination before payment
• Parents have had no health screening and the breeder is dismissive about the question

12 breeder red flags and listing red flags cover the wider patterns.

The verification habit
Ask for the veterinary records in writing before you pay a deposit, and ask which practice issued them. Then telephone that practice and confirm the breeder is a client. Two phone calls that eliminate most of the risk.

Quick answers

What vet work should a kitten have before I buy it?

A health examination, first F3 vaccination, microchip with registration lodged, worming from six weeks, and flea and parasite treatment. Desexing is commonly included by ethical breeders.

How much is that vet work worth?

Typically $500 to $900 in Australia. A kitten sold well below the pedigree range has almost certainly not had it, and you will pay for it in your first month.

Should I ask about the parents’ health testing?

Yes – it matters more than the kitten’s own vet work for long-term health. Ask specifically about cardiac screening and what genetic tests exist for the breed.

When should my kitten see a vet after I bring it home?

Inside your health guarantee window, commonly 48 to 72 hours. Book the appointment before collection day – missing the window can void your cover.

Related reading

• What is included — The standard package
• Vaccination schedule — Australian timing
• First vet visit — What happens
• Health guarantees — Protecting your claim

Vet Checks Your Russian Blue Kitten Needs Before You Buy: FAQs

How much does it cost to act on this?
When readers ask about vet checks your russian blue kitten needs before you buy, the budget question comes first: our Russian Blue kittens are $2,500 with a $250 deposit, vet-checked and fully documented — see current Russian Blue kittens for sale.

What paperwork should I receive?
For vet checks your russian blue kitten needs before you buy, expect F3 vaccination records, microchip transfer forms, pedigree papers and a written health guarantee. Our registration papers guide shows how to verify each document.

What should I do next about vet checks your russian blue kitten needs before you buy?
Read our 99 kitten-buying FAQs, then enquire — we reply within 24 hours and will happily talk through vet checks your russian blue kitten needs before you buy for your situation.

Independent guidance: Verify pedigree and registration standards through TICA, The International Cat Association before you pay a deposit.