How Regular Feline Vaccinations Promote Cat Health

In order to give your pets the best chances for
a long and healthy life, you need to check with
your vet to see what vaccinations your pets may
need every year. Feline vaccines are
administered on a schedule, and when you buy or
adopt a kitten, you must establish veterinarian
care right away to protect your pet. A cat
vaccine like vaccines for humans stimulates the
immune system so antibodies are produced against
diseases which protects cats from being affected
by environmental pathogens. If an immunized cat
is exposed to dangerous pathogens, the
vaccination ensures he won't get sick;
antibodies react quickly to attack the disease,
keeping your precious new pet safe and sound.

Kitten Vaccinations

Most vets agree that kittens should get the
following vaccinations at 7-9 weeks of age:

• Panleukopenia (FPV)

• Calicivirus (FCV)

• FHV

• CP

At 12-13 weeks old, they should receive boosters
of these vaccines and then again at 16-18 weeks
of age. At those times, they will also need to
get vaccinated against feline leukemia (FLV) and
feline immunodeficiency virus (feline AIDS). At
12-14 weeks of age, the kitten will also need a
rabies vaccination. The vaccination schedule of
kittens must be monitored by a trained vet
because the immune system of kittens is immature
and incapable of mounting a good antibody defense
to the vaccines that we administer. Because it's
not really known when to vaccinate, vets give a
series of three or four injections so at least
one of them will work.

Adult Cat Immunizations-

Once your kitten has grown, you must continue to
protect him from deadly disease by getting him
adult cat immunizations. One benefit of
requiring yearly vaccinations, such as rabies,
is that vets get to see the pet once a year,
which allows him to detect disease early before
it progresses to a deadly stage. Having the vet
examine your pets before booster shots, they can
catch illnesses sooner. By law, rabies vaccines
are required yearly, but studies have shown that
a vaccination will provide up to three years of
protection. But, still, vets give the shots
yearly to keep your cat safe and healthy.

Most vets recommend that cats receive annual
booster vaccinations for two years into
adulthood for these diseases: feline
panleukopenia, feline rhinotracheitis and feline
calcivirus. After that, every four-five years is
fine. Indoor cats require less frequent booster
shots than outdoor cats, so be sure to ask your
vet about that.

New Vaccines-

Pharmaceutical companies are working on more
advanced dog and cat vaccines. Some companies
are even marketing intranasal vaccines for
cats--applied to your cat's nose! The Heska
Corporation in Fort Collins, Colorado recently
launched two intranasal feline vaccines for
panleukopenia, calcivirus and rhinotracheitis.
You'll want to pay attention to your pet
vaccinations so they'll enjoy a long, safe,
healthy life.


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Most cat owners don't truly understand how pet
vaccinations give their pets the best chance of
living a long and healthy life. When Jan Briggs
decided to get a cat, she was able to get all of
her pet vaccination questions answered by
Vaccinate Your Pet. Visit
http://www.vaccinateyourpet.net/ to learn more
about vaccinating your pet.


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