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Cat
Vaccinations
One of the most important things you can
do for your cat is to be sure its health is protected. Cat
vaccinations can protect your cat from many common cat ailments.
You should begin vaccinating your kitten when he is six to eight
weeks old. Before this time, his mother's antibodies have been
protecting him from many of the diseases that vaccinations protect
against. However, now that he is weaned, he will need to develop his own
antibodies.
On your kitten's first veterinarian visit, your veterinarian will give
him a physical examination. He should also complete a fecal exam to be
sure your kitten doesn't have worms. Before your veterinarian vaccinates
your kitten, he should do a blood test to be sure the kitten is not
already infected with Feline Leukemia. He may also test for Feline
Infectious Peritonitis. The tests do not take long. Your veterinarian
will have preliminary results in minutes. If your kitten is not already
infected with one of these diseases, your veterinarian will give your
kitten his first Feline Leukemia and FIP vaccines if he is at risk for
these diseases. An only cat who never leaves his home may not need these
two vaccines and your veterinarian may recommend against giving
them.
However, your kitten should receive his first FVRCPC vaccine whether he
leaves the house or not. This vaccine is actually a combination of
several vaccines. FVRCPC protects kittens from rhinotracheitis,
calicivirus, panleudopenia and chlamydia.
Your kitten should visit your veterinarian again in two to four weeks,
when he is eight to twelve weeks old. At this time, he will get a second
FVRCPC vaccine and a second FIP and Feline Leukemia vaccine. If he was
wormed during his first visit, he will also receive his second worming.
Kittens who are twelve weeks old and spend time outdoors should also
receive their first Rabies vaccine at this time.
The third visit to your kitten's veterinarian should occur when he is
ten to sixteen weeks old. During this visit, he will receive his third
FVRCPC vaccine. Kittens who were too young to receive their first Rabies
vaccine on their second visit should be given the vaccine this time.
Once your kitten has completed his third set of FVRCPC vaccines,
he will not need any more injections until he is one year old. At that
time, he will need a Rabies and FVRCPC vaccine. As long as the Rabies
shot is given within one year of the first Rabies vaccine, it will be
good for three years. However, your cat will need to return for a
FVRCPC vaccine each year. If your cat received FIP and Feline Leukemia
vaccines as a kitten, he will also receive boosters for these
shots when he is one year of age.
While vaccines are usually safe, some of them do occasionally
have side effects. Feline Leukemia vaccines can actually cause a form of
cancer at the injection site. This is the reason most veterinarians do
not recommend giving the vaccine to cats who are not at
risk. Other vaccines can also occasionally cause tumors at the
vaccination site. Many times, the tumor can be removed before it
spreads. This side effect is rare enough that the risk of catching a
disease without vaccinations is much higher. If you notice a lump
develop at the injection site, tell your veterinarian, as these lumps
usually are a simple reaction to the injection, but can develop into a
tumor.
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