Cat vaccinations: what to do and when

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

In principle, cat vaccinations perform the same function as for humans, that is, they protect the body from various diseases. At the beginning of the conversation, it should be noted that vaccination of an animal is always associated with some risk. Currently, there is no consensus on how often vaccinations should be given and how effective some types of vaccine are. However, most veterinarians unanimously agree that using the drug as a preventive measure will increase the lifespan of your little friend and improve its quality.

Who needs vaccinations?

Some owners consider cat vaccinations to be something completely useless. They motivate this by the fact that their pet practically does not leave the apartment and does not come into contact with other animals. This position is not entirely correct. Of course, if your pet can freely go out and come back, or you are going to take him to the country for the summer, vaccinations should be considered first of all. However, pampered domestic cats also need timely vaccinations. In general, when making a decision, you need to take into account factors such as the environment of the animal and its lifestyle.

Varieties of vaccinations

AllCat vaccinations can be roughly divided into two categories: basic and supplementary. The first group includes four injections: against panleukopenia (in the common people - cat distemper), calcivirosis, feline herpes virus and rabies.

Vaccination time

When to vaccinate a cat? Veterinarians answer this question as follows: the first three are necessary for kittens aged 8-10 weeks. Vaccination should be repeated three times: at 12-14 weeks and a year later. Then revaccination is repeated every three years. The optimal time for an injection against rabies is 3 months; revaccination every 1-3 years (depending on the type of vaccine used).

Supplementary shots

Complementary vaccinations for cats include vaccines against:

• feline chlamydia: an injection is given if the cat lives among infected individuals;
• feline immunodeficiency virus: a cat can become infected with it if it is bitten by a sick animal. If your four-legged friend moves freely in and out of the wild, you need to ask your veterinarian about this vaccination;
• feline leukemia virus: vaccination in this case also makes sense if the cat has access to the street. Domestic kittens older than 4 months do not need to be vaccinated.

Risk

What vaccinations do cats need, we figured it out. Let's talk now about the possible side effects of vaccination. They can range from minor irritations toinjection area to anaphylactic shock and tumors. Of course, such cases are not very common, but, nevertheless, such a possibility exists. Therefore, it is necessary to decide on additional vaccinations only when they are really necessary. Do not play it safe: you can cause much more damage to your pet. It is strictly forbidden to give injections to pregnant individuals - this is fraught with miscarriage. In general, it is better to make a decision about certain vaccinations only after you have consulted in detail with a veterinarian.