Are There Any Side Effects I Should Watch For After Cat Vaccination
Most cats show no ill side effect from receiving a cat vaccine. If your cat does have a reaction, they are usually minor and short-lived. However, you should still be on the lookout for the following symptoms that might indicate negative side effects from a cat vaccine:
- Fever
- Swelling and redness around the injection site
- Lameness
- Hives
If you suspect your cat is experiencing any ill side effects from his or her cat vaccine, call us immediately so we can help you to determine whether any special care is needed.
What Is The Kitten Vaccination Schedule
All kittens need vaccinations to help keep them healthy. Vaccinations, by definition, protect your kitten from contracting specific diseases. Cat vaccinations are divided into two types:
- Core cat vaccinations are those that protect against especially common and/or particularly dangerous diseases and are recommended for all kittens and adult cats.
- Non-core vaccinations are not necessarily recommended for all cats. Instead, these vaccines are recommended only for those cats that are at high risk of infection. In the case of non-core vaccinations, your cats lifestyle must be evaluated to determine the risk of disease and whether the risk associated with vaccination is greater than the risk of your cat getting the disease.
When Should The Vaccine Be Given
Immediately upon intake, if not sooner! In almost all cases, shelter animals should be vaccinated immediately upon intake. A delay of even a day or two will significantly compromise the vaccines ability to provide protection. In a cost saving effort, some shelters delay vaccination until the animal is made available for adoption, or even until it is adopted. While this does provide a service to adopters, the protective effect of the vaccine within the shelter is greatly reduced or eliminated. When possible, vaccination prior to intake is ideal .
An exception to this rule should be made for animals that are not good candidates for vaccination upon shelter entry due to severe disease . For shelters which euthanize the great majority of their population, vaccinating all animals upon intake may be impractical. Resources may be better spent on improving adoption opportunities in this case. Good adoption candidates should still be identified and vaccinated upon intake, however, rather than waiting until the end of the holding period to make this decision. This will facilitate work with rescue groups as well as improving the animals chance of surviving its shelter stay.
As return to field/shelter neuter return programs become more common the question of when to vaccine these cats should be given consideration. The stress and safety of both the cat and the staff need to be taken into consideration.
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When Should Kittens Be Vaccinated
To help protect kittens they’ll need two sets of vaccinations to get them started. Kittens should have their first set of vaccinations at nine weeks old and at three months old they should receive the second set to boost their immune system. After this, kittens and cats usually need ‘booster’ vaccinations every twelve months.
Until your kitten is fully vaccinated , you should keep him or her inside.
How Can I Stop My Cat Getting Feline Leukaemia
The best way to prevent FeLV is to get your kitten vaccinated and make sure you stay up-to-date with their boosters.
Cats with confirmed feline leukaemia virus should be kept indoors and away from other cats to prevent the disease spreading. They need regular check-ups with the vet to keep on top of any illnesses or problems.
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The Problem With Titers
Typically, vaccines are given every year. With titers, there is no way to predict what the levels will be in three to six months, even if they tested high at the time of the titer testing. Many factors can affect the immune system and its level of resistance. Factors such as disease, stress, or medications can impact it, and therefore there is no consistency over time regarding what the antibody levels could be. This could put your cat at risk until you go in for another titer test.
When Should My Kitten Be Vaccinated
Generally, kittens are vaccinated for the first time at between six and eight weeks of age and booster doses are given at ten to twelve weeks and again at fourteen to sixteen weeks. A kitten will not be fully protected until seven to ten days after the second vaccination. Under specific circumstances, your veterinarian may advise an alternative regime .
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What Is Feline Chlamydophilosis
Feline chlamydophilosis is caused by Chlamydophila bacteria which used to be known as feline chlamydia and usually attacks a cats eyes and nose first. It can progress to affect their lungs, stomach, intestines and reproductive tract. It is passed on through direct contact with infected cats and is fairly common in the UK.
Feline chlamydophila bacteria is adapted to affect cats. It would be extremely rare for humans to contract conjunctivitis from infected cats and theres no record of people developing more serious symptoms from this bacteria.
Rabies Vaccination For Cats
Rabies is a potentially fatal viral disease affecting the central nervous system of cats, humans and mammals. Unless treated promptly, rabies causes symptoms resembling dementia or other neurological disorder, such as confusion, lethargy and extreme anxiety. Late-stage rabies causes excessive salivation , aggressiveness and difficulty swallowing. Within days of these symptoms appearing, animals suffering rabies cannot be saved and will succumb to the disease.
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Protecting An Unvaccinated Cat
If your kitten/cat is unvaccinated, their vaccines have lapsed, or they havent quite finished their primary vaccination course, they wont be protected. Keep them safe by following the guidance below:
- Keep your kitten/ cat in the house until they have completed their primary vaccination course .
- Dont allow your cat to meet any cats outside of your household, and dont bring any new cats into your home.
Vaccination Schedule For Your Puppy Dog Kitten Or Cat
Our Recommended Vaccination Schedule for Dogs, Cats, Puppies and Kittens
Puppies and Kittens need vaccinations early in life as antibodies they receive from their mother start to decrease around 6-8 weeks of age. It is during this time that puppies need to start building their own immunity through vaccinations.
All puppies should receive core vaccines as well as certain non-core vaccinations depending on the pets lifestyle and breed.
Puppies, Adult Dogs, Kittens and Adult Cats should follow the vaccination schedule below. Discussing your pets needs and medical condition with one of our veterinarians at our clinics will help you decide what is best to help your pet live a long and healthy life.
We recommend following the pet vaccination schedule below as a general guideline. Where you live and your pet’s lifestyle will determine specific vaccination and testing needs.
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Core vaccinations |
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Cat & Kitten Vaccinations
A vaccination appointment is a chance for your cat to get a thorough physical health check, as well as offering them protection against a range of diseases.
A routine procedure, a vaccination appointment is more than just a jab its a chance for your cat to get a thorough physical health check, as well as offering them protection against a range of diseases that can be debilitating, or even kill.
Vaccination appointments are performed by a vet, and should be a routine part of the care of all cats throughout their life even house cats. Although house cats may be less exposed to disease, many of the diseases we can vaccinate against are hardy, and can survive outside of a cat for some time. This means they can be transmitted inside the house, on people or objects, and are still a risk to cats via indirect exposure.
Keeping your annual vaccination appointment every year is really important for both you, and your cat. If you would like to learn more about vaccinating your cat, contact your local Vets4Pets practice here.
Dont Forget To Screen For Feline Leukemia
When you take your kitten in for vaccinations, ask your vet to test for feline leukemia . This dangerous virus is contagious and can spread from cat to cat.
Theres a vaccine for feline leukemia but even after your young kitty is protected, its best not to expose them to cats that have not been tested for the virus.
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Titer Testing For Cats
A titer is a test that is done using a sample of your cats blood to measure the level of antibodies to a specific disease. Antibodies are proteins made by the body as a response to antigens. Antigens are foreign substances or stimuli to the body, such as viruses, bacteria, or vaccinations, that cause the body to mount an immune response.
Vaccine titers are used as a screening tool to determine whether or not to revaccinate for a particular disease. If a vaccine titer comes back high, this indicates that your cat, if exposed to that disease, should be able to fight it off.
Koret Shelter Medicine Program
Topic: Infectious DiseaseSpecies: Canine, Feline
Vaccination is an integral component of any shelter or rescue organization’s overall population health management program. Every shelter must develop a vaccination protocol that is tailored to their population’s needs, and shelters must be ready to adapt their protocol if changes in overall population health are observed as part of a routine health monitoring program.
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What Is Feline Leukaemia
Feline leukaemia virus is a viral infection which can lead to the development of cancers such as lymphoma, leukaemia and other tumours and weakens the immune system of affected cats meaning they catch other infections very easily. It is fairly common in the UK and is spread through a cats saliva, poo, wee and milk. Pregnant cats can pass the disease to their unborn kittens. Young kittens are most at risk but adult cats can also be affected.
More About Vaccinating Your Cat
Kittens are old enough to be vaccinated once they are 8-9 weeks old. They will have an initial injection, and then a second about 3 weeks later, as well as a thorough health check, and discussion about all aspects of kitten-care, including neutering, flea and worm protection, diet and behaviour. This is known as the primary course. Kittens should then have an annual vaccination appointment each year, throughout their lives, in order keep their immunity topped up and maintain protection.
For adult cats, if you are not sure if your cat has had vaccinations previously, or if you know that they have not had a vaccination appointment within the last 12 months, your cat will need to restart their vaccinations with a primary course, just as if they were a kitten. Adult cats can start the primary course at any time, but if you know your cat is currently not protected by vaccination, the course should be started as soon as possible.
Although your cat will need a vaccination appointment every year, not all the vaccines will be given at every appointment. This is because different vaccines last for different amounts of time, and the need for some vaccinations may be lifestyle dependant. Your vet will be able to advise on the best schedule for your cat.
The medical exam also allows the vet to check if there are any visible reasons to delay vaccination, for example if your cat is already fighting an active infection.
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How Much Do Cat Vaccinations Cost
Prices can vary from practice to practice and costs will depend on which vaccinations your cat or kitten receives. Speak to your vet to see if they offer a health care plan for your pet, which allows you to spread the cost of preventative veterinary treatment such as regular health checks, annual vaccinations and flea and worm treatments.We might be able to help with veterinary costs if you meet our eligibility criteria.
What Is The Best Vaccination Schedule
Kittens surely have a course of three vaccinations, normally given 4 weeks apart:6 8 Weeks First Vaccination – Temporary10 12 Weeks Booster Vaccination14 16 Weeks Final Vaccination
Adult cats require an annual vaccination booster for life. Your vet clinic will send you a reminder a few weeks before your cat is due for their yearly booster.
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P Fpv And Fp Stand For Feline Panleukopenia
Feline panleukopenia is also called feline “distemper” and feline infectious enteritis. This highly contagious viral disease is caused by a parvovirus and leads to a loss of circulating white blood cells. Signs include rapid, sudden onset of fever, lack of appetite, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, and often death. It can infect unborn kittens and lead to death of the newborns. Nursing and supportive care are the only available treatments. Feline panleukopenia vaccine should be included in the vaccinations given to healthy cats.
What To Expect At A Vaccine Appointment
Its important that your cat is healthy when they have their vaccination, so they will be given a full health check, and you can discuss anything you are worried about.
If you have any questions or concerns about your cat, the vaccination appointment is a good opportunity to discuss them with your vet, for example if you think they might be gaining weight, need a worming tablet, or youre having trouble with dental care.
Your cats vaccine will be an injection under the skin. Youll be asked to hold him/her still while the injection is given, but if you dont feel comfortable doing so tell your vet so that they can take steps to help keep everyone stay safe. Vaccinations arent usually painful, but they can feel cold or sometimes sting a little, and every cat reacts slightly differently.
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Why Should I Vaccinate My Cat
Its really important to get your cat or kitten regularly vaccinated as it will help protect them from some nasty diseases such as cat flu, feline infectious enteritis, feline chlamydophilosis and infectious feline leukaemia.
If you plan on going on holiday and leaving your cat in the care of a cattery, they may also require proof that your cats vaccinations are up-to-date.
How Much Do Titers Cost
Oftentimes, titers can be more expensive than the vaccine. For example, a feline core vaccine titer can cost $70 to $100, whereas the vaccine costs $30 to $60.
There is always the chance that the titer will indicate that your cat will still need to be vaccinated, and there will be the possible added expense of an office visit in addition to the cost of the vaccine. Plus, there is the additional time involved to bring your cat back.
It is important to discuss with your veterinarian if they recommend your cat be re-vaccinated or have a titer done.
Each cat has unique needs, lifestyles, and risk factors. Your veterinarian is your best resource to help you make the right vaccine decisions for your cat.
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Can I Trim My Kitten’s Toenails
Kittens have very sharp toenails that can wreak havoc on cat owners and their furniture. You can trim your kittens nails with your regular fingernail clippers or with nail trimmers specifically designed for cats, but you must do so carefully. If you take too much off the nail, you will cut into the quick which will result in bleeding and pain.
Here are a few helpful pointers:
- Cats often have clear or white nails, so you can see the pink quick through the nail. This is a small pink triangle visible near the base of the nail. If you avoid this pink area, you should be safely away from the quick.
- When cutting toenails, use sharp trimmers. Dull trimmers tend to pinch or crush the nail and cause pain even if you are not in the quick. A good set of human nail trimmers are often sufficient. Many larger clippers meant for dogs do not trim cats nails well and can cause splintering of the nails.
- Have styptic powder on hand in case bleeding occurs. These products can be purchased from pet stores or your veterinarian. In an emergency, a bar of soap can be used to help stop the bleeding.
- Playing with your kittens feet and rewarding her with treats after nail trims is a good way to help encourage good behavior for future nail trims.
If you are unsure about trimming your kittens nails, ask your veterinary healthcare professionals for help. They can teach you how to make the procedure easy and painless for you and your kitten.
Rabies Vaccinations For Dogs And Cats Are Required By Law
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What Are Ear Mites
Ear mites are tiny parasites that live in the ear canal of cats where they cause itching. The most common sign of ear mite infection is vigorous and persistent scratching of the ears or shaking of the head. Sometimes the outer ear canal will appear dirty and contain black debris.
Your veterinarian will examine the ear canal with an otoscope that magnifies the tiny mites, or will take a small sample of the black debris and examine it under a microscope. Although the mites may crawl out of the ear canals for short periods, they spend the majority of their lives within the protection of the ear canal.
Ear mites are easily transmitted between cats and dogs by direct contact. Kittens will usually become infected if their mother has ear mites. If one pet in the household has ear mites, it is advised to treat all of your pets. Successive applications of topical medication to the kittens ear or skin will eliminate ear mites .