Does Kittens Need Vaccinations

All kittens should receive a vaccination that protects against feline rhinotracheitis feline calicivirus and feline panleukopenia fvrcp.

Does kittens need vaccinations. Until your kitten is fully vaccinated and neutered you should keep him or her inside. Protection against all three of these viruses is generally provided in a combination vaccine. Your kitten should be vaccinated against the serious core diseases as soon as they are old enough. Kittens need a course of two vaccinations to protect them from potentially fatal infections feline infectious enteritis which can cause severe vomiting and diarrhoea and feline influenza also known as cat flu.

According to the american association of feline practitioners aafp the core vaccines those that are recommended for all cats are feline panleukopenia virus fpv feline herpesvirus 1 fhv 1 and feline calicivirus fcv as well as rabies. After this kittens and cats usually need booster vaccinations every twelve months. Talk to your veterinarian about your kitten s risk of exposure to these diseases. All kittens need certain core vaccines which provide immunity against the most dangerous and widespread diseases.

Kittens should start getting vaccinations when they are 6 to 8 weeks old until they are about 16 weeks old. Vaccines are combined into a single injection so your cat only has to have one needle. Calicivirus is one of the most common viral causes of feline upper respiratory infections. I recommend starting vaccinations at about 8 weeks of age continuing until the kitten is 4 months old.

By getting them vaccinated you are reducing the risk of them falling seriously ill. Depending on your location and your kitten s environment certain non core vaccines may also be recommended. Kittens can start their vaccinations from nine weeks old and will need a second set of injections usually 2 4 weeks after their initial set to complete their course. These kitten vaccinations will protect them as they re growing and with boosters throughout their adulthood.

Kittens under 6 months of age are most susceptible to infectious diseases so they are considered a primary focus of vaccination recommendations. There is also a vaccination that offers protection from the feline leukaemia virus which can affect the immune system. Once a kitten is weaned and home with you they need their own protection. Then they must be boostered a year latyer.

Maternal antibodies passed on from the mother are meant to confer some degree of protection against diseases but they also interfere with or even inactivate the body s response to vaccination. These are all diseases that are ubiquitous in nature and frequently found in the general cat population. Core vaccines are considered essential for kittens in most geographical locations. The exact vaccine will differ year on year depending on the vaccine schedule but all cats require vaccination against at least one disease annually.

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.