What Vaccinations Does My Cat Need?
Just like us humans, cats can occasionally become a little sick, picking up a cold off other cats, or feel a little unwell – sometimes however, they can pick up something worse. When you first adopt your cat or kitten, you will need to remember its vaccinations.
Not only are these to ensure your pet keeps in good health and is protected from preventable disease, but also your cat must be fully vaccinated in case you ever need to use a cattery, for any reason. Also, many diseases can be picked up from other cats or by wondering outdoors, so if your cat is not a purely indoor cat it is even more important to get these shots – remember though, even if your cat is not going outside, you can transmit cat diseases by carrying them on your clothes or shoes. For this reason, all cats should be fully vaccinated as soon as possible.
What diseases should be vaccinated against?
When adopting an older cat, you should receive the vaccination history and ensure the vaccinations are correct and up to date. With a kitten, there is a scheduled timeframe where you should get the vaccinations.
At 7 to 8 weeks old you should receive the first vaccination for FVRCP (Feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia), then at 11 to 12 weeks old have a second booster shot of this vaccine, plus the first of both FIP (Feline infectious peritonitis) and FELV (Feline Leukemia).
At 15 to 16 weeks old you should get another booster of these three vaccines, plus a shot for rabies, and then from 1 year old and yearly afterwards, you should get a booster shot for FVRCP, FIP and Felv, and every 3 years have a booster for rabies.
Another point to note is that you should have your vet worm your cat whenever you go for vaccinations and this is especially important in kittens and is a harmless procedure. You may also wish to get a vaccine against feline AIDS, which is especially pertinent for outdoor cats. There are a large number of vaccines that your cat will require, but vaccinating your cat is a good opportunity to get your cat used to the vets and also ensure the well-being of your pet.
Vet fees are rising, and the necessary vaccinations your pet needs may be more expensive than you realise. If an accident occurs, you can find yourself out of pocket and in debt. Animal Friends Insurance offers a wide range of affordable, comprehensive cover to suit you; get in touch on 0845 555 70 300 and ask how we can help your animal friend today.
