Cat Vaccination

Vaccination is essential to ensure that all pets are adequately protected, and to help protect the pet population as a whole. Like people, some animals for certain health reasons are unable to be vaccinated and thus rely on their healthy counterparts to be kept up-to-date to ensure these infectious diseases can be controlled.

What Are We Vaccinating Against?

There are a number of different vaccines available for cats and each one covers for different diseases. The most common one used here is F3 which covers against feline panleucopenia, calicivirus, and rhinotracheitis. These three are responsible for a parvo-like gut infection, and "cat flu". If your cat is outdoors, protection against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV, also known as "feline aids") is also recommended. For more information regarding these diseases, please scroll further down.

Please give us a call to discuss a suitable vaccination regime for your pet kitten or cat.

Kitten Vaccination

Kittens are ‘temporarily protected against many diseases by antibodies received through their mother’s milk. These maternal antibodies decline in the first couple of months of their lives, however until they drop sufficiently they can also neutralise vaccines. This is why a series of vaccinations is necessary for a kitten. What vaccines you use for protection depends on what diseases your vet is trying to cover for. For kitten vaccination in our area, we use F3 and recommend the following schedule:

1st vacc: 6 - 8 weeks of age

2nd vacc: 10 - 12 weeks of age (4 weeks following 1st vaccination)

3rd vacc: 14 - 16 weeks of age (4 weeks following 2nd vaccination)

Annual vaccs: 1 year following 3rd vaccination

*Please note, your kitten may require additional vaccinations against other diseases depending on their lifestyle*

Adult Cat Vaccination

The immunity from kitten vaccination weakens over time and your pet can again become susceptible to disease. Annual health checks and booster vaccinations will provide the best protection for the life of your pet. If your cat is 4 months or older and never been vaccinated, their vaccination schedule will differ to younger kittens. For cat vaccination in our area, we use F3 and recommend the following schedule:

1st vacc: when healthy (assessed at health check)

2nd vacc: 4 weeks following 1st vaccination

Annual vaccs: 1 year following 2nd vaccination*Please note, your cat may require additional vaccinations against other diseases depending on their lifestyle*

After Vaccination Care

Following vaccination your cat may be off-colour for a day or two, or have some slight swelling or tenderness at the injection site. Access to food and water and a comfortable area to rest are usually all that is required for a quick recovery. However, if the response seems more severe, please contact us for advice.

Please give us a call to discuss a suitable vaccination regime for your pet kitten or cat.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF CATS THAT WE VACCINATE AGAINST

Feline Enteritis (also known as Feline Panleucopenia)

It is very contagious and the death rate is high, especially under 12 months of age. Pregnant cats may lose their young or give birth to kittens with abnormalities, quite often with brain damage. Symptoms are depression, loss of appetite, uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhoea, often with blood and severe abdominal pain.

The virus spreads so easily that heavily contaminated areas may need cleaning with a special disinfectant. Cats that do recover may continue to carry the virus for some time and infect other cats.

Feline Respiratory Disease ("Cat flu")

Feline respiratory disease affects cats of all ages, especially young kittens, Siamese and Burmese cats. It is caused in 90% of cases by feline herpesvirus (feline rhinotracheitis) and/or feline calicivirus. It is highly contagious and causes sneezing, coughing, runny eyes, nasal discharge, loss of appetite and tongue ulcers.

Fortunately, the death rate is low except in young kittens, but the disease is distressing and may persist for several weeks. Recovered cats can continue to carry and spread the infection for long periods, and can show signs of the disease again if they become stressed.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

Feline AIDS is a disease caused by infection with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and affects the cat’s immune system. Their natural defence against attack by other diseases may be seriously affected, much in the same way as human AIDS. This disease is not transmissible to humans.

FIV is almost always transmitted by bites from infected cats. The virus that causes the disease is present in saliva.
While some infected cats show no sign of disease, others may display initial symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, lethargy and swollen lymph nodes.

As the disease progresses, symptoms may occur such as weight loss, sores in and around the mouth, eye lesions, poor coat and chronic infections. Eventually, the immune system becomes too weak to fight off other infections and diseases. As a result, the cat may die from one of these subsequent infections.

Unfortunately in Australia, a lot of cats are infected with this virus.