What vaccinations should be given to cats every year

However, this memory does not work for life, so after some time period has passed, a revaccination.

Vaccinations for cats: what and when to do

Some owners mistakenly believe that it is not necessary to vaccinate domestic cats at all. After all, a pet does not come into contact with its congeners, does not walk on the street and has no other opportunities to pick up an infectious disease.

Some owners mistakenly believe that it is not necessary to vaccinate domestic cats. After all, the pet is not in contact with their congeners, does not walk on the street and has no other opportunities to pick up infectious diseases. Indeed, compared to their free-living counterparts, domestic cats are less exposed to the risk of infection. At the same time the environment in the house is far from being sterile and the cat can easily get infected by contact with shoes or other items of clothing of its owners who have been in the street. And if the animal is accustomed to independent walks, takes part in exhibitions or goes to the country house in summer, the arguments about the necessity of vaccination make no sense at all.

Vaccination is an effective and inexpensive method of preventing the most common and dangerous diseases for cats. Timely vaccination can not only save the life and health of your pet, but also save on expensive treatment in the case of infection.

What dangers are caused by infectious diseases

All vaccinations are divided into mandatory and recommended. Vaccinations against these diseases are mandatory:

• Panleukopenia (feline distemper). A dangerous, hard-to-treat viral disease that affects the digestive organs, respiratory organs, and heart and causes general dehydration. If veterinary care is not provided in time, death occurs in 90% of cases. The disease is especially dangerous for kittens and older animals.
• Rhinotracheitis. The cause of the disease is the feline herpes virus (FHV-1). The disease is accompanied by fever, stuffy nose, tracheitis (damage to the upper respiratory tract) and conjunctivitis. The disease is difficult to diagnose, often develops into a chronic form, and herpes virus persists in the cat's body even after treatment. The probability of fatal outcome ranges from 5% to 20%.
• Calcivirosis. One of the most dangerous viral diseases. Infection occurs through direct contact with a sick animal, from the mother to her kittens, during walks by sniffing other animals' secretions, by air, and through human shoes or clothing. The main symptoms are fever up to 40°C and higher, mouth ulcers, conjunctivitis, copious salivation, coughing and sneezing, bad breath, pneumonia. The disease poses no danger to humans, but in cats in 30% of cases it leads to the death of the animal.
• Rabies. Fatal disease, characterized by damage to the brain (meningoencephalitis) and spinal cord. Dangerous not only for the animal, but also for humans.
• Owners who truly care about their pet's health also vaccinate against the following diseases:
• Feline chlamydia. The causative agents of the disease are intracellular parasites (chlamydiae). The mucosa of the eyes (conjunctivitis), respiratory tract, digestive organs, and genitourinary system are affected. There is a small risk of human infection.

Why vaccinate cats?

Cats, especially those that roam the streets, are exposed to a constant barrage of diseases and illnesses. Feline vaccines protect against disease and death.

All cats should be vaccinated. Generally, a kitten is vaccinated at 4 weeks of age. From that point on, vaccinations should be given regularly. An annual revaccination is safest, but some cats may wait longer.

No vaccine can provide 100% protection against disease and illness. Viral strains can mutate and evolve over time. However, vaccines can greatly reduce the effects of disease, which means they are essential for older cats.

What happens if cats are not vaccinated?

If you're lucky, nothing at all. Otherwise, the cat can get very sick. Also, you may be breaking the law. Some states insist that all domestic cats be at least vaccinated against rabies.

Vaccines are designed to protect the cat from disease. There are many forms of vaccination for cats. Some are considered basic (basic) and others are optional (non-essential).

If your cat is not vaccinated, it's not just her health that may be at risk. You will likely also be banned from traveling with your cat. In addition, many catteries refuse to accept unvaccinated cats.

How do vaccinations work for cats?

Vaccines teach the immune system to recognize and fight the virus. Essentially, the vaccine mimics the virus to prepare the cat's body to destroy it in the future. Feline vaccines come in three varieties:

• Modified live vaccines contain a modern version of the virus that has been diluted and weakened.
• Inactive vaccines. Introducing a dead version of the virus into the bloodstream to avoid it in the future.
• Subunit vaccines contain traces of the virus' DNA rather than the entire infection.

Most feline vaccines are given by injection, but some can be given nasally. Because the vaccine injects the virus into the cat, the cat may experience some side effects. However, these will be minor and of short duration.

What diseases can my pet be protected from by vaccination?

During vaccination, a weakened strain of the virus or fungus is injected into the cat's body. This procedure activates the immune system and induces the production of specific antibodies against pathogens of dangerous diseases. The presence of antibodies reduces the likelihood that the animal will contract viral and fungal infections, as the immune system quickly neutralizes them when it encounters foreign agents. Modern vaccines can protect pets from the following dangerous infections:

Vaccination Schedule

After birth, kittens defend themselves against germs and viruses in the environment with passive immunity. The babies receive these immune cells through their mother's colostrum during the first day of life. Because immunity is provided by the mother's body, only the antibodies that the cat has are passed on to the offspring. If the mother is not vaccinated against panleukopenia or rhinotracheitis, the kittens will have no protection against these viruses either.

Passive immunity lasts until the babies are 3 months old, so the first vaccinations are given to them from this time. However, we must not forget that vaccination is not carried out when teeth are changed.

Vaccinations are done only after the animals are treated against worms. Kittens are given antihelminthic drugs 3 weeks before the scheduled vaccination. Then anthelmintic given again in 10 days. After another 10-14 days the vaccination can be carried out.

Read also: Instructions for use of antibiotic "Baytril" for the treatment of urolithiasis in cats, dosage and side effects

Mandatory vaccinations

Certain viruses particularly affect members of the feline family. They cause serious damage to the health of cats and can lead to the death of animals. Protect the pets can be achieved by vaccination. Mandatory in our country are vaccinations against the following infections:

• Panleukopenia. Vaccine against panleukopenia is one of the most important vaccines for cats. With this pathology, the number of leukocytes in the blood of the animal decreases, which often leads to death. The disease is popularly called "feline distemper." It is manifested by symptoms such as vomiting, impaired stool, lack of coordination of movements, and loss of appetite. Treatment should be started in the first hours after infection.

Usually the vaccination is easily tolerated by a healthy animal, without side effects. In some cases, however, deviations from the norm may occur:

In most cases, these manifestations do not pose a threat to the health of the kitten and go away on their own within a few days. However, if the condition lingers and more dangerous side effects occur, such as seizures, you should Consult a veterinarian .

Some pet owners prefer to vaccinate their pets at home. This is fine as long as The vaccination will be administered by a veterinarian . A familiar home environment reduces stress. If you don't have the necessary skills, don't vaccinate your pet yourself, it can be life-threatening!

It is better to have the procedure done at a veterinary clinic. The doctor will examine the baby and decide whether the vaccination is allowed, and if there are any side effects, he will stop them. The medical facility is responsible for the quality of the vaccines used. After administering the drug, the owner of the animal will receive an officially issued veterinary passport, which will contain a mark of vaccination. They are required for travel abroad, participation in exhibitions, etc.

Conclusions .

1. Vaccination is reliable protection of pets from a number of dangerous diseases, which can be fatal.

2. The first vaccination is given to the kitten at 8 weeks of age, then follow a set schedule of vaccinations.

5. Only a veterinarian will be able to properly assess a kitten's condition and allow the kitten to be vaccinated. In addition, the medical facility is responsible for the quality of the medication. This is why it is recommended to vaccinate pets in a veterinary clinic setting.

Don't forget to have your pets regularly checked by a veterinarian!

Article verified by veterinarian Evgenia Guseva, veterinary clinic "Four Paws", Moscow

How to prepare a kitten and an adult cat for the procedure?

Before the first vaccination it is necessary to check the health condition of kittens: they should not be lethargic, have obvious signs of illness (bad smell from the mouth, festering eyes, digestive disorders, etc.). The main rule is to avoid contact with a sick kitten for 2 weeks, and if it already happened, the vaccination should be postponed. Kittens who have completed the change of milk teeth to permanent teeth (4-7 months) are not immunized.

Standard preparations for the procedure include deworming and treatment of hair from ectoparasites. The animal shall be given tablet or suspension for prophylaxis or treatment of helminthiasis 10-14 days before immunization. Within 2-4 days, the pet's coat must be cleaned of ticks, fleas, and other parasites. You can ask your veterinarian about what remedies are more suitable. The most commonly used are drops on the withers.

Overview of effective vaccines

• Nobivac Tricket. A Dutch remedy that protects against viral respiratory infections and distemper. It is administered twice with an interval of one month.
• Nobivac Forcat. The drug, in addition to the above infections, prevents chlamydia. The remedy is administered not earlier than 8 weeks of age.

• Quadrikat. The manufacturer is the French company Merial. It works against Calcivirosis, herpes virus, rabies, and panleukopenia.
• Multifil-4. It is a domestic drug against rhinotracheitis, distemper, chlamydia and calcivirus infection. Immunization is carried out twice with a three-week interval.
• Fel-O-Vax. An American remedy containing 2 strains of calcivirus and protecting against panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and chlamydia.

• Nobivac Rabies. Dutch drug against rabies with prolonged action. Revaccination is carried out after 3 years.
• Leucorifeline. A French medicine that allows the cat to develop immunity to three major infections.

• Purevax. A French drug effective against dangerous ailments, including chlamydia and leukemia.
• Eurifel RCPFeLV. A French remedy consisting of liquid and dry live vaccine mixed before injection. Promotes immunity against leukemia, panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calcivirosis.

Vaccination schedule for cats

There is a generally accepted approximate vaccination schedule for cats and small kittens. In some cases, for a number of reasons, it is possible to deviate from the schedule and prescribe an individual set of vaccines.

Vaccination schedules may vary slightly depending on the cat's health and the drug chosen. Only an experienced veterinarian should choose an individual vaccination schedule.

Timing and schedule of vaccinations

Everyone now knows what vaccinations are given to cats, but there is an important new question for cat owners: at what age are cats vaccinated? Early enough. The first vaccination is given to kittens at the age of 8-12 weeks. Their body is already stronger and able to take a small preventive infectious attack. One month later the vaccination is repeated. Then the annual vaccination of cats is carried out.

Important: The age of the cats for vaccination is very important! Do not do the first vaccination before two months of age. This procedure will simply be useless. The kitten's passive immunity, derived from maternal feeding, will respond to the vaccine and destroy all pathogens contained in it. Immunity will not be formed.

In very rare cases where there is a high risk of infection, vaccination is carried out at 6 weeks of age or more. The kitten is not yet weaned from the cat, but its milk is no longer the main food component.

Subsequently, adult cats are vaccinated every year. Sometimes more often, but according to the recommendations of specialists. You can be guided by the following general vaccination schedule for cats:

Vaccination timing is highly dependent on the drug used. Modern veterinary pharmaceuticals are able to create vaccines to protect pets against some infectious diseases for up to 3 years.

If the schedule is off

Situations when a pet's vaccination is forgotten are quite common. There is no need to get upset: all is not lost. You just need to contact your veterinarian, who will advise you on what to do in this situation, adjusting the vaccination schedule to take into account unforeseen circumstances.

Cat owners know that prior to vaccination they need to make preliminary preparations. First of all, it implies deworming. The main reason for this procedure – anthelmintics exclude the appearance of many unnecessary complications, contribute to the active development of antibodies, without wasting immune strength to fight with parasites present in the cat's body.

You should not worm the cat before vaccination. First the cat is examined for external parasites (fleas, ticks, lice), and if they are present, the treatment is given. A few days after that, deworming can be performed.

Measures to eliminate intestinal parasites must be taken no later than 15-25 days before the vaccination itself.

I wonder whether or not to feed the cat before vaccination is another point that attracts the attention of pet owners. In fact, it is not so important. Because whether the cat is fed or not for vaccination is of no importance.

Contraindications .

If the four-legged is completely healthy, he was treated against parasites, after an examination, the veterinarian will allow him to be vaccinated.

• Age under 2 months;
• Exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• postoperative period;
• infectious processes in the body;
• period of less than 2 weeks after taking antibiotics;
• change of milk teeth;
• Heifers in females;
• Pregnancy and lactation.

Possible complications

Allergic reaction.

Usually appears During the first 15 minutes after injecting the drug. For this reason, veterinarians recommend not leaving the clinic for half an hour. The attack is stopped by administration of antihistamines.

Reddening at the injection site

Swelling may also occur. These signs usually go away within a few days. However, if the injection site begins to fester, you should Contact your veterinarian..

Sometimes the four-legged dog has a decrease in appetite, a slight increase in temperature, he may limp a little and become lethargic. Usually the condition will return to normal Within 1 to 4 days.

What to do after vaccination

Within 10 days after vaccination the cat should be kept under quarantine, that is to say exclude walks in the street and any contacts with other animals. The pet should be shielded from stress, exclude hypothermia of the body. Particular attention should be paid to the nutrition of the cat. The diet should be balanced and complete.

If the cat has side effects after vaccination, it should be shown to the veterinarian. Your doctor will examine you, determine the cause of your symptoms, decide on a course of treatment, and decide on a vaccination schedule. The revaccination may have to be done with a different vaccine.

Vaccinations for cats: pros and cons

Before deciding to vaccinate a domestic cat, the owner can weigh the pros and cons of this procedure.

• Risks of contracting dangerous infections are reduced.
• The immune system is strengthened.
• Risks of infecting people from a sick cat are eliminated.
• After vaccination, the owner may not worry about the health of his children and the cat that often walks in the street.
• If the animal does get infected, the disease will pass in a milder form, without complications or lethal outcome.

The disadvantages of vaccinating cats are minor. They include the risks of side effects and complications after vaccination. As a rule, such consequences of immunization of animals occur in very rare cases. If you follow all the doctor's recommendations and choose a quality vaccine to be administered, you can be sure that the preventive procedure is safe for the cat.