Vaccinations of cats: what to do and when

In principle, cat vaccinations perform the same function as for humans, that is, they protect the body from various diseases. At the beginning of the conversation, it should be noted that vaccination of an animal always involves some risk. Currently, there is no consensus on how often vaccinations should be given and what is the effectiveness of certain types of vaccines. However, most veterinarians unanimously assert that using the medicine for preventive purposes will increase the life expectancy of your little friend and improve its quality.

Who needs vaccination?

Some owners consider vaccinations of cats to be something completely useless. They motivate this by the fact that their pet practically does not leave the apartment and does not come into contact with other animals. This position is not entirely correct. Of course, if your pet is free to go outside and come back, or you are going to take him to the country for the summer, vaccinations should be considered first. However, pampered domestic cats also need timely vaccination. In general, when making a decision, factors such as the animal's habitat and lifestyle must be taken into account.

Types of vaccinations

All cat vaccinations can be roughly divided into two categories: basic and additional. The first group includes four injections: against panleukopenia (colloquially known as feline distemper), calcivirus, feline herpes virus and rabies.

Vaccination time

When should I vaccinate my cat? Veterinarians answer this question as follows: the first three are necessary for kittens at the age of 8-10 weeks. The vaccination should be repeated three times: at 12-14 weeks and a year later. Then the revaccination is repeated every three years. The optimal time for an injection against rabies is 3 months; revaccination is every 1-3 years (it depends on which type of vaccine was used).

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Additional vaccinations

Additional cat vaccinations include vaccines against:

• Feline chlamydia: an injection is given if a cat lives among infected individuals;
• Feline immunodeficiency virus: a cat can become infected with it if it is bitten by a sick animal. If your four-legged friend moves freely to the wild and back, you need to ask the veterinarian about this vaccination;
• Feline leukemia virus: vaccination in this case also makes sense if the cat has access to the street. Domestic kittens older than 4 months do not need to be vaccinated.

Risk

We figured out which vaccinations cats need. Let's talk now about the possible side effects of vaccination. They can range from minor irritation in the injection area to anaphylactic shock and the appearance of tumors. Of course, such cases do not occur very often, but, nevertheless, such a possibility exists. Therefore, it is necessary to decide on additional vaccinations only when they are really necessary. Don't be overly cautious: you can do much more damage to your pet. It is strictly forbidden to give injections to pregnant individuals – this is fraught with miscarriage. In general, it is better to make a decision about certain vaccinations only after you have consulted a veterinarian in detail.