Cat Vaccinations

Your cat will need vaccinations to help protect him/her against a host of preventable feline diseases.



You should consult your cat’s veterinarian about vaccines that your cat may need and is amenable to. This is important because several cat vaccines are known to have side-effects depending upon your cat’s particular health requirements. Along with your veterinarian you can help determine how effective a particular vaccine will be for your feline companion and what his/her optimal vaccination schedule will be.



Both you and your veterinarian should take into account certain specifics regarding your cat before administering a cat vaccine. These specifics include your cat’s lifestyle, age and geographical location, among other factors. Feline vaccinations help prevent certain kinds of infectious diseases that your cat is prone to.



Many of these illnesses can be fatal and it is thus important to vaccinate your cat as early as possible. These infectious diseases can be transmitted through contact with other infected animals, casual contact with infected objects and even through a bite wound.

Feline vaccines are of two kinds: core and non-core. Core vaccines are those that should be administered to every cat to help prevent certain diseases. Non-core vaccines are given to treat individual disorders that a cat may develop. The four core cat vaccines include Feline panleukopenia (FPV), Feline viral rhinotracheitis or feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), Feline calcivirus (FCV) and rabies. These diseases are normally very severe and it is advisable for all kittens to be vaccinated against them. Non-core cat vaccines include feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), ringworm, Bordetella, Giardiasis and Chlamydiosis. Several factors need to be taken into consideration before administering a non-core feline vaccine. These factors include the breed and age of your cat, the likelihood of your cat being exposed to the specific ailment, the effectiveness of the vaccine, your cat’s medical history and vaccine allergies, your cat’s lifestyle and the area where your cat lives. For instance, if your cat spends most of his/her time indoors then there are fewer chances of infection from other stray cats.
There may be several long term and short term risks of vaccinating your feline companion. One of the most common side effects of cat vaccination is an allergic reaction. Such allergic reactions include anaphylaxis or a sarcoma that may develop at the injection site. Sometimes, your cat’s immunity may suffer as a side effect to cat vaccination.