The Benefits of Vaccination

Vaccinations are vital for cats and kittens.
Kittens should be vaccinated at 9 and 12 weeks of age and receive yearly boosters. The kitten will be protected at least 1 week after the 2nd injection. As cats get older, the annual health check provided by your vet as part of the vaccination procedure becomes more and more important in picking up problems and elderly cats that contract preventable infections can be affected more seriously than younger animals. House cats are still at risk of infection with cat flu and feline infectious enteritis so these should be considered core vaccines. Transmission of Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) requires cat to cat contact so provided a house cat does not contact any other cats FelV can be omitted from the vaccination protocol.

How does a vaccination work?

Vaccines contain harmless forms of the virus and other infectious agents that cause the diseases your cat needs protection against. After vaccination, your cat’s immune system is stimulated to generate a protective response. It is important that your cat is healthy at the time of vaccination so the immune system can respond appropriately

Vaccination teaches your cat's immune system in advance how to recognise and defend against infection and disease.
This is particularly valuable when some infections cause incurable diseases.

Fortunately we are now able to prevent several very serious infectious diseases in cats by means of vaccination. Every kitten should receive a veterinary examination and vaccination course whether they are going to be indoor or outdoor cats. Vaccines can be tailored to suit the individual cat.

What do we vaccinate against?

Cat 'Flu

There are several infectious agents that cause cat flu. The most common viruses involved are feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus. As the name suggest cat flu causes flu like signs in the cat - sneezing, upper respiratory tract congestion, runny eyes and nose, sore throat and inappetance. If treated promptly, cat flu is rarely fatal except in the very young and very old however it can make your cat ill for some time and may leave it with chronic lifelong breathing difficulties. Vaccination provides fairly good protection, although it is still possible for a vaccinated cat to contract infection, this should be milder than if the cat was unvaccinated

Chlamydia

This organism occurs quite frequently but can be very difficult to diagnose. Surveys across Europe indicate that approximately 30% of all clinical conjunctivitis in cats is caused by Chlamydia. 

Feline Leukaemia Virus

This is a very severe virus as it damages the immune system and in many cases causes cancer. The outcome for these cats is very poor; 50% of infected cats die within 6 months and 80% die within 3 years. There is no effective treatment against Feline Leukaemia Virus and the only way to ensure your cat is not at risk from this virus is to ensure that it is vaccinated.

Rabies

The UK is rabies free however cats need to be vaccinated against rabies if they are travelling abroad on the Pet passport scheme.

Unfortunately no vaccine is ever 100% effective or 100% safe, fortunately modern vaccines are now very pure and much better than they have ever been. Some cats can seem lethargic after vaccination - this can last 24-48 hours. As the vaccine stimulates the immune system, heat is produced and this heat will make some cats feel lethargic. if you have any concerns you should contact your veterinary surgeon. Allergic reactions take the form of a swollen face and limbs and occur soon after injection - veterinary treatment should be sought without delay.

A vaccination is required every year as unfortunately one vaccination will not provide lifelong protection.

If you have rescued an older cat and you don't know its history,
it is advisable to commence vaccinations immediately.

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