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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. In general the diseases covered by vaccination are;
1. Feline infectious enteritis / feline panleukopaenia.
This virus produces severe vomiting and diarrhoea and causes death in many cases. Due to the effectiveness of vaccination, this disease is becoming much less common however continued vaccination is important as the virus can persist for a long time in the environment.
2. 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.
3. Feline leukaemia FeLV
Infection with feline leukaemia can be very severe as the virus damages the immune system and in many cases causes cancer. The outcome for FeLV positive cats is very poor. It is possible for a cat to carry FeLV without showing any signs of ill health. If such a cat is vaccinated against the virus the vaccine is not likely to do any harm but it also will not prevent the cat becoming infected. Blood testing before vaccination can indicate whether a cat is FeLV positive or negative however false results can occur.
4. Chlamydophila / chlamydia
This organism occurs frequently but can be difficult to diagnose. It causes conjunctivitis, often starting in one eye and can cause flu like signs.
5. Rabies
The UK is rabies free however cats need to be vaccinated against rabies if they are travelling abroad on the Pet passport scheme.
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.
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.
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 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.
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