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Vaccinating Your Cat

A number of highly infectious and potentially fatal diseases can affect your cat. However, for many of these conditions, vaccinations provide a simple protection. Ensuring that your cat completes an initial course of vaccinations and then receives regular booster vaccinations is important if you want to keep your cat healthy.

How do vaccinations work?

Most vaccines are given by injection under the skin. A few vaccines may be given as a spray up your cat's nose. Vaccinations all work by training the white blood cells in your cat's body how to recognize and attack the viruses or bacteria contained in the vaccine. This should prevent infection with that particular bug if your cat is in contact with it again. Current vaccines fall into two main categories: "live vaccines" which contain a strain of the bug which has been altered so that it cannot cause disease but does stimulate immunity and "dead vaccines" in which the bug has been killed by heat or chemicals. Each type has their pros and cons. Live vaccines generally give better and longer-lasting protection but they can sometimes cause more side effects. Live vaccines are not recommended for certain groups of cats, such as pregnant females.

What diseases can my cat be vaccinated against?

Feline Panleukopenia (also called Feline distemper or Feline Infectious Enteritis)

Before the development of a safe vaccine, this was one of the biggest causes of death in cats. It is particularly dangerous for kittens and young cats, when severe vomiting and diarrhea can cause fatal dehydration within 2-3 days of symptoms starting. The virus is spread in infected feces (droppings) and it can survive for long periods in the environment.

Cat Flu (caused by Feline viral rhinotracheitis and Feline calicivirus)

Nearly all cases of respiratory disease in cats are caused by one of two viruses: herpes virus and calicivirus. Cat flu is only rarely fatal except in very young or old cats and those cats already ill with some other disease. The effects are the same as in human flu - sneezing, runny nose and eyes. But mouth ulcers may also occur. Once infected, a cat may carry the virus for a long time and pose a risk to any unvaccinated cat it meets. Cats carrying the virus may not have any symptoms or may have mouth ulcers or "snotty noses" which never get better.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV)

This is probably the most important viral disease in cats. Not all cats that are infected with the virus get the disease. But, in those that do, it is almost always fatal and treatment can only prolong the cat's life. The disease destroys the cat's defenses against other diseases and may cause fatal cancers. The virus is spread by direct contact with other cats. So any cat that goes outside or mixes with other cats is at risk.

Chlamydia

This is a disease that causes painful inflammation (conjunctivitis), ulcers and discharge from the eyes. It may cause infertility in some female cats. Young kittens with the disease may have sore or runny eyes from a few weeks old. It is mainly a problem where large numbers of cats live together and once a cattery is affected, the disease often keeps coming back. Cats living on their own are at low risk of catching the disease. This disease can be treated with a long course of antibiotics.

Rabies

Vaccination against rabies is compulsory in many countries because of the risk of passing this horrible fatal disease to humans. Vaccination is unnecessary for cats in those countries that are free of rabies - the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan - except in those animals, which are going to be exported abroad. Cats in the UK may now be vaccinated against rabies for travel to some European countries and can retum to the UK with waiver of the 6-month quarantine period under certain prescribed conditions. Contact your veterinarian for details if you plan to travel abroad with your cat.

There is no satisfactory vaccine yet for other important viral diseases of cats such a feline infectious peritonitis and feline immunodeficiency virus.

When should my cat be vaccinated?

Kittens are protected against many infectious diseases through compounds call antibodies, which they receive in the first few hours from their mother's milk (colostrum). Early vaccination is pointless because these antibodies prevent vaccines from working properly. However, by about seven weeks, the immunity provided by the mother begins to wear off. For most of the above diseases, kittens should be given their first vaccination at about nine weeks and then given a second vaccination at about twelve weeks. Until your kitten has received all its injections and for a few days after, it should not mix with other cats unless you can be certain that they are free of disease.

Why is it necessary to have repeat vaccinations?

Most vaccination courses start with two separate injections about three weeks apart. This course must be completed before your kitten is fully protected by the vaccine. The protection given by most vaccines wears off in time and at different rates for each particular vaccine. If your cat has not been given a booster for more than two or three years, your veterinarian may think it is safer to start from scratch with a new course of injections. It is particularly important to make sure boosters are up to date in cats that fight regularly with other cats. Most catteries will insist on seeing proof of regular vaccinations before looking after your cat.

Do vaccines always work?

The quality of vaccines available today is very high but occasionally an individual cat may not get the full protection from the vaccine. This may be because the cat was already ill or was stressed when it was vaccinated and its immune system was not working properly. Your veterinarian will examine your cat before vaccination, and if any signs of illness are detected, will delay vaccination until your cat is well again.

Can vaccinations be dangerous?

Often your cat will seem not right for a day or two after its vaccination, and the injection site may also become tender and swollen. If these effects do not wear off, it is worth taking your cat back to see your veterinarian. If you are concerned about any symptoms in your cat, do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian for reassurance or advice. There have been reports (most from the United States) of cats developing dangerous cancers around the injection site. These cancers appear to be linked to feline leukemia and rabies vaccines and the cancer may not appear for many months after treatment. However, this problem is much more rare than the risk of disease if your cat is not vaccinated.

Infectious disease may not seem very common in cats because most cats are protected by vaccination. Your cat must receive regular vaccinations to be fully protected against these diseases.

For additional information, contact:

Riverside Animal Hospital 3233 Riverside Drive 336-5090 .

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