Cat vaccinations are a necessary part of pet ownership so that you can keep your furry family member healthy for years to come. At A Gentle Vet, we are here to help you get the information you need to keep your pet as healthy as possible. Unfortunately, many untruths can spread on the internet —that’s why we’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions about cat vaccinations and answered them thoroughly and accurately, so you can get your cat vaccinated as part of an effective preventive care protocol.
If you’re looking for a highly trained veterinarian in South Jordan, UT, we’d love to help you care for your cat and any other pets that you have. If your kitten or cat hasn’t yet been vaccinated, that’s the first order of business. Please call us right away at (801) 968-9932.
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What exactly are cat vaccinations?
A vaccination is an injection of a mixture of molecules that stimulates an immune response to a specific disease. An example would be the rabies vaccine, which contains parts of the rabies virus—not the entire virus. It's not an active or live virus, but parts of the virus that we inject into your cat to help them start building antibodies so they can mount an immune response should they ever come into contact with the actual virus in the wild. We also have vaccines for many different feline diseases.
Are cat vaccinations necessary?
Yes. Certain cat vaccines are necessary, or what we call core vaccines, and we recommend them for all cats. That's going to include the rabies vaccine and the core viral vaccine called FVRCP; some individuals call it feline distemper. And then, other vaccines might be necessary based on the lifestyle of your cat, particularly the feline leukemia vaccine.
What other vaccines are typically recommended, and what are they for?
In general, we recommend giving all three vaccines we've discussed to kittens. For the distemper combination vaccine, we recommend rabies. For kittens, even if we're pretty sure they won't be going outside, we recommend the leukemia vaccine as part of their kitten series to ensure they're protected. Sometimes plans change between kittenhood and a year old, and we end up letting kitties out —or they get out because they're wily little creatures —and we want to make sure they're safe. After the kittenhood vaccines, we recommend rabies, distemper, and leukemia vaccines every 3 years, and leukemia vaccines every 2 years for outdoor kitties.
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What is the vaccination schedule for kittens?
At A Gentle Vet, we recommend a comprehensive kitten vaccination schedule to ensure your kitten receives all the essential core vaccines. Starting at six to eight weeks of age, your kitten should begin a series of vaccinations to protect against critical diseases. The initial vaccination includes the FVRCP vaccine, which covers feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia.
After the initial vaccine, booster shots should be administered every 3 to 4 weeks until your kitten reaches 16 weeks of age. This typically means vaccinations at 9, 12, and 16 weeks. At around 12 weeks, your kitten should receive their first rabies vaccine.
Additionally, it’s important to discuss the FeLV (feline leukemia virus) vaccine with your veterinarian, especially if your kitten will have outdoor access or be exposed to other cats. This vaccine is often given at 12 and 16 weeks of age.
Maintaining this vaccination schedule ensures your kitten develops strong immunity against common and potentially fatal feline diseases. Regular veterinary visits will keep your kitten on track with their vaccination plan, providing them with the best start in life.
What is the vaccination schedule for adult cats?
Keeping your adult cat up to date with vaccinations is important for their ongoing health and protection against disease. At A Gentle Vet, we recommend a structured adult cat vaccination schedule to cover all core vaccines.
- Your cat should receive the FVRCP vaccine annually, which protects against feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia.
- Your adult cat should also receive a rabies vaccine every year or every three years, depending on the specific vaccine used.
- For cats with outdoor access or those exposed to other cats, we recommend the FeLV (feline leukemia virus) vaccine.
Regular veterinary visits are required to assess your cat’s health and determine any additional vaccines that may be necessary based on their lifestyle and risk factors. Keeping your cat on a consistent vaccination schedule allows them to remain protected against infectious diseases, promoting a long and healthy life.
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Are there any risks or side effects associated with cat vaccines?
There's always going to be some inherent risk. Fortunately, nowadays, vaccines are generally considered low-risk. The most common thing you'll see is a bit of lethargy for the rest of the day after the vaccines, but it's usually pretty minimal. Sometimes your cat might have a decreased appetite or soreness at the injection site, but most of the time, these effects are minimal.
The rare side effects—vomiting, diarrhea, severe lethargy, hives, and swelling of the face — require immediate evaluation. The most commonly discussed vaccine reaction in cats is called feline injection site-associated sarcoma. Fortunately, that is extremely rare. Some studies show it's as rare as 0.0001% of the time, but that is always a possibility worth considering, which is why we only want to vaccinate as often as needed to keep their immunity up, and no more than that.
If my cat is going to strictly live indoors, do they still need to be vaccinated?
Absolutely. Rabies is still a risk even if your cat never goes outside. We still recommend distemper in most cases, too, just because we keep our windows open in the summertime here, and some cats go out and about. We want to minimize potential risks by keeping indoor kitties vaccinated.
Why is it important to avoid missing a cat vaccination?
Missing vaccinations can compromise your cat's immunity, making them susceptible to infections and reducing the overall effectiveness of their vaccination program. Regular veterinary visits and adherence to the recommended vaccination schedule help keep your cat well-protected throughout their life.
At A Gentle Vet, your pet is our priority. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call our team at (801) 968-9932, or you can email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you!
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