Vaccines For Cats: Everything You Need To Know

The term “vaccine” refers to the administration of an artificial compound, designed to prevent the onset of certain diseases. Fortunately, vaccination can be applied to both humans and animals. In this article we will tell you about vaccines for cats. We will try to explain to you how they can strengthen the immune system of your pet feline.

Vaccines have always created some controversy, due to how they work. In practice, with a puncture, a percentage of disease in the form of a virus is introduced into the healthy body . The goal is to stimulate the body to generate the antibodies necessary to eradicate the disease in question.

The case of animals does not escape this controversy. However, most specialists recommend using vaccines for cats at the right time and age, especially if your four-legged friend is usually in contact with the outside environment.

Vaccines are precisely dosed and are completely safe. Furthermore, in order to act correctly, it is important to respect the recall calendar  .

Generally, cats are vaccinated at birth, but when adopting a pet, it is important to find out if they have received their respective doses of the vaccine. In any case, it will be necessary to carry out a recall once a year. The same should be done with stray cats rescued from the street.

When should cats be vaccinated?

Vaccines for cats are suitable for both types of animals, those purely domestic and those that are left free to go outside. Its function is to protect the immune system from attacks by the most common viruses.

In young cats, it is important to ensure that they have been weaned from their mother before vaccinating them . In addition, they must be dewormed, a treatment that applies to a month and a half after their birth.

Another recommended action is to perform a leukemia and immunodeficiency test , to find out if they are carriers of the virus. The application of the respective vaccines will depend on this.

The first vaccine of the animal is considered the most important. It is applied to two months of life and through it we try to prevent various diseases.

What are the essential vaccines for cats?

With vaccination, we try to avoid the onset of diseases that are not only serious,  but highly contagious. For this reason, the so-called trivalent vaccine  for cats is very important , against rhinotracheitis ( herpes virus ), calicivirosis ( calyx virus ) and viral gastroenteritis ( panleukopenia ).

• Feline viral rhinotracheitis : it is highly contagious. Its symptoms include eye discharge, mucus, and sneezing. Unlike calcivirus, the cause of this disease is a herpesvirus.
• Calicivirosis : This is a very serious infection of the respiratory tract and can easily be transmitted by air. It destroys the cells of the respiratory system and the vaccinated cats continue to excrete the virus from the tonsils.
• Feline panleukopenia : it is a very contagious disease that is fatal in 80% of cases. It affects white blood cells, causes diarrhea and vomiting up to dehydration. It resembles the flu, but with greater intensity and attacks the respiratory tract.

In this sense, the trivalent vaccine must be recalled within one month of its first dose. In the case of adult cats, it is applied only once and is recalled annually. Before applying this vaccine, it is important to test the animal. It should only be given to cats carrying the virus.

It should be noted that the first dose is given at two and a half months of life. This should be as well as the booster, one month after being vaccinated. There is a version of the trivalent vaccine plus anti-leukemia.

• Feline Leukemia FeLV : This is a retrovirus that infects cats and can be lethal. It is a form of cancer of the blood cells (lymphocytes).

This vaccine is only applied if the cat has already passed the first one (the trivalent). In adult cats, the leukemia vaccine is given in a single dose with an annual booster.

Rabies vaccine

In addition to the trivalent plus anti-leukemia, it is also essential to vaccinate your cat  against rabies. The injection is applied after four months of age and does not need any booster.

It is an optional vaccine for pets, free to leave the house. However, in some countries it is mandatory for all dogs and cats, so it is important to review the legislation of the country where you live to know how to vaccinate the animal.

There are other cat vaccines that are recommended, although not mandatory. As in the case of the feline immunodeficiency vaccine and infectious peritonitis .

Vaccines for cats: benefits and contraindications

The main advantage of vaccinating your pet is that it is less likely to suffer from very common diseases. Especially if it is an animal that often leaves the house and interacts with other species.

Although there are contraindications for some vaccines, these can be prevented through certain tests. The most common case is the leukemia vaccine. Application of this vaccine to non-carrier cats can affect the immune system. The animal can become very weak and, in some cases, even die.

Another side effect of this vaccine is sarcomas or malignant tumors. These usually occur in the tissues, muscles, or blood vessels where the vaccine was injected.

This type of cancer can also be triggered by the rabies vaccine. Therefore, it is important to take your cat to the vet periodically.