Vaccines For Your Cat

Initial rabies vaccine is administered around 4 months of age and repeated one year later. Additional Rabies immunizations are repeated every 3 years for the rest of your cat’s life. Tennessee state and local laws require cats receive Rabies vaccinations and that pet owners maintain a current Rabies license and tag.

Shots to protect against these viral diseases begin as a series of kitten vaccinations. A booster shot is given one year after the last kitten immunization. Additional booster shots are administered every 3 years throughout your cat’s life. Vaccination against Panleukopenia is known to be very effective, whereas vaccination against the respiratory viruses is not as reliable at preventing disease.

All cats under 1 year of age should be vaccinated. As early as 8 weeks of age a kitten should receive an immunization and a booster shot 3 weeks later. One year later, another booster shot should be given. Thereafter, booster shots depend upon lifestyle and risk factors. Feline Leukemia virus causes a diverse assortment of symptoms. Immediately following exposure, cats may have fever and general malaise. If the cat’s immune system does not eliminate the virus, the cat will become persistently/permanently infected. Long periods of time can pass while the infected cat appears healthy, but eventually FeLV associated diseases will occur. FeLV associated diseases include anemia, liver and GI disease, cancer, and chronic, recurrent infections associated with immunosuppression. The virus is most often transmitted during pregnancy as well as through nursing, licking, biting, and sharing dishes and litter pans. Young cats, especially those less than 6 months of age are most susceptible to lifelong infection when exposed to the virus. ***kittens should be tested for Feline Leukemia virus infection (blood test) prior to vaccinating.

Recommended for all cats more than a year of age with access to the outdoors, cats that live with FeLV positive cats, and cats living in multi-cat environments where the FeLV status of all cats is unknown.

This vaccine is given to protect against the bacteria Chlamydophila felis, which can cause or contribute to upper respiratory and eye infections. It may cause a mild upper respiratory infection and conjunctivitis. Incidence of infection is low, and vaccination is not recommended unless this agent identified in the cat’s environment.

This vaccine is commonly given to dogs in order to help protect against highly contagious bronchitis. Many species can develop infections with this bacteria, including cats; However, risk is extremely small and therefore not typically recommended. Infections may cause conjunctivitis, tracheobronchitis and pneumonia. Incidence of infection is low, and vaccination is not recommended unless this agent has been identified in the cat’s environment.