Up until relatively recently, cats and dogs were susceptible to illnesses and even death due to diseases that are now easily preventable. Vaccines can prolong the lives of cats and make them healthier. Even if your cat does not go outside or come into contact with other cats, you can bring viruses in your home by accident on your clothing or shoes. It is the responsibility of every pet owner to protect their indoor and outdoor cats from serious illnesses.

To ensure that your kitten is protected from preventable diseases, you should plan a daily vaccination schedule with your vet. Keep in mind that kittens’ immune systems are developing and they are more susceptible to infection. Breast-feeding kittens receive antibodies from their mothers’ milk. This natural protection can interfere with vaccinations. That’s why many kittens need to be vaccinated.

Veterinarians usually begin vaccinations of kittens between the ages of 6 to 8 weeks. Your kitten will receive a subsequent vaccination about once a week until he is about 20 weeks of age. The rabies vaccination is normally delayed until all antibodies from the mother kitten have been removed.

For many diseases, adult cats need booster vaccine shots every year. You can administer the majority of these vaccines, but rabies vaccinations are only allowed to be administered by veterinarians.

Vaccines stop disease by programming your cat’s immune system to recognize and destroy a pathogen. When your cat is vaccinated, live or dead viruses are introduced to the animal. This allows the body to be familiar with the pathogen so that if your cat is exposed to it, it can kill it before it causes illness.

Respiratory viruses are not just a cause of sneezing or discharge from the nose. They can also damage the cornea. These viruses tend to recur and can cause severe damage to the cornea, and even blindness, over time. These viruses can also cause breathing problems. These viruses cannot be transmitted to humans by cats.

Rabies is one of the most feared diseases in the world. This disease is fatal and essentially incurable. It affects the central nervous system, causing seizures, excessive salivation, trembling, uncontrollable fear or aggression, and blindness. Rabies is spread by a cat’s bite. Humans can get rabies from unvaccinated cats with the disease.

Panleukopenia is a disease that will affect kittens most severely. This illness can cause death because the virus attacks the digestive system and bone marrow. This virus can be transmitted to a kitten or cat who is lethargic, has diarrhea and fever. This virus cannot be transmitted to humans by cats.

Feline leukemia is a disease that mainly affects cats who go outside. If you have several cats, and allow even one of them to roam outside, they could all get this virus. Weight loss, anemia and listlessness are common symptoms of feline leukemia. Many cats with feline cancer do not survive.

Feline calcivirus is a relatively new virus and can occur in conjunction with other respiratory viruses. Calcivirus can cause sores in the mouth or on the tongue, as well as the usual respiratory symptoms such sneezing and coughing. It has also been linked with arthritis. The disease can sometimes become more severe, affecting and damaging multiple organs in the cat’s body.

The vaccines against the illnesses above are considered a ‘core’ protection for your cat. Unvaccinated kittens are more likely to develop chronic illnesses or die from diseases that can be prevented. It is costly to care for sick cats at a veterinary clinic, and it is emotionally and physically draining to take them home to recover.

Side effects can be experienced by your cat after vaccination. In most cases, your cat will only have a slight fever for a few days. Sometimes, a small knot may form near the injection site. If this does not disappear within two weeks, you should consult your veterinarian. There’s a very small chance that your cat may have a severe reaction to the vaccination. Your vet will ask you to remain in the clinic for several minutes to ensure this doesn’t happen.

The rabies vaccines may cause issues. It’s possible that a mastocyte tumour can develop where the vaccine was administered. The severity of rabies, and the risk that your cat could spread the virus to your family and you, should outweigh any concerns you may have about the side effects of the vaccine.