Both indoor and outdoor cats need to be ready to face the big wide world, and vaccinations are an important part of this. As well as protecting against some pretty nasty diseases, they also prevent your moggie from passing anything on to other feline friends.
Why it's Important to Vaccinate Your Cat
Vaccinations give your cat’s natural immune system what it needs to deal with invisible nasties.
With a vaccine, your cat is exposed to a safe form of a particular disease. Their immune system learns how to respond to that pathogen, so if they come into contact with it later on, they can fight it off.
What Vaccines Do Cats Need?
The vaccination programme your cat will need comes down to a number of factors - including age, medical history, where you live, whether it’s an indoor or outdoor cat, whether there are any other furry friends in the house, and if your cat needs to stay in a boarding cattery.
Feline Infectious Enteritis (FIE, Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Parvovirus, Feline Distemper)
Responsible for a severe form of gastroenteritis that’s fatal in some cases and can lead to brain damage in kittens infected shortly before or after birth. In kittens and young cats, severe vomiting and diarrhoea can also lead to fatal dehydration within a couple of days. The virus is spread via infected poo and can survive for long periods in the environment.
Cat Flu (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis)
Cat flu is usually caused by the Feline calicivirus (FCV) or herpesvirus (FHV). Vaccinations are available for both FHV-1 and FCV. Symptoms include a weepy nose, eyes and ears, inflamed throat, coughing and, occasionally, pneumonia and skin infections. The disease can vary from being mild to very severe and can sometimes be fatal. Once infected, cats carry the virus for a long time and are a risk to any unvaccinated cats they might meet!
Feline Chlamydia (Chlamydophilosis, Chlamydophila Felis, Feline Chlamydophila Infection)
This is a bacterial infection that causes eye and breathing problems. It isn’t a particularly common problem for the average cat, but it can cause mild to severe conjunctivitis and difficulty breathing. It’s most common in young kittens aged around 2 months old and living in multi-cat households. But it can also be seen in older cats with other underlying or immune problems.
Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV)
This is one of the most common viral diseases in cats. Causing persistent infection and progressive anaemia, most cats infected with FeLV die within three years. However, not all cats infected with the virus get the disease. Transmission is via direct cat-to-cat contact. This means if your cat is allowed outside, it is at risk.
Feline Bordetella (Bordetellosis)
The feline version of the upper respiratory tract infection known as ‘kennel cough’. This isn’t particularly common but can be a problem in multi-cat households and breeding or boarding establishments. The bacteria can also be spread between cats and dogs. Luckily, it’s rarely fatal, but symptoms can be tricky to clear up.
Rabies
This is a very serious viral infection that kills many animals and people around the world every year. It’s passed from animal to animal via their saliva. Vaccination isn’t necessary for cats living in rabies-free countries like the UK and Ireland. However, in some countries it’s compulsory and is a must for cats travelling abroad or coming into the UK from abroad. Contact your vet for all you need to know if you’re planning on taking your cat abroad.
You might not realise that infectious diseases are very common because most cats are protected by vaccination. But your cat must be vaccinated regularly to be fully protected against these diseases.
How Much are Cat Vaccinations?
The cost of your cat's vaccinations may depend on your veterinary practice, but for your kitten's first vaccines they should cost you around £70. This will include all vaccinations they need for their year's first intrepid adventures.
Remember, your cat will need annual booster vaccinations, how much though, right? Your cat's annual booster vaccines should cost around £45.
When Should I Vaccinate My Cat?
Again, follow the advice of your vet. Kittens should have their first jabs at nine weeks old. Three or four weeks later, they get their second set.
For your typical cat, the third and fourth months of life can be pretty action-packed. Ideally, they stay with mum for the first eight to 12 weeks (all that maternal milk helps boost their immune system). After that, they’re usually off to their new home!
Be sure not to let your kitten mix with other cats (unless you know they’ve been vaccinated) until they’ve had all of their initial injections. Your kitten will still be at risk until they’ve had the full course of jabs.
So if a new kitten is joining your crew, it’s important to find out exactly where she’s at with her jabs. Is she somewhere between the first and second set? If the written vaccination record isn’t available, track down the previous owner’s vet to find out what needs to be done - and when.
Annual booster vaccinations are generally recommended right through adulthood. So no matter the age of your new cat, registering her with a vet should be top of the to-do list when she arrives at her new home.
Are there Side Effects to Cat Vaccines?
With the exception of the kennel cough vaccine (given as drops in the nose), vaccines are administered by way of injection. You can relax, though: vets and vet nurses are pros at delivering them quickly and painlessly.
Your cat might seem a little subdued or off-colour for a day or two after the injection. And the injection site might be tender or a bit swollen for a little while afterwards. But don’t worry; it’s perfectly natural! Think of a vaccination as a gentle dress rehearsal for the immune system - so they know how to handle the “real deal” when they need to.
Serious side effects are very rare. And as your vet will tell you, the risk of a bad reaction is much lower than the risk of going unprotected and picking up a nasty disease!
Everypaw Cat Insurance
Some things we can’t prevent. As we all know, there are a-hundred-and-one ways for your cat to get in a scrape, which is why pet insurance for cats is the purr-fect way to make sure they get the help they need when they need it.
But some illnesses, we CAN control. That’s why cover for vaccine-treatable diseases is routinely excluded from pet insurance. So if you haven’t already, speak to your vet today and give your furry friend the protection they deserve.
Everypaw's Cat Insurance comes with 24/7 unlimited access to vets and vet nurses that can help with your pet's health, care, nutrition and behaviour. So you can rest assured your kitty will be well looked after.
Content reviewed and updated by Vetstream
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