When to vaccinate a cat and what
Timely vaccination is a guarantee that the animal, if it gets sick, will easily endure the illness. Let’s take a look at what vaccinations a cat needs and at what time it is best to vaccinate an animal.
The cat needs to be vaccinated even when he is absolutely home
An adult cat is vaccinated once a year.
Features of cat vaccination
Any vaccine is a set of dead or weakened pathogens. Once in the body, such microorganisms are not able to undermine the health of the animal. At the same time, the immune system of the cat, reacting to the “enemy invasion”, begins to actively produce antibodies. The next time, having met already with a live virus, she will be able to recognize it faster, and therefore destroy it.
Even those cats that do not go outside and do not come into contact with other individuals should be vaccinated. Infectious agents enter the home on shoes and clothes. A cat can become infected from a sick rodent. Vaccination helps purrs to cope with the following diseases:
- FIP or infectious peritonitis;
- calicivirus infection;
- viral leukemia (leukemia, lymphosarcoma);
- panleukopenia (plague);
- rhinotracheitis;
- chlamydia.
There are also therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines against varieties of lichen – microsporia and trichophytosis.
Vaccination drugs are “dead” and “alive”. Vaccines of the first type are also called inactivated. They contain viruses killed by chemical or physical methods.
In “live” preparations, pathogens are only weakened: they can multiply, but are not able to harm. Which vaccine is best? Immunity reacts immediately to a “dead” vaccine, and on the 6th day to a “live” vaccine. The first is considered safer and does not require special storage conditions, the second has a longer period of validity.
Kittens from an unvaccinated mother can be vaccinated from the 8th to 9th weeks of life, from the vaccinated – from the 12th week. The procedure must be repeated 21 days after the first vaccination. There is no need for revaccination if an adult cat is vaccinated. The rabies vaccine is given to animals older than 3 months.
10-15 days before the procedure, cats must undergo deworming.
How often should a cat be vaccinated? Adult animals are vaccinated once a year at the same time. You can not vaccinate kittens during the change of teeth – at 4-8 months. Do not vaccinate sick, pregnant and lactating animals. After the procedure, cats cannot be bathed, taken to exhibitions, or taken on a visit.
So, the optimal time to vaccinate healthy kittens is 2-3 months. Adults are vaccinated once a year with drugs based on weakened or dead viruses.