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Cat Vaccinations

Cat vaccinations are one of the key ways that pet owners can help their cat to live a long and happy life. While some people may worry about how much cat vaccinations cost, the reality is that vaccinations are affordable, quick to administer and could potentially save you thousands of dollars in vet bills down the track.

When should cat vaccinations occur?

For maximum effect, cat vaccinations should be administered while the cat is still quite young. When a kitten is first born it retains some maternal antibodies, helping the immune system to protect the kitten from disease. However, over time these antibodies fade, leaving your cat vulnerable to a range of serious and potentially life-threatening conditions. As a result, most breeders will arrange for kittens to have their first dose of vaccinations before they travel to their new homes (when the cat is 6-8 weeks old). But these cat vaccinations will then require multiple booster shots. So, while your new pet may arrive with his vaccinations up to date, there’s still more that needs to be done.

That’s why we recommend booking in for an initial health check-up with one of our experienced team members. They’ll then be able to advise you on which vaccinations still need to occur and when these should happen (typically at 3-4 week intervals until the cat is around 16 weeks old). Any additional vaccinations for your cat can then be completed as part of their annual health assessment (thereby minimising the cat vaccination cost, since you don’t need to book a separate appointment).

What cat vaccinations are recommended?

Your cat’s vaccination schedule may vary slightly depending on its age, lifestyle and any underlying health issues, but generally speaking, we recommend the following core cat vaccinations:

  • Feline Rhinotracheitis: This prevents a type of herpesvirus that is highly infectious and can be spread to unvaccinated cats of any age. It causes extreme inflammation around the eye. as well as upper respiratory diseases. Although this condition is treatable, once a cat has been infected the virus will remain in its system for life, potentially causing repeated flare-ups.
  • Feline Calicivirus: The Feline Calicivirus vaccine will protect your cat from this common and very contagious condition. While most cats will recover from Feline Calicivirus, some may require intensive nursing and on occasion, this disease can be deadly.
  • Feline Panleukopenia: This vaccination can prevent the highly infectious Feline Panleukopenia virus, which causes damage to a cat’s gastrointestinal system, central nervous system and immune system. This virus is often deadly.

Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital can also provide the following non-core cat vaccinations, please discuss these at the time of vaccination and we can recommend them if we deam that your pet is at risk of these diseases.

  • Feline Leukemia (FeLV): This vaccine protects against the retrovirus FeLV which weakens a cat’s immune system and leaves them vulnerable to a range of other deadly illnesses.
  • Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV): Like FeLV, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus attacks a cat’s immune system, leaving them unable to fight off a variety of everyday conditions.

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