There is a fable that says a cat has nine lives. Although we wish this were true, this, unfortunately, is not the case. One of the best way a kitten or cat owner can ensure their cat lives a long and healthy life is to get them vaccinated. The cat vaccines that we offer at Everhart Veterinary Hospital are medically and scientifically proven to fight against various types of crippling and fatal feline diseases. Our team of veterinarians are committed to educating cat owners about the importance of cat vaccinations and are happy to schedule you an appointment today!
Why Should I Vaccinate My Cat?
As a cat owner, the overall well-being of your feline companion is your responsibility. The health and happiness of your pet are interrelated. Cat and kitten vaccinations are scientifically and medically proven to prevent several types of insidious diseases. If your pet is ever facing a real disease in the future, their immune system will be equipped and ready to put up a fight.
Why Put Your Trust In Us
At Everhart, you and your companion are always given individual and personal attention at every visit. When it comes to immunizations, it is imperative to understand that all patients are different and require individual attention. Our veterinarians will consider factors such lifestyle, age, and current health before recommending any vaccination for your cat.
What Cat Vaccines Are Recommended?
Vaccines for cats can be split into core vaccines and non-core vaccines. Core vaccines are recommended for all cats as long as they are healthy to receive them. Core vaccines protect against diseases that can be common threats to
cats and people. Core vaccines are rabies, FVRCP (known as Feline Distemper) and Feline Leukemia vaccine. Non-core vaccines are Bordetella and Chlamydia are typically not recommend unless cats have a high exposure level – like a cattery or shelter environment. Vaccines exist for FIV and FIP
but have not shown enough evidence to recommend them for cats as a standard practice at this time.
Core Vaccines:
Rabies:
Rabies virus is a neurologic infection that is fatal and transmitted by wildlife (bats, raccoons etc). It is required by law for all cats, regardless of indoor vs outdoor.
We recommend the 1 year feline rabies vaccine that is much safer for our client’s pets, although the 3 year vaccine is still available upon client request. The 3 year vaccines has an increase rate of vaccine induced sarcomas which are locally invasive at the site of injection.
At Everhart, our policy requires every patient to have a valid rabies vaccine or yearly titer in order to maintain our relationship. This is for the safety of our staff.
Feline Panleukopenia, Rhinovirus and Calici (aka feline distemper – FVRCP):
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR) is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by Feline Herpes virus that many cats are very commonly exposed to. This can cause respiratory symptoms like sneezing, eye discharge, fever, etc.
Calicivirus (C) is a virus that affects the oral cavity and can cause ulcers in the mouth. It can also cause systemic joint pain.
Panleukopenia (P) is a virus that is highly contagious and can be fatal. This virus can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, fever, and dehydration.
Schedule: FVRCP vaccines are recommended to start between 6-8 weeks old. Kittens are boostered every 3-4 weeks until the reach 14-16 weeks old. For cats older than 1 year, we recommend 2 boosters, spaced 3-4 weeks apart. Once established, this vaccine is boostered very 3 years.
Feline Leukemia:
Leukemia is a virus that can cause immunosuppression and can make cats susceptible to other severe infections like pneumonia, GI disease or fungal infections. Cats with leukemia have a higher rate of cancer later in life.
It is transmitted by direct contact with infected cats or contaminated food dishes or litter boxes.
All kittens are recommended to receive the leukemia vaccine until at least 1 year of age. Cats that spend time outdoors are recommended to continue the vaccine lifelong.
All kittens should get tested for leukemia and FIV as a part of their routine kitten visits.
When To Schedule Your Cat For Vaccinations
A kitten should see a veterinarian with the first 6-8 weeks of life. It is crucial that your kitten gets on a preventive care plan (vaccinations, flea control, deworming, etc.) to get them on the right track for living a happy and healthy lifestyle.
We recommend yearly annual wellness exams with your veterinarian to update vaccines and discuss any medical concerns.
Schedule Your Cat Wellness Exam Today
Everhart Veterinary Hospital is always accepting new patients. We will do our best to accommodate same day appointments if your animal has any urgent medical issues. This applies to everyone, and it does not matter if your companion is a new patient.
If you need urgent care, please call our hospital directly at 410-355-3131. We have urgent care available at both the Everhart Veterinary Hospital and the Everhart WellPet Center; however, major medical treatment or surgeries will are done at our hospital location.
We will do our best to accommodate your pet’s urgent medical issues. If you need urgent care, please call our hospital directly at 410-355-3131. You can reach the Everhart WellPet Center at 410-793-7670. We are committed to helping your pet in any way that we can. If we discover that your pet needs a higher level of care, we may transfer the patient to a more specialized hospital that offers 24-hour care.
