If you’ve bought a pedigree kitten, it should already have had its shots. If you’re thinking about buying a pedigree kitten, make sure you get paperwork proving that the vaccinations have been given and they’re all up-to-date. If you’re buying a non-pedigree cat, a moggy, then you will need to consider the issues surrounding each vaccination yourself.
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| A six-week old kitten. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
All kittens ought to be vaccinated before they are allowed outdoors. This is to build their immune system up. The vaccination program for kitties starts between 6-8 weeks, so it’s possible that if you take kitty home at 8 weeks, he’s already had his first shot. The shots are given 2-3 weeks apart, and there are usually 3 shots in total. As a rabies shot is not always included in the initial kitten shots, if your kitty is going to be going outside, then this is an additional vaccination that you should discuss with your veterinary once kitty is 4 months old.
The shots that young kittens get will cover them against such diseases as:
Rhinotracheitis - which is characterized by symptoms such as sneezing, fever, ocular discharge, and coughing.
Calicivirus - which affects the respiratory system, and has symptoms such as pneumonia, diarrhea and even arthritis.
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| Feline leukemia virus (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Feline Distemper - which is associated with diarrhea and vomiting type symptoms.
Feline Leukemia Virus - , otherwise known as FeLV – this destroys the cats immune system and is responsible for many feline deaths as it leads to fatal infections.
Feline AIDS – like FeLV this destroys the immune system of a cat leaving it open to fatal infections.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis, or FIP - this incurable disease attacks the cat’s abdominal area.
Chlamydia – affecting eyes and respiratory area, this disease is both common and contagious.
Some of these vaccines will need to be given annually to ensure that your cat remains immune so check with veterinary clinic to ensure that your cat’s vaccinations are always kept up-to-date.
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