Before you pick up your new kitten and take it home, make sure that they have had their first vaccination. Kittens should receive they first vaccination between 6 to 8 weeks of age. This first vaccination starts to build your kitten's defences against any potentially serious diseases.

How do Vaccines work?

Vaccines or vaccinations work by stimulating the animal's immune system, so that their bodies natural defences are prepared and fully equipped with antibodies to fight against any diseases. Unfortunately if your cat is not properly vaccinated, their bodies' immune system will not be armed to fight off any virus or bacterial infection.

What is the best Vaccination Schedule?

Kittens surely have a course of three vaccinations, normally given 4 weeks apart:

6 – 8 Weeks First Vaccination - Temporary
10 – 12 Weeks Booster Vaccination
14 – 16 Weeks Final Vaccination

Adult cats require an annual vaccination booster for life. Your vet clinic will send you a reminder a few weeks before your cat is due for their yearly booster.

What do vaccinations protect against?

Cats need to be protected against the below serious and sometime fatal diseases:

• Feline Enteritis - This is the most common disease that affects cats. It is a very contagious and is highly life threatening especially in kittens under 12 months of age. The most common symptoms are: High fever, depression, dehydration, severe stomach pain, vomiting diarrhoea and dehydration.
• Feline Respiratory Disease (Cat Flu) - Cats of all ages can contract this disease as it is highly contagious. Symptoms of this are sneezing, nasal discharge, runny eyes, coughing, loss of appetite and ulcers on their tongues, in their mouths and on their nose, if left untreated this disease can cause severe dehydration.
• Feline Calicivirus- this virus can cause respiratory signs, fever, drooling ulcers of the mouth and footpads, pneumonia, diarrhea, arthritis, and neurologic signs
• Feline Distemper or Feline Panleukopenia- this disease are not very common in Australia however vets still see the occasional case, this viral disease is contagious that can cause high fever, vomiting and diarrhoea. Unfortunately it is often fatal in young kittens. It is also important to know that the feline distemper virus is not the same as canine distemper virus.
• Feline Chlamydia - Chlamydia is an organism that causes eye disease, it is most commonly seen in young kittens under 9 months of age. The symptoms Chlamydia are discharge from the eyes and nose, sore red eyes, high temperature, coughing, heavy breathing, enlarged lymph nodes, loss of appetite, sudden weight loss and depression.
• If your kitten is going to socialise outside we recommend speaking to your vet about a FIV Vaccination. The FIV Vaccination requires a course of 3 vaccinations which are usually given at 10, 12 & 14 weeks of age. Cats being vaccinated for FIV after 6 months will require a blood test prior to being given the vaccination.
• FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) –Whilst FIV cannot be transmitted between cats and humans, it acts in the same way as HIV does in humans, it is a blood borne viral infection that destroys the immune system and leaving a cat susceptible to infections and disease The symptoms of FIV are sores, lesions and diarrhoea progress to severe chronic infections as the immune system is overcome. There is no treatment or cure for the virus itself.