Kitten Vaccinations
One of the most important things you want to do for your kitten to safeguard his health for years to come is consider vaccinations. Vaccinations are not terribly expensive and will keep your kitten free from common Kitty diseases.
Vaccinations should be started when your kitten is between 6 and 8 weeks old. Before this point, Momma Cat’s antibodies have been protecting him. However, once your kitten is weaned, he is on his own.
1st visit to the Veterinarian (between 6 to 8 weeks old)
Take your kitten in when he is between 6 and 8 weeks old. The vet will perform a thorough examination looking for a range of maladies. You can expect a fecal exam, looking for signs of worms and a blood test, checking for Feline Leukemia and FIP. The vet will most likely ask you if your kitten will be a house cat or an indoor cat. If you answer indoor cat, he may elect to skip the Feline Leukemia and FIP vaccinations because of the potential side effects – I’ll discuss these later. Your kitten will receive his first FVRCPC vaccine, which protects against Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia and Chlamydia. If you kitten has worms, the vet will give him his first worming treatment.
2nd Visit to the Veterinarian (between 8 and 12 weeks old)
When you kitten is between the 8 and 12 weeks, it’s time for your kitten to go back to the vet for his second round of FVRCPC, Feline Leukemia, and FIP vaccines. If your kitten was treated for worms on the first visit, the vet will give your kitten his second worming treatment. If your kitten is about 12 weeks old and spends a lot of time outdoors, he will also receive his first Rabies vaccination.
3rd Visit to the Veterinarian (between 10 and 16 weeks old)
The next vet visit will be when your kitten is between 10 and 16 weeks old. This time he will receive his third FVRCPC vaccine – and if he was too young on the second visit to receive his Rabies vaccine, he will receive it at this time. Your kitten is basically done until he is about a year old.
4th Visit to the Veterinarian (about 1 year old)
At about a year old, take your kitten/cat into the vet for Rabies, FVRCPC, FIP, Kitten Leukemia booster shots. Your kitten/cat will only receive FIP and Kitten Leukemia boosters if he received them earlier. Note that if the Rabies booster shot is given within a year of the first Rabies vaccine, your kitten/cat will not need another for 3 years. However, you will have to return each year for FVRCPC boosters.
Side Effects and Risks
Although this regimen of vaccines is quite safe, there can be side-effects that occur. For example, Kitten Leukemia vaccinations can contribute to a form of cancer at the vaccination injection site, which is why kittens who are not at risk may be not receive it. In addition, tumors can form at the vaccination injection site, but can be safely removed before they spread. If you discover any lumps near the injection site, contact your vet immediately. Generally, these lumps are but a mere allergic reaction to the injection, but left unchecked, can turn into tumors. Don’t let the side-effects scare you – they are truly rare. The bottom line is that the risk of not getting the vaccinations far outweighs the risk of side-effects.