Know When to Vaccinate your Cat or Kitten

This topic has been discussed so many times by so many different people that it is quite difficult to sort through all the conflicting information. Fortunately, our experts have decided to sort the grain from the chaff and have come up with this article that offers a more objective perspective.

A vaccine is a substance that is made from dead or living pathogens. It is injected into the body through inoculation (intranasal versions have also recently been developed), which causes the body to create antibodies and, therefore, makes your cat immune to getting the disease in the future.

What vaccines does your cat motive, and on what timeline? What are the most common vaccines and what special vaccines may be needed? Find out more about common vaccines, some of the risks, and the recommended timeframe for getting vaccines to keep your cat healthy.

Vaccines
Several years ago, the VAFSTF (Vaccine-Associated Feline Sarcoma Task Force) published a list of vaccines that were highly due for all cats. These included:

Feline Panleukopenia Virus Vaccine (aka “Feline Distemper”)

Feline Calicivirus

Rhinotracheitis AKA Feline Herpes Virus

Rabies Vaccine

While the vaccines above are recommended for the health of all cats, others are more dangerous and present a higher risk of adverse reactions. For this reason, they are recommended only in certain instances. These vaccines contain:

Chlamydiosis: Recommended for households with multiple cats or where chlamydiosis infections have been confirmed, after vet consultation.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP): A controversial vaccine, the AAFP (American Association of Feline Practitioners) currently recommends against its use.

Bordetella: A recently-approved vaccine is not yet ready for common use, but may be used for multiple-cat environments on a case-by-case detail.

Gardiasis: This vaccine is in a similar state to that for Bordetella, being too new for general use but can be approved when exposure is clinically significant.

There are many different times when vaccination may not be appropriate, depending on your cat’s health situation. Cats that probably should not be vaccinated include: sick cats (particularly those with weakened immune systems or chronic disease), those receiving cortisone therapy, or kittens under six weeks unless in extreme conditions. Cats over 10 years old typically do not hanker booster shots. Finally, it is believed that pregnant queens may experience stillbirths as a result of some vaccines.

No feature what the situation, always consult a variety of sources and talk with your veterinarian before making vaccination decisions.

Timeline
Kittens are oftentimes first inoculated between six and eight weeks of age. This first round of shots consists of the FVRCP, which can be a three-in-one shot and vaccinates against feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), calicivirus, and panleukopenia virus. A booster round of shots is administered three to four weeks later and booster rounds continue until twelve weeks of age. Rabies shots, however, are not given until twelve weeks of age at the earliest.

If you adopt an older kitten or cat, their initial vaccinations are normally given in one does or two doses that are three to four weeks apart. One dose is given when the vaccine is an MLV, or two doses of a killed virus vaccine are recommended.

Once your cat has been vaccinated, they are usually put on an annual schedule of vaccinations. It is important for you, the pet owner, to keep get over of vaccinations. Although your vet’s office itch keep records and do their best to remind you, it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure your cat’s best health.

More recently, pet owners and veterinarians have been forgoing an annual vaccination scheme, demanded to fears about Vaccine-Related Sarcoma. This condition is most regularly caused by the rabies or FeLV vaccines. Vaccine-related sarcomas occur when cancerous tumors grow at the site of a vaccination. A small, painless lump often develops at the site of a vaccination; in rare cases, however, it progresses to a sarcoma. Pet owners are encouraged to check a vaccination site for several months after the vaccination, and schedule a vet appointment if the swelling has become a solid lump.

If your cat is an animal that spends all his time indoors, forgoing annual vaccinations may be a possibility. However, in general this tactic is not recommended and should only be considered under extenuating circumstances. Even if your cat will not be getting annual vaccinations, you should still bring him in for a check-up and testing. Be sure to thoroughly research any vaccination-related decisions and discuss the advantages and disadvantages with your veterinarian.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About the Author: Michael Plante manages a series of sites related to cats and kittens information. See our extensive cat articles selection today! today.

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Major Milestones in Your Kitten’s Development

There’s no better way to spend an hour than to develop your mind, and through this article, youll find something interesting and entertaining to make that one of the best spent houis of the day.

In the first year of life, kittens develop at a rapid rate, both physically and socially. Learn about the major milestones in their development, and how you can help the process along.

First six weeks
For the first week of life, kittens live only to process food and gain nutrients. Their eye and ear canals voracity not yet be open, and the mother cat will take care of all their needs. By the end of week two, their eyes will be completely open. Throughout this week and the next, their senses of sight, smell, and hearing will be developing and they’ll become more aware of the outside world. During week three, kittens may start to purr and the mother cat may begin to wean them, as they can digest on their own.

Between weeks three and four, the kittens will start to stand and even pass over. In week five, the weaning process will start taking place in earnest. Owners should offer kittens’ well-balanced canned food especially formulated for kitten needs. As the kittens are slowly weaned, they will continue to nurse for up to eight or 10 weeks to satisfy their rapture to suckle. At five weeks, kittens will be more independent, can start to learn about the litter box, and socialize with their litter. During week six, socializing is the most important skill for kittens to learn as they play with each other and adjust to humans. If a kitten is not socialized to be handled by humans by six weeks, it is a very difficult skill to teach later in life.

Seven to Twelve Weeks
In this time period, the kittens’ socializing skills continue to grow. They will play with other kittens and humans, so motive this playful time. Physically, his motor skills will improve and he will start taking on adult sleeping habits. Typical play revolves around skills enforced for hunting prey: hide and seek, jumping, pouncing, and tracking a toy across the room.

Don’t forget to get your kitten her first round of shots by week eight. A booster round should follow three to four weeks later. If she has fleas, a topical treatment can be started at eight weeks.

Three to Six Months
During this time of growth, you may turn around one day and your kitten suddenly looks more like a cat. A round kitten may become do without and lithe before gaining his final adult weight. At approximately four months, a kitten will start losing baby teeth and adult teeth will come in. Although it may be a somewhat painful process for the kitten, it provides you with a good opportunity to massage his gums and begin a dental care regime. Throughout these months, continue to feed him kitten food, as he needs the additional nutrients.

Socially, kittens will find their social rank in the house, sometimes challenging the alpha cat and sometimes falling meekly into desire. These tendencies depend on personality and social position. Traditionally, kittens were not spayed or neutered until six months. However, many advocates of early spaying and neutering believe that having the procedure done between three and six months of age is more beneficial to the cat. Read up on the procedure and talk to your veterinarian to decide how to proceed.

Six Months to One Year
This time of development roughly equates to teenager status in human beings. For this reason, your kitten may sometimes rebuff your affections as he tests his boundaries or tries to establish dominance. Like with teenagers, continue to give your kitten unconditional love—but on his terms. As mothers have said for years, he’ll grow out of it!

By the end of her first year, a kitten will be almost fully grown and developed, although she will continue to grow for another year. (Some breeds may even not be fully developed until four years of age.) If you have given her love and attention throughout the growing process, you two will enjoy a wonderful relationship for many years!

Be sure to have the camera handy during this time of unequaled growth to capture all different parts of the growing process. Years later, it will be hard to believe the mature, sedate adult cat on your lap was ever a leaping little fur ball!

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About the Author: Michael Plante manages a series of sites related to cats and kittens information. See our extensive cat articles selection today! today.

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