| There are many diseases that your cat is at risk for, | | | | symptoms. |
| whether he's a fuzzy new kitten or a long time family | | | | Calicivirus - respiratory virus that can cause symptoms |
| pet. You should seriously consider having your cat | | | | of runniness in a cat's eyes and nose for the rest of |
| vaccinated to help decrease his chances of | | | | its life, even after treatment. |
| contracting an illness. We're going to talk about the | | | | Rabies - a horrible disease that attacks the central |
| routine vaccine schedule for cats, as well as give you | | | | nervous system, which can be spread through bites or |
| a bit of information about the diseases it helps to | | | | scratches and is capable of being contracted by any |
| prevent. | | | | mammal, including humans. |
| While a kitten is feeding off of milk from his mother his | | | | Your vet may recommend other "non-core" vaccines |
| body is taking in the antibodies that are supplied in the | | | | to protect your cat against diseases that are likely to |
| milk. When the baby starts to move on to solid foods, | | | | affect him based on his breed or the area in which |
| the amount of antibodies he receives will lessen until he | | | | you live. |
| no longer holds any immunity. Usually, by 20 weeks of | | | | The vaccination schedule usually begins when a kitten |
| age all of the immunity passed through the mother's | | | | reaches 6 weeks of age. Most veterinarians prefer to |
| milk is gone, leaving the kitten unprotected from | | | | offer the first injection between 6 - 8 weeks of age. |
| disease. | | | | Two more injections will be administered three to four |
| The first set of vaccinations is referred to as the | | | | weeks apart, so most kittens are about four months |
| "core" vaccines. These protect your cat from | | | | old once at the last injection of the core shots. The |
| common feline diseases such as: | | | | vaccination process isn't anything to worry about, for |
| Distemper - a potentially fatal disease that most cats | | | | the most part. Your veterinarian will simply pinch a bit |
| will be exposed to in their lifetime. Brain damage and | | | | of skin from a fatty area and inject the vaccination |
| other issues can remain permanently in a kitten or cat | | | | there. The cat rarely feels anything save for a pinch or |
| who contracts and survives the illness. | | | | slight itchiness at the site of injection. You will need to |
| Rhinotracheitis - a virus that causes respiratory | | | | take your cat back to the vet a year later for a |
| infection. Vaccination does not prevent a cat from | | | | "booster" shot, and then again every few years after |
| contracting this illness, but it can tone down the | | | | that. |