Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an important part of taking care of your cat, offering protection against many life-threatening or unpleasant conditions.

Not all cats need a full set of vaccinations every year, and that is why we offer a tailor-made vaccination programme designed specifically for the individual needs of your cat.

After their primary vaccination course and first annual booster we can be much more flexible regarding subsequent vaccinations.

However, we recommend an annual health check where the vet can physically examine your cat and pick up any issues at a stage where further investigation and treatment can be started before signs worsen.

We offer vaccinations against:

● Cat flu: There are several infectious agents that cause cat flu. The most common viruses involved are feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus. As the name suggests cat flu causes flu like signs in the cat – sneezing, upper respiratory tract congestion, runny eyes and nose, sore throat and inappetance. If treated promptly, cat flu is rarely fatal except in the very young and very old. However it can make your cat ill for some time and may leave it with chronic lifelong breathing difficulties. Vaccination provides fairly good protection, although it is still possible for a vaccinated cat to contract infection, although this should be milder than if the cat was unvaccinated. This is a core vaccine which all cats should receive.

● Feline infectious enteritis (FIE): A severe and often fatal gut infection caused by the feline parvovirus. Vaccination against FIE has been very successful. Unvaccinated cats are at great risk because the virus is widespread in the environment. Again, this is a core vaccine applicable to all cats.

● Feline leukaemia (FeLV): This is a very severe virus as it damages the immune system and in many cases causes cancer. The outcome for these cats is very poor – 50% of infected cats die within six months and 80% die within three years. There is no effective treatment against FeLV and the only way to ensure your cat is not at risk from this virus is to ensure that it is vaccinated. Exclusively indoor cats are not at risk from FeLV so this vaccine is not given to every cat.

● Chlamydia: This organism occurs quite frequently but can be very difficult to diagnose. Surveys across Europe indicate that approximately 30% of all clinical conjunctivitis in cats is caused by chlamydia. Multicat and breeding households may benefit from this vaccine, but it is not core.

● Rabies: The UK is rabies free, but cats still need to be vaccinated against rabies if they are travelling abroad.Different countries have different requirements for brand and duration of immunity so if you plan to travel with your pet it is best to seek clarification from the country you are visiting.

Kittens should be vaccinated at nine and 12 weeks of age, and receive a booster 12 months from the date of their second vaccine. Subsequent vaccines are given according to lifestyle but remember a yearly health check is essential. Kittens are protected from seven days after their second injection.