Adopting a new pet requires a set of responsibilities, highlighting the health care. If you are thinking of adopting a kitten, or you already have a cat at home, but you do not know what vaccines you should administer him/her, we tell you which are the most recommended and when they should get them.
At what age is the first vaccine given to a kitten?
There is no mandatory vaccination schedule for cats. However, veterinarians recommend a set of vaccines as protection for the pets’ health, avoiding the spread of certain diseases with other animals and humans that live in the same home.
The vaccines are necessary for cats that go outside, or that have contact with other animals that leave the house frequently, starting from the moment of the kittens’ weaning.
The first vaccine should be applied to the baby cat when his/her immune system is already mature, around 2 months old. Until the kitten does not have the first complete vaccination, we should not let them go outside.
Vaccine schedule for cats
Although there are many cat diseases that can be prevented with a vaccine, the most frequent are 5, which are placed annually in 3 different vaccines.
Vaccines for puppy cats
Once they are 2 months old, when kittens have already been weaned, we begin with the first set of vaccines and with the deworming. The order of vaccination is usually the following:
- Trivalent vaccine against panleukopenia, viral rhinotracheitis and feline calicivirosis.
- Vaccine against feline leukemia, 15 days later.
- Second dose of the trivalent vaccine, 15 days later.
- Second dose of the vaccine for leukemia, 15 days later.
- Rabies vaccine, 15 days later, which is usually given together with the microchip placement.
Vaccines for adult cats
Once they overcome the kitten stage, adult and senior cats that go outside should repeat each of the 3 recommended vaccines annually. The frequency of application of each of these vaccines will be specified by the veterinarian, according to the needs of each pet, the environment in which they are and their contact with the external environment and other animals.
Check with your veterinarian what vaccines you must give to your cat to have him/her always protected.
