Do Indoor Kittens Need Vaccinations

Recommended by the american animal hospital association basically to sum up.

Do indoor kittens need vaccinations. Then they must be boostered a year latyer. After this kittens and cats usually need booster vaccinations every twelve months. Don t assume that your cat doesn t need at least some vaccines just because he doesn t go outside. Cat vaccinations are divided into two types.

Some cats need to be confined indoors due to medical conditions while others are just happier living an indoor life. Not so much for indoor cats but for outdoor. Your cat doesn t need to go outside to catch fleas and an indoor cat can still get heartworm disease from a mosquito that finds its way inside your warm home. Kittens need a course of two vaccinations to protect them from potentially fatal infections feline infectious enteritis which can cause severe vomiting and diarrhoea and feline influenza also known as cat flu.

According to the american association of feline practitioners aafp the core vaccines those that are recommended for all cats are feline panleukopenia virus fpv feline herpesvirus 1 fhv 1 and feline calicivirus fcv as well as rabies. It s becoming an industry standard to vaccinate your cats every 3 years or more. Benefits of giving the rabies vaccine depend on your home life and situation. Kittens should start getting vaccinations when they are 6 to 8 weeks old until they are about 16 weeks old.

Think your indoor cat doesn t need vaccinations. The shots come in a series every 3 to 4. Cats are all individuals. Vaccines are an important part of keeping your cat healthy.

All kittens need vaccinations to help keep them healthy. Kittens can start their vaccinations from nine weeks old and will need a second set of injections usually 2 4 weeks after their initial set to complete their course. There is also a vaccination that offers protection from the feline leukaemia virus which can affect the immune system. Core cat vaccinations are those that protect against especially common and or particularly dangerous diseases and are recommended for all kittens and adult cats.

And cats with a history of having sarcomas would need vaccinations with less frequency. Unfortunately it s a common misconception that indoor cats don t need to be vaccinated because they won t encounter other cats or disease carrying animals. Vaccinations by definition protect your kitten from contracting specific diseases. If a rabid animal enters your home or your cat winds up at a shelter you d want her to be vaccinated.

I recommend starting vaccinations at about 8 weeks of age continuing until the kitten is 4 months old. Outdoor cats and kittens are another matter as they need more upfront vaccines. Remember your kitten won t be fully protected until several weeks after their second set of jabs so it s best to keep them indoors and away from any unvaccinated pets until your vet says they re safe to mingle with other cats and go outside.