Do Kittens Need Shots Like Puppies

The specific shots your kitten should have will depend on where you live whether your cat will roam the neighborhood or stay inside and whether you have other cats co ruling your home.

Do kittens need shots like puppies. To achieve the best protection possible your kitten will need boosters over the first several months of their life at least until they are between 16 20 weeks old. The shots come in a series every 3 to 4. Most kittens are weaned by around 8 weeks and receive their first vaccinations around the age of 6 to 8 weeks. Kitties need several immunizations during their first year to protect them against serious diseases.

Then they must be boostered a year latyer. After that they ll only need annual boosters. 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. If you adopt a puppy or kitten that is 12 weeks old and are told it needs 3 more shots is that true.

After that they ll only need annual boosters. And even adult cats will need an initial series of. Now you can answer this question. When are kitten shots given.

Did you know a kitten s disease fighting ability begins with a healthy mother cat. Many of your kitten s initial shots will be given as a series of boosters every 3 4 weeks. So we give the 16 week shot and play it safe. For this reason vets recommend that kittens get their first round of shots at 10 weeks and second round of shots at 14 weeks.

It s all about when they are given. These antibodies protect your kitten from many illnesses and support his developing immune system. Depending on your location and your kitten s environment certain non core vaccines may also be recommended. Not only are most puppies and kittens adequately protected by maternal immunity assuming their mothers are well vaccinated themselves but any vaccines that are given before seven to eight weeks of age are likely to be inactivated.

Talk to your veterinarian about your kitten s risk of exposure to these diseases. Research has also shown that maternal immunity has waned to the point where the vast majority of youngsters are capable of responding to vaccines by 16 weeks of age which explains why the last shots in the series are typically given at about this time. Kittens should start getting vaccinations when they are 6 to 8 weeks old until they are about 16 weeks old. Sometimes these antibodies can cause the first round of shots to be ineffective.

Core vaccines are considered essential for kittens in most geographical locations. All kittens need certain core vaccines which provide immunity against the most dangerous and widespread diseases. So a 12 week old needs one more shot at 16 weeks. Furthermore any animal over the age of 16 weeks being vaccinated for the distemper combination for the first time simply needs two shots the priming shot and the.