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Vaccinations Your Kitten Should Receive
Adopting a new kitten entails sharing many milestones, such as the first time you bring your cat home, litter training her, and introducing her to other animals, to name a few. Other crucial first steps will be taken in your veterinarian’s office. Being a new pet parent comes with new responsibilities, from vaccinations to spaying and neutering.To help you prepare, here’s a list of the most common kitten vaccinations recommended by veterinarians, as well as why they’re important for your new family member. Educate yourself first, and then collaborate with your veterinarian to develop a vaccine schedule that is appropriate for your family.
When Are Kitten Shots Given?
Did you know that a kitten’s ability to fight disease begins with a healthy mother cat?
When kittens nurse, they absorb disease-fighting antibodies from their mother cat’s milk. Most kittens are weaned by 8 weeks and receive their first vaccinations between 6 and 8 weeks. Boosters will be given every three to four weeks until the kitten is 16 weeks old or the entire series of vaccinations is completed.If you adopt a cat older than that, your veterinarian will help you determine which vaccines are recommended, when you should start giving the shots, and how long they will need to be given.
Adopting a new kitten means going through many milestones together, including bringing your cat home for the first time, litter training her and introducing her to other animals to name a few. Other important first steps will take place in your veterinarian’s office. From vaccinations to spaying and neutering, being a new pet parent comes with new responsibilities.
To help you prepare, here’s a list of the most common kitten vaccinations vets recommend and why they’re important for your new family member. Educate yourself first, and then work with your vet to create a vaccine schedule right for your family.
Potential Kitten Vaccinations Your Cat May Receive:
Bordetella: Bordetella (also known as kennel cough in dogs) is a highly contagious respiratory disease, which is why many veterinarians recommend vaccination. It is spread through sneezing and coughing and is especially problematic in multi-cat households. However, keep in mind that your kitten may have contracted it before being adopted, especially if she was raised in a home with other kittens or adult cats. This is not a common vaccination in the United States, and your cat should never receive the canine vaccination.
Feline Calicivirus: Considered one of the core kitten vaccinations, your vet may suggest you protect your cat from feline calicivirus. It’s one of the most common respiratory illnesses, and young kittens are especially susceptible to it. Signs of this disease include swollen face and joints, hair loss and scabbed or ulcerated skin. Feline calicivirus can also attack internal organs, like the lungs, pancreas and liver.
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