Vaccinations for Kittens and Cats
Boosting your feline friend’s immunity through vaccines is one of our team’s top priorities. Vaccines help protect kittens and cats from harmful and potentially life-threatening diseases like rabies, feline distemper and feline herpes virus. It’s important that your pet’s vaccine schedule is updated to maintain optimum protection. Proper vaccination saves the lives of countless cats and other animals each year. We hope the info on this page helps you get a better understanding about pet vaccines. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our team via phone or email.
Vaccinations for kittens
What age should a kitten get their vaccines?
At this point of their life, your kitten should receive vaccines at about the 8, 12 and 16-weeks-old mark. This series of vaccines are often referred to as “booster shots”. That being said, every kitten is different and during a consultation at the hospital, we can assess the vaccine schedule that will work best for your feline companion.
Do indoor kittens need shots/vaccines?
Yes! This is a common myth among pet owners. Even if your kitten, cat, or other pet spends most or all of their time indoors, they still need to be fully vaccinated. They can still be exposed to harmful diseases and parasites through you, other people, as well as other pets and animals that come into your home.
Vaccinations for cats
How many times do cats need vaccines?
Good news! Adult cats need to be given vaccines less often than their newborn counterparts. Adult vaccines are usually given 1 year after your pet’s kitten series. The frequency depends on the specific kind of vaccines that your cat has been given. Usually, they would need to go back to the clinic for their shots once per year up to once every 3 years.
What will happen to my cat after they get their shots/vaccines?
Most cats and other pets feel absolutely no side effects after receiving their vaccinations. The ones that do display symptoms usually experience very mild discomfort such as soreness (especially at the site of injection), loss of appetite, hives, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. All things considered, these risks are miniscule and the benefits of vaccines far outweigh any potential negatives.