How to Vaccinate a Kitten
Avoid vaccines in the first six to eight weeks of life., Begin vaccinating at six to eight weeks., Continue to administer vaccines every two to four weeks weeks until your kitten is 16 weeks old., Add the Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) vaccine at...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Avoid vaccines in the first six to eight weeks of life.
When a kittens are born, and they start feeding from their mother, they ingest a variety of antibodies contained within their mother’s milk.
These antibodies, in general, are able to protect the kitten while she grows and develops her own immune system, which will protect her from diseases.
When the kitten is around six to eight weeks old, those antibodies tend to decrease within the kitten as she drinks less of her mother’s milk.
It’s at this point that she needs help protecting her from infectious diseases with vaccines.One of the reasons it is not recommended to give a kitten a vaccine earlier than six to eight weeks is because those antibodies she’s receiving from her mother may actually interfere with the vaccine and prevent it from being effective. -
Step 2: Begin vaccinating at six to eight weeks.
Once a kitten is about six to eight weeks old he will need to start a series of vaccines in order to build-up his lifelong immunities to certain infectious diseases.
The core vaccines recommended for kittens at this age include Feline Parvovirus (FPV), Feline Herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), and Feline Calicivirus (FCV).Feline Parvovirus (FPV) may also be referred to as Feline Panleukopenia Virus or Feline Distemper.Feline Herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) may also be referred to as Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus and is often associated with Feline Upper Respiratory Disease Complex.It is recommended that the modified live virus (MLV) version of all vaccines be used as they not only work faster, they last longer.Some veterinarians may be able to offer all three vaccines in one "combination" injection so your kitten will only require one needle.
This is only possible when the vaccine is designed to be combined.
Individual vaccines should never be combined into one injection otherwise. , In general the three core feline vaccines should be administered to a kitten every two to four weeks between six to eight weeks of age and 16 weeks of age.
The actual schedule you use may depend upon advice from your veterinarian, your kitten’s risk of exposure to certain diseases, and your schedule.If you start your kitten’s vaccines at six weeks of age and continue every two weeks, the schedule would be: six weeks, eight weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks, 14 weeks, and 16 weeks.
If you start your kitten’s vaccines at six weeks of age and continue every four weeks, the schedule would be: six weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, and 18 weeks.
If you start your kitten’s vaccines at eight weeks of age and continue every two weeks, the schedule would be: eight weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks, 14 weeks, and 16 weeks.
If you start your kitten’s vaccines at eight weeks of age and continue every four weeks, the schedule would be: eight weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks. , Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is considered a non-core vaccine, but is recommended for all kittens.
FeLV can first be administered when your kitten is eight weeks old.
She will need a second dose of the FeLV vaccine until three to four weeks later.The FeLV vaccine can only be given to kittens who do not have FeLV.
In general a kitten should not have FeLV if her mother did not have it.
However, if it is unknown whether the mother had FeLV it is recommended that she be tested first.Researchers are currently investigating the association of fibrosarcoma in cats who have received the FeLV vaccine.
In a rare number of cases, a cat who has received the vaccine has developed fibrosarcoma in the area around the injection site.
It is thought that these fibrosarcomas develop in cats who have been given the “dead" version of the vaccine (as opposed to the live version of the vaccine).
Veterinarians normally inject the FeLV vaccine in a cat’s left rear leg, where no other vaccines are given, in order to allow the owner to recognize a tumor, should it develop. , The rabies vaccine is considered a core vaccine.
Your kitten can receive her first rabies vaccine as early as 12 weeks old., Four additional vaccines are available for cats:
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), Chlamydia fells, Bordetella bronchiseptica, and Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP).
All of these vaccines are considered non-core and their requirements for your kitten will depend on his individual circumstances.A vaccine for FIV is not normally recommended by veterinarians.
However, if a kitten should receive this vaccine, for whatever reason, a careful record should be kept as future tests for FIV will likely be positive.
Chlamydia felis is also known as Chlamydophila.
The chlamydophila vaccine is normally only recommended for kittens who will be in multi-cat environments where the disease is already known.
The Bordetella vaccine is normally only recommended for kittens who will be living in large, multi-cat environments or colonies.
The vaccine for FIP is not normally recommended for kitten for any reason. -
Step 3: Continue to administer vaccines every two to four weeks weeks until your kitten is 16 weeks old.
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Step 4: Add the Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) vaccine at eight weeks old.
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Step 5: Administer the rabies vaccine as early as 12 weeks of age.
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Step 6: Talk to your veterinarian about the other non-core vaccines.
Detailed Guide
When a kittens are born, and they start feeding from their mother, they ingest a variety of antibodies contained within their mother’s milk.
These antibodies, in general, are able to protect the kitten while she grows and develops her own immune system, which will protect her from diseases.
When the kitten is around six to eight weeks old, those antibodies tend to decrease within the kitten as she drinks less of her mother’s milk.
It’s at this point that she needs help protecting her from infectious diseases with vaccines.One of the reasons it is not recommended to give a kitten a vaccine earlier than six to eight weeks is because those antibodies she’s receiving from her mother may actually interfere with the vaccine and prevent it from being effective.
Once a kitten is about six to eight weeks old he will need to start a series of vaccines in order to build-up his lifelong immunities to certain infectious diseases.
The core vaccines recommended for kittens at this age include Feline Parvovirus (FPV), Feline Herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1), and Feline Calicivirus (FCV).Feline Parvovirus (FPV) may also be referred to as Feline Panleukopenia Virus or Feline Distemper.Feline Herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) may also be referred to as Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus and is often associated with Feline Upper Respiratory Disease Complex.It is recommended that the modified live virus (MLV) version of all vaccines be used as they not only work faster, they last longer.Some veterinarians may be able to offer all three vaccines in one "combination" injection so your kitten will only require one needle.
This is only possible when the vaccine is designed to be combined.
Individual vaccines should never be combined into one injection otherwise. , In general the three core feline vaccines should be administered to a kitten every two to four weeks between six to eight weeks of age and 16 weeks of age.
The actual schedule you use may depend upon advice from your veterinarian, your kitten’s risk of exposure to certain diseases, and your schedule.If you start your kitten’s vaccines at six weeks of age and continue every two weeks, the schedule would be: six weeks, eight weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks, 14 weeks, and 16 weeks.
If you start your kitten’s vaccines at six weeks of age and continue every four weeks, the schedule would be: six weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, and 18 weeks.
If you start your kitten’s vaccines at eight weeks of age and continue every two weeks, the schedule would be: eight weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks, 14 weeks, and 16 weeks.
If you start your kitten’s vaccines at eight weeks of age and continue every four weeks, the schedule would be: eight weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks. , Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is considered a non-core vaccine, but is recommended for all kittens.
FeLV can first be administered when your kitten is eight weeks old.
She will need a second dose of the FeLV vaccine until three to four weeks later.The FeLV vaccine can only be given to kittens who do not have FeLV.
In general a kitten should not have FeLV if her mother did not have it.
However, if it is unknown whether the mother had FeLV it is recommended that she be tested first.Researchers are currently investigating the association of fibrosarcoma in cats who have received the FeLV vaccine.
In a rare number of cases, a cat who has received the vaccine has developed fibrosarcoma in the area around the injection site.
It is thought that these fibrosarcomas develop in cats who have been given the “dead" version of the vaccine (as opposed to the live version of the vaccine).
Veterinarians normally inject the FeLV vaccine in a cat’s left rear leg, where no other vaccines are given, in order to allow the owner to recognize a tumor, should it develop. , The rabies vaccine is considered a core vaccine.
Your kitten can receive her first rabies vaccine as early as 12 weeks old., Four additional vaccines are available for cats:
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), Chlamydia fells, Bordetella bronchiseptica, and Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP).
All of these vaccines are considered non-core and their requirements for your kitten will depend on his individual circumstances.A vaccine for FIV is not normally recommended by veterinarians.
However, if a kitten should receive this vaccine, for whatever reason, a careful record should be kept as future tests for FIV will likely be positive.
Chlamydia felis is also known as Chlamydophila.
The chlamydophila vaccine is normally only recommended for kittens who will be in multi-cat environments where the disease is already known.
The Bordetella vaccine is normally only recommended for kittens who will be living in large, multi-cat environments or colonies.
The vaccine for FIP is not normally recommended for kitten for any reason.
About the Author
Henry Gibson
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