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These pages are for guidance only, if you are in any doubt over your pet's health please consult your veterinary surgeon.
In the UK, cats may be vaccinated against 4 major diseases:
In addition, cats travelling abroad under PETS (Pets Transport Scheme) should be vaccinated against rabies.
When young kittens suckle their mothers milk, protection against these diseases is passed on to them, as long as the mother has been vaccinated herself. After weaning, the maternal antibodies start to decrease in number in the kittens blood and its immunity to these diseases decreases.
At the age of 9 weeks, the immunity of the kitten has decreased significantly and it is now vulnerable to disease. For this reason, the kitten is vaccinated at this point, and then three-four weeks later in order to ensure complete protection. During this time, it is important that the kitten does not encounter the disease, so make sure that you keep him indoors, away from other cats.
Vaccinations contain a weakened or dead form of the disease which stimulates the kitten to mount an immune response against the disease, without developing illness. When the kitten subsequently meets the full-blown form of the disease, its body remembers it and can defeat the organism before it causes illness.
If a kitten is not vaccinated against these diseases, it is very vulnerable and may die if it encounters one of them.
After a kitten's first vaccinations, regular boosters are needed. These are normally performed once a year and your vet may send out a reminder when it is due. Boosters are essential if you wish to leave your cat in a cattery or take it to shows. The annual booster also provides an opportunity for your vet to give your dog a thorough check-up and pick up any illnesses before they become major.
This disease is also known as panleucopenia. It is caused by a parvovirus, similar to that in dogs. It is widespread in the environment and can survive for a year. It is not easily killed by disinfectants.
Cats affected by this condition do not want to eat and vomit a lot. They become very depressed. They start off having a fever but then become hypothermic. They become very dehydrated very quickly and often die within 24 hours.
Treatment of this condition needs to be quick and intense but the vaccination is very effective.
Cat flu is caused by many different viruses and bacteria. The vaccine covers two of the most common and serious viruses involved: feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus. The disease is very contagious and can be very severe in kittens. Once an animal has had cat flu, the viruses involved will stay in the body and reactivate when the animal is stressed. The cat can therefore show signs again at a later stage and can infect other cats throughout its life.
The main sign of cat flu is sneezing and coughing. The eyes can also be severely affected with a bad conjunctivitis. If the disease is severe with secondary bacteria, the cat can die from pneumonia.
This is a very common disease. It is passed between cats by direct contact so if your cat is a solitary, indoor cat, vaccination is not necessary. The disease affects the white blood cells, leading to immune suppression where the body cannot fight off infections. The disease is usually fatal within around 3 years due to leukaemia, lymphoma or other infections. The vaccination is only effective if the cat has not been exposed to the virus so, in an older cat, it is best to test for the virus in the blood stream first.
This bacteria is only spread by direct contact so vaccination should only be necessary in multi-cat households. It causes conjunctivitis and signs similar to the human cold.
Rabies is a serious, fatal disease which can infect all animals and humans. It is transmitted by infected saliva, usually via a bite. Fortunately, rabies has been eliminated from this country and the incidence has reduced over most of western Europe thanks to fox vaccination programmes.
The incubation period of this disease can be long, which means there can be a long gap between the bite and the animal showing symptoms. Once symptoms show, the disease cannot be cured.
Animals with rabies become very aggressive and salivate excessively. They become incoordinated and die within 3-10 days. Animals with the disease should be isolated from any animals and humans and left to die - it is too dangerous to go anywhere near them.
Any animals coming into this country from areas where rabies is common are kept in quarantine for 6 months to allow any symptoms to develop. Animals from some specified countries are allowed to enter the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme as long as they are vaccinated with a blood test to show that the vaccine has worked. Other criteria are microchipping and tapeworm and tick treatment between 24 and 48 hours before entry to the UK. For more details, visit the PETS website.
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