3 Core Vaccines Your Kitten Needs

September 15, 2022

3 Core Vaccines Your Kitten Needs

In 1980, it was not uncommon for parents to have "Chicken Pox Parties" because chicken pox was just one of those typical childhood viruses that parents wanted to allow their children to build up an immunity against, rather than shelter them from catching it. When I had my daughter in 1999, I was shocked to learn that there was a vaccination against chicken pox. Just like we want to protect our children, we should also be concerned about precious fur babies.

For many of us midlifers with no children at home, our pets become the ones we nurture, and many women with cats as their companions are labeled "cat ladies."

Ladies, the dating pool has pee in it, so I am on the same page as you. I would rather have a cat than a man baby, but that's another rant for a different time.

Bringing this cute and playful bundle of fur is a responsibility, regardless. To keep your precious kitty healthy and safe, just like we had to do for our children, we should vaccinate them against viruses that can cause long-term complications, even death.

Keeping cats healthy and safe should be a priority, not an option!

What vaccinations should kittens be given?

Below is a list of the three core vaccinations that kittens should have and when they should be given:

Eight Weeks: Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopeno (FVRCP) and Feline Leukomia Virus (FeLV)
Twelve Weeks: FVRCP Booster, FeLV booster, and Rabies vaccine
Sixteen Weeks: FVRCP Booster and Rabies vaccine (if not given at 12 weeks)
Twenty Weeks: FVRCP Booster for at-risk kittens who may be immunosuppressed and at higher risk of serious complications

If your kitten will be an indoor-outdoor cat, it is HIGHLY important to vaccinate your kitten because felines contract many of these illnesses from other cats while grooming other cats and if bitten by a cat infected with diseases. We can't depend on others to vaccinate their own cats to protect our own, so don't procrastinate. Bring your kitten in for an examination to develop a plan with your veterinarian for routine vaccinations.