Apart from the basics like good nutrition and safe environment, sound cat care demands that you keep your cat in good health, free of cat diseases and free of preventable cat illnesses. The first step in achieving this is inoculation or vaccination against common feline diseases.

Whilst your cat may develop immunity from disease by being exposed to the specific disease, this will result in them becoming sick, suffering permanent damage from the effects of the disease or worse yet, they could die.

A responsible and caring cat owner will ensure that their cat receives the relevant vaccines - apart from been the right thing to do, prevention is better than cure and a lot more economical too.

How do vaccines work?

Vaccines work by stimulating an immune response to an infectious agent, but without causing the disease against which they are been inoculated.

When should you vaccinate your cat or kitten and against what?

If you have purchased your kitten from a reputable cat breeder, your kitten will be around 10 to 16 weeks, in which case your kitten would have received all the necessary initial inoculations. They will provide you with the documentation and vaccine and de-worming certificates and advise necessary next steps.

In any event, vaccines are given at around 8 weeks. Cat vaccination requirements may differ from country to country but generally speaking the most cat diseases or cat illnesses to vaccinated against are:

Feline Leukemia (Fe LV) - to be given at 8 weeks, repeated 5 weeks later and annual booster shots thereafter

Feline Calici Virus (Cat Flu/Snuffles) - to be given at 8 weeks, repeated at 4 weeks, again at 13 weeks and 1 year and annually booster shots

Feline panleucopaenia (Feline Distemper) - to be given at 8 weeks, repeated at 4 weeks, again at 13 weeks and 1 year and annual booster shots

Feline Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpes- Cat Flu/Snuffles) - to be given at 8 weeks, repeated at 4 weeks, again at 13 weeks and 1 year and annual booster shots

Rabies - This is given at 12 weeks, repeated 4 weeks later and then at 9 months with annual booster shots

General Cat Vaccination Information

Consult with your local veterinarian to establish which vaccines are essential and in some instances required by law. Whilst some people may find the cost of vaccination prohibitive, you need to seriously weigh up the cost of vaccination vs the cost of treating the disease. Prevention is cheaper than cure! Your cat is worth every cent you spend.

You also need to keep in mind, that no reputable boarding cattery will accept your kitten or cat for lodging unless they have an up-to-date vaccination certificate. Feline health is a prime concern for them.

Your un-vaccinated cat poses a danger to other cats - do you want to be responsible for spreading cat diseases?

We always recommend that a new kitten stays with its mother until at least 12 weeks. Apart from gaining important life skills from the mother cat - it receives its initial immunity through breast milk.

Finally, do remember, that an indoor cat lives longer as it is less likely to be be exposed to the above diseases. To avoid cat health problems and to provide essential cat health care - cat vaccination is essential