VACCINATION Cats are independent animals. Their natural roaming habits may bring them into contact with other animals - increasing their exposure to disease. Cats are at risk from a multitude of infectious diseases. An unvaccinated cat may become severely ill from one or more of these diseases and risk long-term illness, lameness, blindness or even death as a result. That is why it is so important for cats to be vaccinated. Q: When should I vaccinate my cat? A: Generally, we recommend vaccinating kittens at age of 8 weeks then booster it at 12 weeks of age. Kittens at high risk may be vaccinated as early as 6 weeks. Adult cats should be vaccinated once yearly depending on the vaccination program recommended by the veterinarian Q: Why do kittens require a number of shots? A: A nursing kitten receives antibodies from its mother's milk (called maternal antibodies) which protect it from disease during the first months of its life. Unfortunately, if vaccinated too early (6-8 weeks ) these antibodies can also interfere with an effective vaccine response. Maternal antibodies gradually decrease during the first few months of the kitten's life. That is why kittens are given a series of two to three vaccine doses (boosters) spread over 6 to 12 weeks of age. That way if internal antibodies interfere with early vaccination, later doses will still stimulate the kitten to produce its own antibodies to the disease. Q: Are vaccines safe? A: Yes, they are very safe. Huge numbers of pets are vaccinated every year with minimal side effects. Q: What are the most common side effects? A: Just like us, when we get vaccinated. A vaccinated cat may show signs of fatigue, lack of appetite, may sneeze or have watery eyes for short time. These signs are usually temporary. Rarely, vomiting and diarrhea or a skin lump can occur in this case you are advised to talk to your veterinarian. Q: How do I decide which diseases to vaccinate against? A: The veterinarian using the information from the physical exam and from asking you questions about your cat will suggest a vaccination program that will best suite your cat. Q: My cat is an indoor cat, do I need to vaccinate it? A: Yes, indoor cats can also get infected. Some viruses are airborne esp. Upper Respiratory Viruses. One has no control over that, viruses may be everywhere. Q: My cat is an adult cat and has never had vaccines before. Will he/she need boosters a month after the first initial vaccination? A: Yes, since we are using attenuated vaccines one dose is not able to stimulate the cat's immune system to produce appropriate protection. A second dose in 1-month time is required. In the meantime, it is not recommended to expose your cat to other animals especially when vaccination status is unknown. Q: What happens if I miss the booster? A: Your cat will not have good protection against infectious diseases. As a matter of fact the immunity will last for very short time. Q: Will my cat get a physical examination before a vaccination? A: Only healthy cats can be vaccinated. Sick animals can not respond well to vaccination. We give every cat a thorough examination before we immunise them.