The Importance of Vaccinations for Cats

At Blue Valley Animal Hospital, vaccinations in one form or another are an important wellness recommendation for almost any pet patient we see. While most of our dog owners follow our recommendations, our feline patients are much less likely to receive the wellness care that they need. That doesn’t make vaccinations for cats or other wellness care any less essential for them, though. 

WHY VACCINES MATTER

Vaccinations for our feline patients can be an important tool when it comes to helping them live long and healthy lives. 

We utilize vaccinations in our pets to help them to develop immunity against potentially serious diseases so that if they should be exposed, they are better able to recover. Many vaccinations for cats protect against serious or deadly diseases, while others offer protection against less serious conditions that can still be financially and emotionally damaging.

We also use vaccination to help protect humans against zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are those that are transmissible between animals and people. 

Even indoor cats are at risk of being exposed to serious diseases. All it takes is a bat in your house, a quick escape out the back door, a stray kitten who you bring in from the rain, or a spat through your porch screen for there to be an exposure. 

Recommended Vaccinations for Cats

No cat is the same, and in veterinary medicine, we try to take into account individual needs, lifestyles, and risk factors when recommending a vaccination program for our patients. 

Most cats need to have some vaccinations. These might include:

• Rabies—Rabies is a viral disease found in the wildlife population throughout the United States. An infected animal exhibits progressive neurologic symptoms that nearly always lead to death. Because of the serious nature of this disease and human health risk, nearly all dogs and cats should receive their rabies vaccinations. 

• Distemper combo—Most cat patients benefit from being vaccinated against the diseases in the distemper combination, or FVRCP, vaccine. This helps to protect against potentially devastating diseases like panleukopenia.

• Feline leukemia—Feline leukemia is a retrovirus similar to HIV in people that can lead to tumor development and immunosuppression. Young cats and those with exposure to other cats outside of the home may benefit from this vaccine.

  Not all cats need all vaccinations. Our veterinary team will help to determine what vaccinations and other care are most appropriate for each individual pet.