Vaccination remains the single most effective method for protecting against infectious disease in healthy animals. Without proper vaccination, your pet is left unprotected.
Vaccines are preventative rather than curative and protect your cat from several highly contagious diseases and the BSAVA (British Small Animal Veterinary Association) strongly recommends that all animals should receive the benefit of solid protective immunity from life-threatening infectious diseases that is conferred by vaccination using licensed veterinary products.
The protection provided by a vaccine gradually declines after an animal is vaccinated, periodic revaccination is necessary to remind the immune system to produce enough protective antibodies.
Vaccines are regularly updated to improve safety and effectiveness and protocols have been changed in recent years to minimise the overall vaccine load given to cats throughout their lifetime.
Core Vaccination protocol:
Kitten vaccinations are given as two injections 3 weeks apart, usually from the age of 9 weeks onwards.
These vaccinations protect your kitten from Feline Herpes Virus (FHV, part of the cat flu complex), Feline Calicivirus (FCV, part of the cat flu complex), Feline Panleucopaenia Virus (FPV, feline enteritis).
Cats who have access to outdoors or who are contact with other outdoor cats will also have Feline Leukaemia Virus (Felv) included as part of the core vaccination protocol.
Booster vaccination is very important for maintaining your cat's immunity to these diseases.
All cats should be given their first annual booster one year after the completion of their kitten vaccination course, this first booster will contain all the core vaccine components.
Thereafter all outdoor cats or those in contact with outdoor cats should
receive annual booster vaccinations against Felv.
Booster vaccinations against Feline Herpes virus, Feline Calicivirus &
Feline Panleucopaenia virus should be given every three years.
The anti-vac movement, fuelled by social media, has resulted in pet vaccination rates falling below the threshold at which small outbreaks of serious illness such as cat flu or enteritis can be naturally contained. In many ways, vaccination has become a victim of its own success, one of the reasons some people fail to recognise the importance of immunising their pets is because of the perceived diminished risk of disease, which is precisely thanks to historic vaccination efforts in the first place. Many people have no experience with how terrible those diseases can be.
Non-core vaccination protocol:
Cats which are restricted to an entirely indoor lifestyle may not require the feline leukaemia vaccine (though show cat owners should check the requirements of their governing body)
Rabies vaccine is required by law for all dogs travelling outside of the UK as part of the EU Pet Passport scheme and must be administered at least 3 weeks before the intended date of travel. Owners should check with the relevant authorities in the country of destination as to the exact requirements.