Manning Veterinary Hospital

All About Cat Vaccines

As many of you already know, ensuring your pet is fully vaccinated is vital to maintain immunity against easily transmissible and potentially life threatening diseases.   In cats, there are a number of diseases which we can vaccinate against.

 Feline herpes virus and calicivirus, together, cause what is commonly known as ‘cat flu’. ‘Cat flu’ is extremely contagious. Cats that are vaccinated against ‘cat flu’ may still develop the infection but tend to be affected much less severely than unvaccinated cats. Feline panleucopaenia is similar to parvovirus in dogs. Affected cats develop a severe gastroenteritis, which can often be fatal. ALL cats should be vaccinated against Feline Herpes Virus, Feline Calicivirus and Feline Panleucopaenia. This vaccination is provided as a 3 in 1 vaccine and is referred to as the F3 vaccine.

 Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, also known as Cat AIDS, is becoming more and more common. Like in humans, FIV in cats causes gradual destruction of the immune system and there is no cure. If your cat has ever been in a fight with another cat, they are at risk of infection. For this reason, we recommend that cats with any outdoor access should be vaccinated against FIV. Cats need a FIV blood test before they are vaccinated.
 Feline leukaemia virus causes suppression of the immune system and can lead to cancer of the white blood cells as well as causing solid tumours in vital organs. Cats can be exposed to the virus through contacting saliva from infected cats such as through fighting, mutual grooming, sharing food bowls and coming into contact with urine from infected cats. Fortunately it is not very common in Australia. Cats that are predominantly outdoors or those that visit places with a lot of cats (like catteries, animal shelters, breeding colonies) are at risk. We do not use this vaccine in our routine vaccination but we DO recommend it for “at-risk” cats.

 Feline Chlamydia causes conjunctivitis in cats. It is most common in young cats and in multi-cat environments where there is a lot of cat to cat contact such as in catteries, breeding colonies and animal shelters. Feline Chlamydia can be successfully treated with antibiotics. There are reports that the vaccine itself can cause quite frequent side effects. Also, since Feline Chlamydia is not that common and can be treated with antibiotics, we currently do not stock this vaccine.

 If you are unsure which vaccine your cat needs, don’t hesitate to speak to one of our staff. Alternatively, you may wish to discuss this with one of our vets at the time of your cat’s next vaccination or health check.