Cat Vaccination Guide: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Questions from Beginner to Advanced
Cat Vaccination Guide: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Questions from Beginner to Advanced
Many people have recently sent me private messages asking about vaccines, and I can tell that many new cat owners have joined the cat community! I am a new cat owner myself, so I know exactly how much newbies struggle with vaccines, they don't even know what to search for, and most of them just search: Do cats need to be vaccinated? How often should I vaccinate? What happens if I don't vaccinate?
In fact, there are many other questions about vaccines besides those mentioned above. For example, how to choose vaccines? Should I give non-core vaccines? When is it not suitable to vaccinate? Do I really need to vaccinate once a year? Where do I get vaccinated? What should I pay attention to during vaccination? What are the possible side effects? If I were to write an essay about vaccination, it could easily take 5,000 words, but below I will use the simplest words to answer all your possible questions (although the number of words is not small, because there are so many questions!).
Basic Questions About Cat Vaccination
Question 1: Why do cats need to be vaccinated? Is it necessary?
Vaccines can help cats develop antibodies to specific pathogens, so that when cats come into contact with these pathogens again, their immune system will generate corresponding antibodies based on memory to block the invasion of pathogens, thus protecting cats' health. So is it necessary to vaccinate? Unless your home is a sterile environment, it is best to vaccinate your cat for both its health and human health.
Question 2: What vaccines should cats get?
Vaccines for cats are divided into core vaccines and non-core vaccines. Core vaccines refer to the most common, widely distributed, and highly dangerous diseases: such as feline distemper (panleukopenia), feline rhinotracheitis (infectious rhinotracheitis/feline respiratory), feline calicivirus (cup-shaped virus infection), and rabies vaccine. Non-core vaccines are those that prevent less common and less dangerous diseases, such as feline immunodeficiency virus, feline infectious peritonitis virus, feline leukemia virus, feline chlamydia, and Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine (note: there is no Toxoplasma gondii vaccine! There are also no non-core vaccines in China). According to the situation in China, it is generally recommended to give cats a triple vaccine plus rabies vaccine: that is, to prevent feline distemper, feline rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and rabies.
Question 3: What does combination vaccine mean?
First of all, combination vaccine does not mean how many times you get vaccinated, but how many types of viral diseases it can mainly prevent. For example, a triple vaccine for cats prevents three diseases, a quadruple vaccine prevents four diseases, a quintuple vaccine prevents five diseases... Does that mean the more combinations, the better? No, the more combinations a vaccine has, the less the content of each vaccine, and the corresponding prevention probability will be relatively lower. Moreover, it is not good for cats that are prone to immune adverse reactions, which is why rabies is chosen to be a single vaccine, because it has the strongest independent resistance.
Question 4: Do cats need rabies vaccine?
Firstly, China requires pets to be vaccinated against rabies, so if your cat needs to be transported or anything, you must provide proof of rabies vaccination. Secondly, rabies virus can infect almost all mammals: humans, dogs, cats, rats, etc., and once infected with rabies, it is fatal and incurable. Therefore, vaccinating your cat against rabies is essential.
Why do some people say that cats don't need rabies vaccine? It's not that it's impossible, but you need to ensure that your cat won't come into contact with unknown creatures from the outside world, such as dogs or rats infected with rabies. As long as you ensure that your cat won't come into contact with suspicious sources of infection, it won't be infected with rabies. Therefore, if you are bitten or scratched by your own cat, you don't need to get rabies vaccine (you can get vaccinated if you are not at ease), but if you are scratched or bitten by a cat from outside, you must get rabies vaccine.
Question 5: At what age should kittens be vaccinated?
There are a few different scenarios:
If a kitten has not been vaccinated and is less than 16 weeks old, or less than 4 months old.
Starting from the kitten's birth, give one triple vaccine at 8 weeks old (2 months old), 12 weeks old, and 16 weeks old, respectively, with an interval of 21 days between each vaccine. Then give the rabies vaccine after the last triple vaccine.
If a kitten has not been vaccinated and is between 8 weeks and 16 weeks old.
You should also give three triple vaccines and one rabies vaccine, with an interval of 21 days between each triple vaccine. You can give the rabies vaccine after the last combination vaccine, or you can give it a few days later.
If a kitten has not been vaccinated and is older than 4 months old.
Give two triple vaccines and one rabies vaccine. Give each triple vaccine with an interval of 21 days.
Question 6: Do cats need to be vaccinated again after they have been vaccinated?
Cats usually receive inactivated vaccines, which do not produce lifelong antibodies. As time passes, the protective effect of the vaccine will disappear. Therefore, for the sake of your cat's health, it is necessary to vaccinate again. It is recommended to boost once a year after the initial immunization, and then once every 3 years. For example, if your cat is one year old this year and has been initially immunized, then you should give another injection at the age of two, and the next time will be at the age of five. As for rabies, if your cat is free-range or there are dogs at home, it is best to vaccinate once a year.
Question 7: Can vaccination cause side effects in cats?
Yes, some cats may experience varying degrees of side effects after vaccination.
Mild reactions: Skin redness, mild occasional itching, mild fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, drowsiness, vomiting, single diarrhea. Usually resolves on its own within 1-2 days.
Moderate reactions: Rash, mild swelling around the eyes, mild itching. Need to observe closely. If there is no improvement within 1-2 days, seek medical attention.
Severe reactions: Shortness of breath, severe diarrhea, etc. It is recommended to seek medical attention immediately.
Therefore, it is best to stay at the hospital for 30 minutes after vaccination to observe whether there are any adverse reactions, so that timely treatment can be given.
Question 8: What should I do if I find or adopt a cat and don't know if it has been vaccinated?
If you don't know the vaccination status, you can test for antibodies if you have the ability. Then, you can decide the vaccination schedule based on the antibody levels. If you don't have the conditions to test for antibodies, then treat it as if it has not been vaccinated, and refer to question 5 for the answer.
Question 9: When are cats not suitable for vaccination?
Cats are not suitable for vaccination when they are not in a healthy state, under stress, younger than 8 weeks old, pregnant or lactating, have confirmed internal parasites, before and after surgery, and older than 10 years old. In other words, even if the cat is very healthy, but has just arrived home, it will experience some degree of stress due to environmental changes, even if you can't see it, so it is recommended to wait a week for it to settle down before taking it for vaccination.
Question 10: If a cat has been infected with a disease (feline distemper/rhinotracheitis/calicivirus), is vaccination still effective?
Vaccination can only play a role in early prevention and protection, not treatment. Therefore, if a cat is diagnosed, vaccination is ineffective. However, cats need to be vaccinated after they are cured. Half a month after cure, they should be vaccinated according to the initial vaccination schedule.
Advanced Questions About Vaccination
Question 1: What brand of vaccine should I choose for my cat?
Currently, there are two main brands of triple vaccines in China: one is the most common Nobivac Tricat, and the other is Intervet Tricat. Both brands are fine, but if your cat is younger or older, or if its physique is weaker, it is recommended to choose Nobivac Tricat, as it is an inactivated vaccine, which is relatively safer. Moreover, for cats infected with feline AIDS or feline leukemia, injecting attenuated vaccines may not be able to control viral replication and may lead to clinical symptoms or death.
| Product | Nobivac Tricat | Intervet Tricat |
|---|---|---|
| Main ingredients | ① Feline panleukopenia virus Cu-4 strain ② Feline calicivirus 255 strain ③ Feline rhinotracheitis virus 605 strain | ① Feline panleukopenia virus ② Feline calicivirus ③ Feline rhinotracheitis virus |
| Type | Inactivated vaccine | Attenuated vaccine |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Safe, fewer side effects, but slower production of immune antibodies and shorter protection time | Faster production of immune antibodies, but more side effects, and may even lead to toxin excretion infection |
Question 2: If the syringe or bottle contains any remaining vaccine after the cat has been vaccinated, will it still be effective? / Can the amount of vaccine be reduced for kittens with a very low weight?
It is recommended to inject all the doses. The vaccine dose depends on the minimum immunizing dose and has nothing to do with weight.
Question 3: Can the triple vaccine and rabies vaccine be injected at the same time?
The triple vaccine and rabies vaccine cannot be mixed in the same syringe, including the same syringe for injection, but they can be injected in different parts using different syringes with a time interval.
Question 4: Can the interval between vaccinations be shortened when a cat is at high risk of disease?
No. The interval between vaccinations should not be less than two weeks, even for different vaccines.
Question 5: How to operate the injection site?
Injection site tumor is one of the side effects and risks of vaccination in cats, although the probability is very low, about one in ten thousand, but it cannot be ignored, so the injection site also needs to be considered. Therefore, foreign countries believe that cat vaccines (especially products containing adjuvants, which are not available in China) should not be injected in the interscapular region. Rabies vaccine is injected in the distal right hind limb, feline leukemia virus vaccine is injected in the distal left hind limb, and triple vaccine is injected in the distal forelimb. Regardless of where you choose to inject, it must be subcutaneous injection, not intramuscular injection. More importantly, cat vaccine injection sites should be rotated, rather than repeatedly injected in the same location.
Question 6: Can a cat be neutered if it has not been vaccinated?
Actually, there is no direct connection between the two. It's just that people think that unvaccinated cats don't have antibodies and are more likely to get infected during the weakened period after neutering. So there are two scenarios: If it's your own cat, it is best to recommend vaccination before neutering. If it's a rescued stray cat and you want to implement a TNR program, you can go ahead and neuter the cat if it's suitable, you don't have to wait until it's fully vaccinated, because not everyone has the time, energy, and money to do that. Don't morally bind anyone.
Question 7: What is the meaning of antibody testing in cats?
Antibody testing is to see if the vaccine has successfully immunized. After the vaccination is completed, the antibody titer can be measured through antibody testing to confirm whether the immunization is effective.
| Titer | Whether to supplement the injection |
|---|---|
| Feline panleukopenia ≥S4, other ≤S3 | Recommend supplementing with one injection |
| Feline panleukopenia antibody ≤S1 | Recommend re-immunizing completely |
| Feline panleukopenia antibody between S2-S3 | Recommend supplementing with one injection |
| All antibodies ≥S4 | No need to supplement the injection |
Question 8: What does it mean if a cat has never been vaccinated but has high antibody levels?
First, the kitten is still young, younger than or equal to two months old, and there is interference from maternal antibodies. Second, the cat is in the infectious stage, which is based on the premise of relevant symptoms. Third, it is resistant to the disease, which means it has been infected before, but has overcome the virus with its own strength and has become resistant.
Question 9: Why is vaccination ineffective?
There are three main reasons for immunization failure: vaccine reasons, human operation reasons, and cat reasons. Vaccine reasons include vaccine failure, fake vaccines, etc. Human reasons include insufficient dosage, incorrect injection time, insufficient injection times, etc. Cat reasons include maternal antibodies, unhealthy condition, infectious stage, immunosuppression, stress, etc.
Summary:
Cat vaccination is an essential measure to ensure your cat's health. By understanding the knowledge about vaccines, we can better protect our cats and let them live healthy and happy lives with us.
Many people have recently sent me private messages asking about vaccines, and I can tell that many new cat owners have joined the cat community! I am a new cat owner myself, so I know exactly how much newbies struggle with vaccines, they don't even know what to search for, and most of them just search: Do cats need to be vaccinated? How often should I vaccinate? What happens if I don't vaccinate?
In fact, there are many other questions about vaccines besides those mentioned above. For example, how to choose vaccines? Should I give non-core vaccines? When is it not suitable to vaccinate? Do I really need to vaccinate once a year? Where do I get vaccinated? What should I pay attention to during vaccination? What are the possible side effects? If I were to write an essay about vaccination, it could easily take 5,000 words, but below I will use the simplest words to answer all your possible questions (although the number of words is not small, because there are so many questions!).
Basic Questions About Cat Vaccination
Question 1: Why do cats need to be vaccinated? Is it necessary?
Vaccines can help cats develop antibodies to specific pathogens, so that when cats come into contact with these pathogens again, their immune system will generate corresponding antibodies based on memory to block the invasion of pathogens, thus protecting cats' health. So is it necessary to vaccinate? Unless your home is a sterile environment, it is best to vaccinate your cat for both its health and human health.
Question 2: What vaccines should cats get?
Vaccines for cats are divided into core vaccines and non-core vaccines. Core vaccines refer to the most common, widely distributed, and highly dangerous diseases: such as feline distemper (panleukopenia), feline rhinotracheitis (infectious rhinotracheitis/feline respiratory), feline calicivirus (cup-shaped virus infection), and rabies vaccine. Non-core vaccines are those that prevent less common and less dangerous diseases, such as feline immunodeficiency virus, feline infectious peritonitis virus, feline leukemia virus, feline chlamydia, and Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccine (note: there is no Toxoplasma gondii vaccine! There are also no non-core vaccines in China). According to the situation in China, it is generally recommended to give cats a triple vaccine plus rabies vaccine: that is, to prevent feline distemper, feline rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and rabies.
Question 3: What does combination vaccine mean?
First of all, combination vaccine does not mean how many times you get vaccinated, but how many types of viral diseases it can mainly prevent. For example, a triple vaccine for cats prevents three diseases, a quadruple vaccine prevents four diseases, a quintuple vaccine prevents five diseases... Does that mean the more combinations, the better? No, the more combinations a vaccine has, the less the content of each vaccine, and the corresponding prevention probability will be relatively lower. Moreover, it is not good for cats that are prone to immune adverse reactions, which is why rabies is chosen to be a single vaccine, because it has the strongest independent resistance.
Question 4: Do cats need rabies vaccine?
Firstly, China requires pets to be vaccinated against rabies, so if your cat needs to be transported or anything, you must provide proof of rabies vaccination. Secondly, rabies virus can infect almost all mammals: humans, dogs, cats, rats, etc., and once infected with rabies, it is fatal and incurable. Therefore, vaccinating your cat against rabies is essential.
Why do some people say that cats don't need rabies vaccine? It's not that it's impossible, but you need to ensure that your cat won't come into contact with unknown creatures from the outside world, such as dogs or rats infected with rabies. As long as you ensure that your cat won't come into contact with suspicious sources of infection, it won't be infected with rabies. Therefore, if you are bitten or scratched by your own cat, you don't need to get rabies vaccine (you can get vaccinated if you are not at ease), but if you are scratched or bitten by a cat from outside, you must get rabies vaccine.
Question 5: At what age should kittens be vaccinated?
There are a few different scenarios:
If a kitten has not been vaccinated and is less than 16 weeks old, or less than 4 months old.
Starting from the kitten's birth, give one triple vaccine at 8 weeks old (2 months old), 12 weeks old, and 16 weeks old, respectively, with an interval of 21 days between each vaccine. Then give the rabies vaccine after the last triple vaccine.
If a kitten has not been vaccinated and is between 8 weeks and 16 weeks old.
You should also give three triple vaccines and one rabies vaccine, with an interval of 21 days between each triple vaccine. You can give the rabies vaccine after the last combination vaccine, or you can give it a few days later.
If a kitten has not been vaccinated and is older than 4 months old.
Give two triple vaccines and one rabies vaccine. Give each triple vaccine with an interval of 21 days.
Question 6: Do cats need to be vaccinated again after they have been vaccinated?
Cats usually receive inactivated vaccines, which do not produce lifelong antibodies. As time passes, the protective effect of the vaccine will disappear. Therefore, for the sake of your cat's health, it is necessary to vaccinate again. It is recommended to boost once a year after the initial immunization, and then once every 3 years. For example, if your cat is one year old this year and has been initially immunized, then you should give another injection at the age of two, and the next time will be at the age of five. As for rabies, if your cat is free-range or there are dogs at home, it is best to vaccinate once a year.
Question 7: Can vaccination cause side effects in cats?
Yes, some cats may experience varying degrees of side effects after vaccination.
Mild reactions: Skin redness, mild occasional itching, mild fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, drowsiness, vomiting, single diarrhea. Usually resolves on its own within 1-2 days.
Moderate reactions: Rash, mild swelling around the eyes, mild itching. Need to observe closely. If there is no improvement within 1-2 days, seek medical attention.
Severe reactions: Shortness of breath, severe diarrhea, etc. It is recommended to seek medical attention immediately.
Therefore, it is best to stay at the hospital for 30 minutes after vaccination to observe whether there are any adverse reactions, so that timely treatment can be given.
Question 8: What should I do if I find or adopt a cat and don't know if it has been vaccinated?
If you don't know the vaccination status, you can test for antibodies if you have the ability. Then, you can decide the vaccination schedule based on the antibody levels. If you don't have the conditions to test for antibodies, then treat it as if it has not been vaccinated, and refer to question 5 for the answer.
Question 9: When are cats not suitable for vaccination?
Cats are not suitable for vaccination when they are not in a healthy state, under stress, younger than 8 weeks old, pregnant or lactating, have confirmed internal parasites, before and after surgery, and older than 10 years old. In other words, even if the cat is very healthy, but has just arrived home, it will experience some degree of stress due to environmental changes, even if you can't see it, so it is recommended to wait a week for it to settle down before taking it for vaccination.
Question 10: If a cat has been infected with a disease (feline distemper/rhinotracheitis/calicivirus), is vaccination still effective?
Vaccination can only play a role in early prevention and protection, not treatment. Therefore, if a cat is diagnosed, vaccination is ineffective. However, cats need to be vaccinated after they are cured. Half a month after cure, they should be vaccinated according to the initial vaccination schedule.
Advanced Questions About Vaccination
Question 1: What brand of vaccine should I choose for my cat?
Currently, there are two main brands of triple vaccines in China: one is the most common Nobivac Tricat, and the other is Intervet Tricat. Both brands are fine, but if your cat is younger or older, or if its physique is weaker, it is recommended to choose Nobivac Tricat, as it is an inactivated vaccine, which is relatively safer. Moreover, for cats infected with feline AIDS or feline leukemia, injecting attenuated vaccines may not be able to control viral replication and may lead to clinical symptoms or death.
| Product | Nobivac Tricat | Intervet Tricat |
|---|---|---|
| Main ingredients | ① Feline panleukopenia virus Cu-4 strain ② Feline calicivirus 255 strain ③ Feline rhinotracheitis virus 605 strain | ① Feline panleukopenia virus ② Feline calicivirus ③ Feline rhinotracheitis virus |
| Type | Inactivated vaccine | Attenuated vaccine |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Safe, fewer side effects, but slower production of immune antibodies and shorter protection time | Faster production of immune antibodies, but more side effects, and may even lead to toxin excretion infection |
Question 2: If the syringe or bottle contains any remaining vaccine after the cat has been vaccinated, will it still be effective? / Can the amount of vaccine be reduced for kittens with a very low weight?
It is recommended to inject all the doses. The vaccine dose depends on the minimum immunizing dose and has nothing to do with weight.
Question 3: Can the triple vaccine and rabies vaccine be injected at the same time?
The triple vaccine and rabies vaccine cannot be mixed in the same syringe, including the same syringe for injection, but they can be injected in different parts using different syringes with a time interval.
Question 4: Can the interval between vaccinations be shortened when a cat is at high risk of disease?
No. The interval between vaccinations should not be less than two weeks, even for different vaccines.
Question 5: How to operate the injection site?
Injection site tumor is one of the side effects and risks of vaccination in cats, although the probability is very low, about one in ten thousand, but it cannot be ignored, so the injection site also needs to be considered. Therefore, foreign countries believe that cat vaccines (especially products containing adjuvants, which are not available in China) should not be injected in the interscapular region. Rabies vaccine is injected in the distal right hind limb, feline leukemia virus vaccine is injected in the distal left hind limb, and triple vaccine is injected in the distal forelimb. Regardless of where you choose to inject, it must be subcutaneous injection, not intramuscular injection. More importantly, cat vaccine injection sites should be rotated, rather than repeatedly injected in the same location.
Question 6: Can a cat be neutered if it has not been vaccinated?
Actually, there is no direct connection between the two. It's just that people think that unvaccinated cats don't have antibodies and are more likely to get infected during the weakened period after neutering. So there are two scenarios: If it's your own cat, it is best to recommend vaccination before neutering. If it's a rescued stray cat and you want to implement a TNR program, you can go ahead and neuter the cat if it's suitable, you don't have to wait until it's fully vaccinated, because not everyone has the time, energy, and money to do that. Don't morally bind anyone.
Question 7: What is the meaning of antibody testing in cats?
Antibody testing is to see if the vaccine has successfully immunized. After the vaccination is completed, the antibody titer can be measured through antibody testing to confirm whether the immunization is effective.
| Titer | Whether to supplement the injection |
|---|---|
| Feline panleukopenia ≥S4, other ≤S3 | Recommend supplementing with one injection |
| Feline panleukopenia antibody ≤S1 | Recommend re-immunizing completely |
| Feline panleukopenia antibody between S2-S3 | Recommend supplementing with one injection |
| All antibodies ≥S4 | No need to supplement the injection |
Question 8: What does it mean if a cat has never been vaccinated but has high antibody levels?
First, the kitten is still young, younger than or equal to two months old, and there is interference from maternal antibodies. Second, the cat is in the infectious stage, which is based on the premise of relevant symptoms. Third, it is resistant to the disease, which means it has been infected before, but has overcome the virus with its own strength and has become resistant.
Question 9: Why is vaccination ineffective?
There are three main reasons for immunization failure: vaccine reasons, human operation reasons, and cat reasons. Vaccine reasons include vaccine failure, fake vaccines, etc. Human reasons include insufficient dosage, incorrect injection time, insufficient injection times, etc. Cat reasons include maternal antibodies, unhealthy condition, infectious stage, immunosuppression, stress, etc.
Summary:
Cat vaccination is an essential measure to ensure your cat's health. By understanding the knowledge about vaccines, we can better protect our cats and let them live healthy and happy lives with us.
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