Enhanced Vaccination Safety

At Cats Exclusive we are constantly reviewing the literature to keep abreast of any medical changes that we believe will enhance your cats health, including providing the safest vaccination protocols.

As always, we strive to balance the needs for vaccinations to protect against deadly diseases, with our understanding of the potential risks to cats from vaccines. At Cats Exclusive, our goal is to keep your cat's vaccinations to the absolute lowest number necesary - utilizing only those vaccinations that provide true protection.

Our new recommendations include injectable kitten vaccines that will provide kittens with better protection when they are most vulnerable. Then, as your cat becomes an adult, s/he will need an intra-nasal vaccine which reduces the potential risks of side effects related to injectable vaccines. All cats should be vaccinated against rabies, but only cats with outdoor exposure require leukemia protection.

Vaccination Guidelines

We strive to provide your cat with the best protection from contagious diseases without causing any undo harm. Therefore, we have compiled a brief description of each vaccine we offer, including the possible risks and hospital-wide recommendations. Our doctors will discuss individual vaccination schedules with you, taking into account the age of your cat(s), outdoor exposure and presence of other disease processes.

FVRCP
Often referred to as the feline upper respiratory or distemper vaccine, this is one of two core vaccines recommended in all cats. It is designed to at least minimize upper respiratory tract infections when they occur. While no vaccine is 100% protective against contraction of a virus, the FVRCP vaccine provides excellent protection against the more severe symptoms of infection, thus enabling vaccinated cats to recover much faster.

This vaccine provides effective protection against the most common strains of feline calicivirus and herpes virus (both common causes of kitty colds), as well as against feline distemper (akin to parvovirus in dogs).

Rarely injection site sarcomas (a type of cancer)

We recommend an injectable vaccine for all kittens and adult cats with unknown vaccine history. This provides the best protection against feline distemper. All kittens receive a series until they are 4 months old plus a 1 year booster. Once the series is completed and boostered, we change to an intranasal (drops in the nose) vaccine given every 3 years. While some cats do not like the intranasal administration and up to 15% may develop mild "kitty cold" symptoms for 2-3 days, this vaccine route provides adequate protection without subjecting cats to the possibility of more severe reactions such as sarcomas, joint pain, pain on injection site and vomiting. Research is currently underway on possible excessive antibody production with the injectable vaccine and their association with kidney disease in older cats. The intranasal vaccine limits such a heavy systemic antibody production.

 

FeLV
This vaccine is to protect against the feline leukemia virus. We recommend this vaccine in those cats who are allowed outside or whose housemates are allowed outside. FeLV vaccines are not part of the core vaccines in cats. It is a transdermal (through the skin) vaccine which greatly limits injection site reactions.

Despite this safer route of administration, some side effects can occur:

Rarely injection site sarcomas (a type of cancer)

In those kittens and cats less than 10 yrs. of age, we recommend a series of 2 vaccines followed by a 1 year booster. It is then administered every 3 years.

 

Rabies
The third and final core vaccine, rabies, is administered in 4 month old kittens, then every year thereafter. Because rabies is a communicable disease to humans, it is recommended in all cats, regardless of outside exposure. In Washington State, bats are the primary carrier for rabies virus. Roughly 8% of bats examined in the state of Washington between 1960-2000 were positive for the rabies virus. Rabies is not commonly found in cats, but it is deadly if contracted. The two most recent cases of human rabies infection in Washington State were in 1995 & 1997.

The vaccine we use at Cats Exclusive is the safest on the market, though some reactions can occur.

Rarely injection site sarcomas (a type of cancer)

We do not recommend vaccines for the following diseases as our research does not indicate the level of protection provided by these vaccines is sufficient in cats. Therefore, the potential risks of vaccination outweigh any real benefit.