Cat Vaccines: Which Do Kittens And Adult Cats Need
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While I am in no way a history buff, I feel that knowing the past can aid the future, especially when it comes to the effectiveness of vaccines. Additionally, I found it interesting and a bit gross how the first inoculation took place.
Dr. Edward Jenner administered the first vaccine in 1796. During that time, there was a smallpox epidemic, and millions of people were dying. The physicist noticed that milkmaids developed pustules but didnt become sick with smallpox if they were exposed to cowpox prior. So the brilliant man took the pus from a milk maids hand and injected it into a boy. This simple process allowed the boy to be resistant to future exposures of smallpox. This act of brilliance paved the way for vaccines.
It was a chemist named Louis Pasteur who developed the first vaccine in 1879 relating to animal diseases. His success with his rabies vaccine on animals in 1884 prompted its use in humans.
Vaccines, for both humans and pets, are developed for those diseases that tend to have high mortality and/or high incidence rates. Vaccinations have been saving lives for centuries.
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The disease can cause death due to pneumonia in kittens and immunocompromised adult cats.
Feline Calicivirus
Feline Panleukopenia
When Should I Spay Or Neuter My Cat
Kittens can be spayed or neutered as young as six to eight weeks of age, however standard spay and neuter surgeries are most often performed when the kitten is between five and six months old. That said, it’s important to note that provided your cat is healthy, these procedures can be performed at any time during your cat’s life.
Pediatric Spay And Neuter Is Safe
Research shows that kittens spayed or neutered before 12 weeks of age have fewer complications from surgery than those over 12 weeks old. Also, since theyre young and spry, kittens rebound much faster after the surgical procedure than cats over 6 months of age.
All surgery involving anesthesia includes certain risks. Pediatric spay and neuter is just as safe as spay and neuter surgeries for adult cats.
Learn more by checking out Protocols: Pediatric Spay and Neuter in our Veterinary Resource Center.
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What Does Neutering And Spaying Mean
During a neutering procedure, your cats sexual reproductive organs are removed. Neutering prevents unplanned pregnancies from happening, and it also stops a lot of undesirable tomcat and intact queen behaviour spraying, calling and anxiousness, for example. After theyre neutered, cats are often more affectionate, less restless and less prone to roam.
When To Neuter A Cat And When To Spay A Cat
Shes your personal welcome home party, your purring pillow companion and your little lap warmer on a cold winters night. As a responsible pet owner, you want to keep her healthy and safe and thats where spaying comes in. In this post, well reveal when to neuter a cat, when to spay a cat, why neutering and spaying are so important and how to help your kitty stay healthy after a neutering or spaying procedure.
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Low Cost Spay & Neuter Performed To The Highest Standards In Southern California
With years of experience, our staff and physicians understand the impact of spaying and neutering upon the cat and dog population, along with the direct risks to your individual pet. Our primary intention is improved well-being of the entire domestic pet population. We routinely reflect our care by our compassion, helping pets improve and maintain their healthand all while providing affordable care for all pet owners. Learn more about our Los Angeles spay and neuter treatment plans by contacting us today.
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How Kitten Vaccinations Work
Kittens receive a series of vaccines over an 8- to 12-week period beginning at between 6 and 8 weeks of age. Some vaccines might be given together in one injection that is called a combination vaccine. At your kittens first veterinary exam, your vet will discuss a vaccination schedule as well as other treatments, such as deworming and beginning parasite prevention.
The vaccine injection itself is typically not very painful. Your kitten may feel a little pinch or sting, but many do not react at all.
At the first vaccine visit, your veterinarian will do an examination before vaccinating your kitten. Vaccines should never be given to a kitten with a fever or illness as the vaccine will not be effective. Giving a vaccine to a sick kitten can actually make her feel worse.
After a vaccine is administered, immunity is not immediate. It takes about seven to 10 days after the second vaccination to become effective. However, kittens with remaining maternal antibodies for that disease will not be affected by the vaccine. There is no way to be certain if a kitten still has maternal antibodies, so boosters are necessary. True immunity is uncertain until about 16 to 18 weeks of age, or until all kitten boosters are completed. Avoid exposing your kitten to unknown animals until all vaccinations have been given.
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Summary Of Spaying A Cat
In almost all cases, spaying your cat is the right choice. Unless you plan to breed your cat responsibly, spaying provides health benefits and helps keep cat populations in check. Additionally spaying your cat helps fix undesirable behaviors like being excessively vocal, roaming and marking territory.
Spaying your cat is a rather quick and uncomplicated surgery and your cat will typically make a fast recovery with proper after care. If you have any questions about if spaying your cat is the right choice, our veterinary team is here to help.
What If I Cant Afford To Spay Or Neuter My Kitten
Spaying and neutering can be expensive procedures. Luckily, there are low-cost spay/neuter programs out there to help you provide this critical service to your cat.
Neighborhoodcats.org does an unusually good job of aggregating affordable spay/neuter clinics and keeping the list frequently updated. It puts all the national and state-level databases on one page. This link goes right to the proper page:
But you may be able to find some additional listings by simply Googling low-cost spay/neuter or by calling a local shelter or rescue group in your area for a recommendation.
Banfield Hospital State of Pet Health 2013.
Patronek GJ, Glickman LT, Beck AM, McCabe GP, Ecker C. Risk factors for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1996 Aug 1 209:582-8. PMID: 8755976. .
Bushby.
Howe, LM. Short-Term Results and Complications of Prepubertal Gonadectomy in Cats and Dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 July 1997, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9215412/.
Kustritz, MV. Early Spay-Neuter: Clinical Considerations. Clinical Techniques in Small Animal Practice, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2002, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12476815/.
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When Is The Best Time To Spay Or Neuter A Kitten
There are many different opinions about when you should have your kitty spayed or neutered. Early or pediatric spay/neuter is generally done at approximately six to eight weeks of age, whereas standard spay and neuter procedures are most often conducted at about five to six months of age. Although, these procedures can be performed at any time during your cat’s life as long as they are healthy. Therefore, it is never too late to have your cat spayed or neutered, even healthy cats in their teens can safely have this procedure done.
Because kittens can begin reproducing as young as 4 to 6 months of age, you may want to have your kitty ‘fixed’ before puberty or their first heat cycle to avoid accidental pregnancy or certain health conditions.
It’s always best to talk to your veterinarian so they can inform you when the best time is to have your kitten spayed/ neutered.
Should You Even Neuter A Male Kitten Reasons Not To Neuter Your Cat
Not at all, according to animal campaigner Michael Freeby, whos been named Karen Expert by Parade Magazine for the 2020 holiday edition! A music video Freeby art-directed was recently nominated at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards and is currently nominated at the 2021 TDY Awards!
I would not want to be neutered.
Michael Freeby
Freeby is strongly against kitten neuter. He says, Dont neuter them! I would not want to be neutered so I feel that neutering is cruelty, to say the least.
But what do the experts say?
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Spaying A Cat Procedure: What To Expect
First, make an appointment with your veterinarian. Your vet will perform a physical examination to make sure your cat is in good health, and may perform bloodwork to ensure your cat will be fine under anesthesia. This is a great time to ask about any concerns you may have regarding the procedure.
Most hospitals will have you drop your cat off in the morning on the day of surgery. Barring any complications, they will discharge your cat the same day once she has recovered from anesthesia and your veterinarian is satisfied with her status.
Your cat may be groggy and uninterested in food for the rest of the day this is normal. Your veterinarian will provide your cat with appropriate pain management before discharge and will most likely send you home with more medication to keep her comfortable. Increasingly, veterinarians will give injections of timed-release pain medications prior to discharge, which means you wont have to administer any medications at home.
What Are Some Early Signs And Symptoms That My Kitten Might Have Health Issues
Watch for diarrhea that does not go away after a few days, vomiting, and kittens not being interested in eating. Those are common signs. Also, you might see upper respiratory signs like sneezing and/or eye issues. Those are the common signs that you might see and, if you do see those, obviously let us know so we can figure out whats wrong with your kitten.
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What Vaccines Do Kittens Need As Required By State Law Rabies
Rabies is the other core vaccine your state will require your kitten to receive. Rabies is a fatal disease that causes fever, headache, excess salivation, muscle spasms, paralysis, and mental confusion. It is spread from many types of wild animals to domestic pets and can be spread to humans. Depending on your state laws and the veterinarian, your kitten can receive this vaccination at about 12 weeks old.
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Benefits Of Spaying A Cat
There are many advantages to spaying your cat. Here are some of the most important:
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Population control
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Reduced risk of reproductive disease
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Eliminating heat cycles
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Behavioral advantages
Shelters and rescues are full of homeless cats, and feral cat populations in America cause problems for wildlife. Spaying your cat will prevent her from contributing to the cat overpopulation problem . Plus, pregnancy can be accompanied by costly, potentially dangerous complications for your cat.
In terms of health advantages, spaying your cat drastically reduces her risk of mammary and uterine cancer. It also prevents reproductive disorders like uterine infection , uterine rupture and torsion, metritis, and cystic changes. These conditions can be fatal and are not always treatablebut they are preventable, via spaying.
Health benefits of spaying aside, cat heats come with their own problems. Intact female cats are more likely to wander outside where they are exposed to other cats, cars, wild animals, fights, diseases, and injuries. Although cats do not generally have vaginal discharge during their heats, theyll often display behaviors that some owners find irritating, like increased meowing and howling. An intact female cat may go into heat as often as once per month.
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What Does A Spay Surgery Involve In Cats
Spaying your cat is a major surgical procedure that involves her going under anesthesia. During the surgery, your veterinarian will make an incision in your cats abdomen, then remove the ovaries and/or uterus. The incision is then closed with several layers of stitches, which are often removed after seven to ten days.
Leading up to the surgery your veterinarian will recommend a fast with no food, often from midnight the night before Its usually ok to continue giving your cat water. However the specific fasting requirements are determined on an individual basis, so its always important to consult with your veterinarian.
Spaying is a very common procedure, and most cats return home the day of the surgery and make a quick recovery.
Getting Your Female Cat Spayed
To stop your female cat from having kittens, she’ll need to have a simple operation known as ‘spaying’ before she turns four months old. This is also known as ‘fixing’, ‘neutering’ or ‘being done’.
When your cat is about four months old, she’ll start to attract the attention of tomcats, who’ll want to mate with her. This is why it’s important to have her spayed before she reaches four months, so she doesn’t get pregnant while she’s still a kitten herself.
You may have heard that it’s good for female cats to have a litter of kittens before they are spayed, but this isn’t true. Once she’s been spayed, your kitten will be able to do all the things cats enjoy doing, like going outdoors, climbing trees and playing.
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What Is The Recovery Time For A Spay/neuter Surgery
Although all surgeries have some degree of discomfort associated with them, recovery from spaying and neutering, especially in cats, is usually very fast. Youd be amazed at how fast your cat seems to bounce back and return to his/her usual self.
After surgery, pain and inflammation relief medications can be maintained as long as necessary.
Therefore, its normal that during the first 24-48 hours they appear a little drowsy or more unstable, but they tend to return to normal behavior and activity in just a few days. And total recovery, including complete healing, usually takes less than 10 days, although it varies between cats.
How Late Is Too Late To Spay Or Neuter A Cat Or Kitten
Advocates for early spaying and neutering point to benefits, such as the decreased risk for mammary tumors in female cats and decreased overpopulation. However, its important to know experts also say adult cats can safely undergo spay or neuter procedures, too. If your cat is seven years of age or older, the vet will order pre-surgical bloodwork to ensure their kidneys and liver are strong enough to undergo anesthesia. As long as the bloodwork checks out, its perfectly safe to send your pet in for the surgery.
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How Do Kitten Vaccines Work
When kittens are born, they receive temporary immunity from infectious diseases from their mothers. Mother cats pass on protective antibodies through their milk, which kittens absorb into their bloodstream immediately after theyre born. This immunity lasts for several weeks and then declines.
As their immune systems mature, kittens need to remain protected against disease this is where vaccines come in. Vaccines teach a kittens immune system to build antibodies against infectious diseases and help prevent future infections.
The timing of kitten vaccines is extremely important. It should be after the antibodies from their mother start to fade but not after theyre completely gone. Getting this timing right is vital to successful immunization. Kittens generally begin receiving immunizations starting at six to eight weeks old, with boosters at three to four-week intervals, completing the regiment when theyre around four months old.
Reasons For Neutering Female Cats
- Population control. It is important to neuter a female cat before she can have kittens herself. This happens very quickly depending on breed, time of year born and individual development. The first season usually occurs around six months but can be earlier. Queens can have up to three litters in a year.
- Control of nuisance. Female cats will call regularly, about every three weeks during sexually active times of the year if they do not get pregnant. Having entire female cats in an area will attract entire males with the attendant problems of spraying, fighting and caterwauling.
- Welfare issues. Unwanted kittens may not be cared for and are likely to suffer from various infectious diseases such as cat flu or worse. There are unlikely to be enough new homes available for them.
- Health issues. Female cats which are not neutered are more likely to suffer from pyometra later in life and with mammary tumours. Queens with infectious diseases may pass these on to their kittens. Pregnancy and birth are also not without risk.
- Wildlife issues. Cats with kittens will hunt more actively and if they are not being fed will need to catch more wildlife to feed their kittens.
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Reasons Why Feline Fix By Five Months Is Important
Recent research has revealed that cats spayed before their first heat cycle have a 91% lower risk of developing mammary cancer. Cats and dogs in the United states have a far greater risk of dying from mammary gland cancer than from contracting rabies The morbidity and mortality of feline mammary gland cancer are so great that it takes the lives of an estimated 75,000 cats every year.
One could argue that the standard of vet care requires practitioners to advise their clients of this at the first kitten visit. The risk of pyometra is also eliminated early in life.
Spaying/neutering generally results in the following behavioral changes: reduces roaming behaviors, aggression, territorial marking in males, howling and other heat related behaviors in females, and is therefore useful in keeping cats in their homes. Over 80% of cats relinquished to shelters or abandoned are unspayed or unneutered.
Spaying eliminates the possibility of unwanted litters Each year millions of surplus kittens are born who may or may not find a permanent home. Shelters are inundated with kittens, and older cats who may have found homes are often passed over for adoption.
Cat complaint calls are at or near the top of the list of complaint calls to public health and/or animal control departments. And there are millions of feral cats, the result of people abandoning cats often due to preventable behavior problems and unwanted litters.
Dr. Phil BushbyDVM, MS, DACVS