One time, a friend of mine came up to me and said, ‘Doc, I’m a bit confused on what to choose, a cat or a dog?’
‘Well, you can take care of both.’
‘But I only want to focus on one for now.’
‘Then you have to decide on your own. Taking care of a pet is a personal choice. You do your research, learn from it and decide from there’
After a few months, I met the friend again and he told me that he got a cat.
‘Doc, I decided to get a cat.’
‘Good.’
‘I realized cats are low maintenance and do not need a bunch of vaccinations like dogs do.’
‘Ah, that’s where you are wrong.’
‘Huh? Do cats require vaccination?’
‘Of course!’
One of the misconceptions of raising a cat is that cats do not need vaccination.
It seems that just because cats seem to be able to care for themselves better than dogs, does not mean they do not need to visit the vet at all. (Nine lives, you know?)
But cats like dogs, have their own vaccination schedule to follow.
Before I discuss with you the cat vaccination schedule, let me tell you about cat vaccination.
Cat vaccination includes core and non-core vaccines.
As previously learned in dog vaccination, core vaccines are those that are recommended by veterinarians and every cat should be given.
For cats, the following are the core vaccines:
> Rabies
> Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV)
> Feline Herpesvirus (FHV)
> Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
Cat Vaccination Philippines: Rabies Virus
One of the most common and most important vaccine for your cat is the Rabies Vaccine. This is because the rabies virus can infect human beings and may cause death.
Cat Vaccination Philippines: Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV)
Feline Panleukopenia Virus causes Feline Distemper. When FPV attacks a cat, the white blood cells of the cat decreases. This means that the immune system of the cat is compromised and cannot defend itself from diseases. Feline Distemper can spread to other pets through direct contact.
Symptoms of Feline Distemper includes dehydration, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever and seizures. Infected cats, if untreated has a slim chance of surviving.
Cat Vaccination Philippines: Feline Herpesvirus (FHV)
Feline Herpesvirus or FHV causes Feline Rhinotracheitis. This is an upper respiratory infection of the cat’s nose and throat. Though cats of all ages are susceptible to this virus, kittens have a higher risk of getting infected.
As this affects the respiratory system of the cat, symptoms include uncontrollable sneezing and pneumonia. Other symptoms include discharges from the eyes and nose, fever, loss of appetite, conjunctivitis and malaise. This condition can be spread to other cats through direct contact.
Cat Vaccination Philippines: Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
Feline Calicivirus is also a common respiratory disease in cats. The Feline Calicivirus has the same symptoms of the Feline Herpesvirus. FCV, however, includes symptoms of inflammation of joints and ulcers on tongue, hard palate, tip of nose, lips or around claws.
Sometimes, both the FHV and FCV can infect a cat at the same time. This disease can be spread from one infected cat to another cat through direct contact. You should also know that the FCV is resistant to disinfectants and your unvaccinated cat can be at risk in any environment to contact the disease.
So these are the four core vaccines for your cat that you should be aware of. This vaccine is necessary to keep your cats protected from common feline viruses.
Cat Vaccination Philippines: Chlamydiosis
A non-core vaccine that is recommended for cats as well is for protection against the Chlamydia psittaci virus. Chlamydiosis is a bacterial disease that causes sneezing, coughing, conjunctivitis, runny nose, and watery eyes. This disease can be transferred from one cat to another through direct contact.
You can ask your veterinarian to learn more about cat vaccination on your next visit.
Enjoy peace of mind,
Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Pet Happiness Expert
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC
“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” – from a Happy Client