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Most of the parents have already given your cats several rounds of vaccines when they were kittens. As time passes, the kittens have been growing and becoming an adult. Do they still need vaccines to keep them healthy?
In this article, we will discuss about the vaccines that an adult cat may need and the typical vaccination schedule for adult cats.
Do Adult Cats Need to Be Vaccinated?
Normally kittens will receive their first vaccines at around eight weeks of age and continue getting various vaccinations every few weeks until they are about four months old. Over time the protection from the vaccines could decrease when they are growing.
Although there is no need to get vaccines every year, we still suggest that an annual vaccination checkup should be done for your cats, including immune antibody test and blood test.
FVRCP Vaccine
Kittens should have received three doses of the FVRCP vaccines every 3-4 weeks starting at 6-8 weeks. Some studies show that a complete vaccination can protect cats for 3 years or more.
We highly recommend that adult cats (with complete vaccination records) get the FVRCP vaccine every 1 year. In some veterinary hospitals, cats can be vaccinated every three years if they are well and fully vaccinated, who do not contact with other cats, experience changes in living place frequently, and stay away from any source of infection.
For those adult cats who have never been vaccinated with FVRCP before (no records of any vaccinations), veterinarians will recommend two additional shots. After two months, remember to get the vaccination booster annually as scheduled.
** Pregnant cats should avoid the vaccines! Please follow the doctor's advice strictly!
Rabies Vaccine
Kittens should receive a dose of rabies vaccine at 12-16 weeks.
According to the studies, rabies vaccine will reduce the risk of sarcoma formation.
We recommend a booster shot after the first dose of rabies vaccine received one year later. Follow the doctor's advice and get a vaccination according to the local government regulations.
** Rabies vaccines do not only protect your cats, but also is very important for the cat parents’ health. Please make sure your cat is fully vaccination!
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)
FeLV is a non-mandatory vaccine which the vets normally recommend FeLV-negative kittens or free-range cats to receive the shots. At the same time, it is not suggested to the cats who are already FeLV-positive, or who are unlikely to have access to the outdoor and unfamiliar cats.
If this is the first time for the cat (including kitten) to receive the FeLV vaccination, they will need two shots to come into effect, with an interval of one month in between.
The vaccine can keep the cats immunized for one year. An annual booster shot is necessarily required. if the cat missed one vaccine for one year, then in the second year, two shot vaccines are needed to take effect.
**Because the vaccine can only be received when the FeLV is negative, it is necessary to test for the virus before vaccination.
