Vaccines For New Kittens
Vaccines are critical to the health of your new kitten. These essential shots help protect your kitten from various contagious diseases, ensuring they grow up healthy and strong.
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FVRCP Vaccine: This is one of the primary vaccines your kitten must have. This combination vaccine helps protect against viral upper respiratory infections and gastrointestinal diseases, which are common in young cats. The FVRCP vaccine is typically administered in a series of 2-4 doses to ensure full immunity.
Both viruses are contagious and can be life-threatening, making early detection crucial. -
FeLV Vaccine: Another important vaccine is the FeLV vaccine, also known as the feline leukemia virus vaccine. FeLV infection can attack the immune system and be life-threatening, and it is transmitted by infected cats through blood and saliva. If your kitten will be strictly indoors, this vaccine may not be necessary, but it's important to discuss with your veterinarian.
FeLV (feline leukemia virus) and FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) are two viral diseases that can be transmitted to kittens from their mothers. To prevent the spread and impact of these diseases, every new kitten (or adult cat) should be tested for FeLV and FIV - RABIES Vaccine: This a vaccine given to kittens over 16 weeks of age in California to protect against the rabies virus. It is important and required by county law, due to human health concerns.
Common Vaccine Reactions
Typically pets will feel sleepy or sore the day they receive the vaccines. They may also run a low grade fever. We have taken great care to provide what we feel are the safest vaccines available for your pet, but there is a slight chance that vaccines can predispose cats to tumor development.
Additional Information
FLEAS
Fleas can be a nuisance and health risk to you and your pet. Once they infect your pet and home, they can be more difficult to get rid of so we recommend treatment even if you aren’t seeing fleas currently. Tustin Village Animal Hospital carries:
- Revolution (>6 wks) Topical insecticide which kills fleas, some ticks and some internal parasites.
THE FECAL EXAM
There are MANY intestinal parasites your kitten can carry. It is very important to bring in a fecal sample for us to evaluate with special testing under a microscope. Some parasites are transmissible to humans (zoonotic) so this is a critical step for the health of your pet and the protection of your family.
DIET
Kittens should be fed a commercially available and balanced kitten diet of moist or dry food from weaning until 1 yr of age. We do not currently recommend any of the “raw” or “grain free” diets for kittens. Ideally train your kitten to be meal fed rather than free feeding. This will help control problems with obesity that could develop later in life.
TOXICITIES
Although rare, kittens are more likely to be exposed to toxins than adult cats. Radiator fluid, lilies, garlic, onions, grapes and raisins can all be extremely toxic to cats. Please call if you think your cat has been exposed.
SPAY & NEUTER
We recommend your kitten be spayed or neutered at 5-6 months of age. Neutering your male kitten will help reduce the risk of spraying and marking behaviors. Sterilizing your pet is the most responsible choice you can make to prevent cat overpopulation.
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Comprehensive Healthcare for Your Best Friend
At Tustin Village Animal Hospital, we provide comprehensive veterinary care to support the health and well-being of your beloved pets. Our dedicated team of experienced veterinarians and staff is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality medical services tailored to the unique needs of every pet.
We emphasize preventive care, early diagnosis, and customized treatment plans to ensure your furry companions live long, happy, and healthy lives. Our services include: