Last Updated On July 26th, 2018 at 09:30 am
Kittens have been bosom friends to the humans for centuries. They make a wonderful companion who keeps you happy at your times of distress and pain. Although dogs are the first animals tamed by man, kittens also have earned a good place in the heart of humans. Most folks fall to the sound of the kittens and you can see their faces blushing with happiness when their kitten chases some squirrels and rats in the yard.
Having puffy fur and decorative bell around the neck of the cat can attract any human with good nature and mercy. Keeping those cute little animals healthy shall allow your kitten to live with you for years. What should you do for that? Nothing great. Just maintain general hygienic precautions and also you should keep their vaccinations up to date.
Mostly cats are got from an animal shelter, pet stores, research breeders, rescue groups etc. When they come to you, they might be very suspicious of you since you are a stranger to it. After taking him in, you can provide him with food, treats etc in order to earn his trust. When you think your kitten trusts you, you can take him to your veterinarian. Make sure that you take him in a cattery; otherwise, he might scratch and tear your skin assuming that you are going to harm him.
Initially, the veterinarian shall check the physical condition of the cat thoroughly. If he is satisfied with the physical check-up, then he shall check for any worms in its body. Remember, these worms can be potentially harmful to the humans also. The third check shall be about fatal diseases like Feline AIDS and Feline Leukemia virus and for such diseases your kitten certainly needs vaccination.
Usually, vaccinations are given to the kitten from the 3rd week of its birth or you can also start to administer vaccinations to your kitten from the time you get them. Speak out to your veterinarian about how you got the kitten and your suspicions about the newly adopted pet.
Booster shots for the kitten are given from 3-4 weeks to 16-20 weeks. Apart from that, initial vaccinations are given from 6-8 weeks of birth or from the time when you got the kitten.
Vaccinations broadly are categorized into two different types. They are core vaccines and non-core vaccines. Not all the kittens require all the vaccines possessed by the veterinarian. Core vaccines are mandatory vaccines which need to be given to the kitten not only to safeguard your kitten from diseases but also humans as well.
Remember, some of the diseases which affect the kittens are zoonotic (spreads to humans) and hence it is highly crucial for an owner to impart the kitten with core vaccines regardless of the size, color, location, and history of the kitten. Calicivirus, herpes, panleukopenia, rabies, leukemia (FeLV) etc are the diseases which are zoonotic and to keep them away from your pet and you, you need to administer core type vaccines to your kitten.
The other type of vaccination is called noncore vaccines. Basically, you don’t exactly need to vaccinate your kittens with these noncore vaccines. But, when your kitten needs one negotiate with your veterinarian and come up with the appropriate vaccination. FIV, Chlamydia felis, Bordetella, etc are some of the vaccinations which belong to the noncore vaccines.
Most of the vaccinations to the pets are not confined to a period of one year. Some of the vaccinations might also need a boost after the first vaccination has run out of date. But the frequency of administering the vaccination might vary from breed to breed; above all, imparting vaccination to the kitten shall be decided by the veterinarian.
