Cat vaccines: what illnesses to protect them from

Too few cats are vaccinated. Less than 50% of cat owners remember to get vaccination boosters! However, vaccines protect cats against several infectious and sometimes fatal diseases.

Upper respiratory diseases of the cat (rhinitis, sinusitis…) are grouped under the common name “Snuffles”. Two main viruses are involved in this syndrome: calicivirus (C) and herpesvirus (R). Vaccination against snuffles is advised for all cats. The disease is very infectious and the disease can be fatal, especially in young kittens. Vaccinating adult cats helps to protect kittens, too.

This virus, from the same family as Canine Parvovirus, is a serious, and often fatal disease. The bone marrow shuts down leading to a severely weakened immune system. Death is usually due to secondary infections that the cat or kitten cannot fight off. Prevention through vaccination is the best option to stop this horrible disease.