Cat Vaccination Schedule: Key Timings & Routine Guide

1. Types of Vaccines for Cats

When it comes to the vaccines that cats need, we can broadly categorize them into two main types:

Disease Prevention Vaccines: These are designed to guard against common, severe infectious diseases. These illnesses spread rapidly and are often difficult to treat, if not impossible (in some cases, treatment may not be possible in time). The most commonly used and default routine vaccine is the Feline Trivalent Vaccine, which protects against three major diseases in cats: Feline Panleukopenia (also known as Feline Distemper), Feline Rhinotracheitis (Herpesvirus), and Feline Calicivirus. These diseases can be transmitted in various regions.

Even though indoor cats like Ragdolls may rarely leave the house, pathogens can still enter the home through cat food, water, feeding utensils, and even air. After all, no home is completely sealed off from the outside world.

Rabies Vaccine: This vaccine is specifically for preventing rabies, a zoonotic disease that affects both humans and animals. It is the only acute infectious disease with a 100% fatality rate in humans.

Cats, unlike dogs, do not need to go outside frequently. For cats that are always kept indoors and never leave, the likelihood of contracting rabies is very low. However, this is contingent on the absence of dogs in the home, no escape by the cats, and completely enclosed balconies or yards. Additionally, bats can also be a source of rabies transmission.

While the rabies vaccine is not as crucial for cats as disease prevention vaccines, it should not be overlooked. Cats may still leave the home for travel, transportation, boarding, or veterinary visits. In cases like transportation and boarding, vaccine records, including the rabies vaccine, are essential. Traveling with cats or visiting a vet increases the risk of exposure to rabies, making the vaccine necessary in some situations.

Therefore, even for indoor cats that rarely come into contact with the outside world, there is still a possibility of contracting diseases. For the safety of both the cat and its owner, regular vaccination is still necessary.

2. Tips for Vaccination

1. The Cat Must Be Healthy at the Time of Vaccination:

Vaccines are designed to stimulate a cat's immune system to produce antibodies. This can place some burden on the immune system. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the cat is in good health, with no issues with the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, or mental state, before vaccination. If in doubt, it's best to consult a veterinarian for a health assessment before proceeding.

2. Live Attenuated Vaccines vs. Inactivated Vaccines:

The commonly used Feline Trivalent Vaccine comes in two forms: live attenuated vaccines (like Intervet) and inactivated vaccines (like Merial's Multifeline). Live attenuated vaccines involve injecting a small amount of weakened live virus into the cat's body, which stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies and gain immunity. These vaccines offer rapid protection, longlasting immunity, and can induce a highquality cellular immune response. However, they can have drawbacks, such as the potential for the virus to regain its virulence, cause immunosuppression, or be harmful to fetuses.

Inactivated vaccines (like the one used by Pandora Ragdoll cats, Merial's Multifeline) are essentially dead viruses. While their protective effect may be slightly weaker than live attenuated vaccines, they are safer for cats as they do not pose the risk of virulence resurgence. They are also less likely to cause immunosuppression and are relatively safe for pregnant cats, including those with weakened immune systems. However, their main drawback is that the immune response is not as strong, and the protection period is shorter than that of live attenuated vaccines. It typically requires two or more doses.

Evidence suggests that Multifeline is particularly effective against feline panleukopenia, while Intervet is better at preventing upper respiratory infections.

Inactivated vaccines with adjuvants (which are not present in live attenuated vaccines) can potentially cause malignant lesions or soft tissue sarcomatous granulomas at the injection site. However, the specialized adjuvant in Multifeline significantly reduces the likelihood of this occurring.

Using Multifeline is beneficial because it is an inactivated vaccine, making it gentler and safer for cats with underdeveloped immune systems. Additionally, it is the only catspecific vaccine currently imported into China with official approval from the Ministry of Agriculture. This ensures that the vaccine's transportation, transit, and storage meet strict temperature requirements.

Many veterinary clinics also use Intervet, which is reportedly used internally by the International Fund for Animal Welfare and is considered reliable. However, it is crucial to avoid purchasing vaccines online, as they require strict storage temperatures. Weak vaccines, in particular, are sensitive to temperature changes. Online purchases cannot guarantee temperature control during shipping, and many are smuggled, potentially not meeting transportation requirements and becoming ineffective.

3. Cats that are pregnant, lactating, or recovering from illness or surgery should avoid vaccination during these periods.

Pregnant queens should delay vaccination to prevent miscarriage. If vaccination is necessary during pregnancy, it should be with an inactivated vaccine like Multifeline, not a live attenuated vaccine.

4. Ensure that cats are not in an immunosuppressed state when using live attenuated vaccines (like Intervet). Otherwise, the vaccine may fail to stimulate an immune response. Immunocompromised status refers to a cat's immune system's lack of response to antigens (virus particles in the vaccine), resulting in minimal or no antibody production.

Cats in an immunocompromised state should be identified by a veterinarian.

3. Vaccination Schedule

According to the most common and conventional practices, kittens receive three doses of vaccines in their first year:

1. Feline Trivalent Vaccine: Kittens receive passive immunity from their mothers through the placenta and via breast milk, which provides good immunity against diseases. Therefore, kittens that have not been weaned do not need to be vaccinated. Otherwise, the interaction between maternal antibodies and the vaccine can weaken the protective effect.

Generally, kittens receive their first dose of the Feline Trivalent Vaccine at around 912 weeks of age, or about two months. The second dose is administered 34 weeks later, completing the first year's two doses.

2. Rabies Vaccine: The rabies vaccine can be administered one week after the second dose of the Feline Trivalent Vaccine, with no issues if it's administered later. There is only one dose of the rabies vaccine in the first year.

For registered catteries, the first year's Feline Trivalent Vaccine is usually administered at the cattery, so owners do not need to vaccinate their cats within the first year.

Remember the date of the second dose. Starting in the second year, the vaccination date should be one month earlier than the previous year (11 months from the last dose), and a single annual dose of the Feline Trivalent Vaccine is sufficient.

Some veterinarians and vaccine guidelines suggest that the rabies vaccine should also be administered annually, while others recommend doing so every two years starting from the second or third year, and then every three years thereafter.

3. Avoid vigorous exercise and bathing for one day after vaccination, and keep an eye out for allergic reactions or shock, which are rare occurrences. It's best to stay at the veterinary clinic for 1530 minutes after vaccination to observe for any adverse reactions. Allergic reactions are generally normal and should resolve within 12 days, so owners should not be overly concerned.

4. Deworming Before Vaccination: Parasites can affect the immune system and potentially impact the effectiveness of the vaccine. Therefore, it's important to deworm the cat before vaccination, and wait one week before administering the vaccine.

5. Vaccinate at a Reliable Veterinary Clinic or Quarantine Station: It's best not to purchase vaccines yourself unless you are a medical professional. Especially avoid online purchases! Vaccines have strict storage requirements, and if they are ineffective, it can cause problems.