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Cat Vaccinations

by Ron
(Pennsylvania)

Hello,

I just adopted a Ragdoll kitten and would like to know how many RCP vaccination shots she should receive.

The breeder's vet administered two shots one at 5 weeks and another at 9 weeks. My vet gave her one at 13 weeks but wants to give her another at 16 weeks. I feel that the three she already had is enough until her 1 year booster.

What do you advise?

Ron

Hi Ron,

Your kitty is beautiful!!!

Your vet is correct. No one knows when maternal antibodies decline in kittens which translates to no one knows when the kitten has little enough antibodies from Mom that the ones that are formed from our vaccine injections will be effective.

We do know that at 14 weeks and after, maternal antibodies are gone and therefore a kitten should be vaccinated every 3 to 4 weeks through 14 weeks of age. (meaning the last one must be given at 14 weeks or after).

The last vaccine your vet wants to give it very, very important!

Thanks for writing and for the beautiful picture! Look for her picture as part of our CATS FROM AROUND THE WORLD slide show by clicking here.


Comments for
Cat Vaccinations

Click here to add your own comments

Jul 01, 2008
Follow up Qusetion..
by: Ron

Hello Dr Neely,

Thanks for answering my question. I have an appointment to get her forth RCP vaccination on July 15th, three weeks after her last one. She will be just over 16 weeks old. I guess this is
ok?

One more question, if I may, concerns her rabies vaccination. The breeder suggests waiting 2 weeks between different vaccines as she contends that Ragdolls are very sensitive to them. I'm looking at the beginning of August for her rabies shot. She will be a strictly indoor cat and I would rather not get her this vaccine. However, I am sure that you are familiar with Pennsylvania Law that requires it. My concern is with VAS's at the injection site. The vet will administer Purevax Rabies by Merial. Would this be your choice?

Lastly, concerning her spaying. My vet wants to wait until she is 6 months old. The breeder suggests between 3 and 5 months. It is a very difficult position to be in when you have breeder versus vet. Would 6 months be too late?

Thanks so much,
You provide a great service,

Ron

Hello again, Ron

The time of the last vaccine is great.

I also recommend separating the vaccines and giving the Rabies at a different time from the others.

There has been a huge decline in the number of vaccine related fibrosarcomas, at least in the practices I am aware of. I basically haven't seen one myself in 2 or 3 years. So many changes have been made to the vaccines. I would say that most of the rabies vaccines out there are equally safe. Merial is certainly a reasonable choice.

I agree strongly with the breeder in regard to the age of spaying. You want to spay a female cat before she has her first heat. This almost guarantees she will never develop mammary cancer which cannot be said if it is done after she goes into heat. I also see the younger cats recover much more quickly from surgery. It seems to bother them far less in general.

Just be careful. If a vet is telling you, she recommends 6 months and is discouraging you from doing it earlier, you may not want to talk her into doing it earlier. If she is not accustomed to spaying younger kittens, the surgical technique is different and a little more demanding, so you might want to ask her about that or find someone that is accustomed to spaying young kittens. Whatever it takes, however, she should be spayed around 4 months.

Thanks for writing back. I'm always here to help.

Dr. Neely






















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