Cat Vaccinations

QUESTIONS:

My cat is 15 weeks old and hasn't had any vaccinations yet and she has worms and fleas. should i get rid of the fleas and worms before the vaccination or will the vaccinations get rid of the fleas and worms?


Hi,

She needs all of the above immediately and they are separate and you should not wait on any of them. She should have had her first vaccine at 6 weeks of age followed by additional vaccines every 3 to 4 weeks until she was 14 weeks of age.

She also should have been dewormed at the same intervals roughly. Fleas can make a kitten not only miserable, but also anemic. Intestinal parasites can also cause anemia so the two together are not a good combination. The kitten should have had a flea bath or two when young and more recently an application of Frontline.

However, better late than never. Please make an appointment with a vet right away and get started on the vaccines and get rid of the worms and fleas.

Thank you,
Dr. Neely

Cat Vaccinations

QUESTIONS:

My cat is 15 weeks old and hasn't had any vaccinations yet and she has worms and fleas. should i get rid of the fleas and worms before the vaccination or will the vaccinations get rid of the fleas and worms?


Hi,

She needs all of the above immediately and they are separate and you should not wait on any of them. She should have had her first vaccine at 6 weeks of age followed by additional vaccines every 3 to 4 weeks until she was 14 weeks of age.

She also should have been dewormed at the same intervals roughly. Fleas can make a kitten not only miserable, but also anemic. Intestinal parasites can also cause anemia so the two together are not a good combination. The kitten should have had a flea bath or two when young and more recently an application of Frontline.

However, better late than never. Please make an appointment with a vet right away and get started on the vaccines and get rid of the worms and fleas.

Thank you,
Dr. Neely

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.