Cat Vaccinations - What Should You Get?

By Gary Pearson

Bringing home a new cat means that you are now responsible for your new pet's health. It is important to your cat's health to get the proper vaccinations from your veterinarian to keep your feline healthy. Most assume that a cat, since it is able to survive in the wild, does not need medical attention, but it is not true. There are plenty of diseases that can infect your cat, regardless if they are indoor or outdoor pets. Providing your cat with the proper vaccinations can help them avoid these deadly diseases.

One of the deadliest diseases that can be exposed to the feline family is rabies. Generally speaking, people do not consider rabies a cat disease, but it can be passed to felines through infected animals. A cat fighting with an infected animal, such as a raccoon or coyote, or eating meat from an infected animal can contract rabies. It is one of the few diseases that can be passed from cat to human, which is why vets highly suggest cat owners get their cats vaccinated to protect both the owner's and the pet's health. Regardless if the cat is going to be indoor or outdoor, it is best to protect yourself and your cat from this terrible and agonizing disease.

An early age vaccination that is vaccines given in the first few weeks of life offer protection include a serum to protect from the flu, feline leukemia virus, feline infectious enteritis, and feline chlamydophilosis. These are all nasty infections which can be transmitted to other felines in the household and be fatal to them. One simple shot can protect your pet's health in an afternoon. It does not take multiple oral medicines or any struggle between you and your cat. Just one visit to the vet can protect your cat, so isn't it worth it?

It is also wise to get your feline dewormed while you are medicating them. If you have the cat there at the vet's office, why not? Intestinal parasites are unsightly and can be fatal in smaller and older cats, so to avoid any future medical conditions, ask your vet to deworm your cat there. Or, if you are hands on with your pet's health care, there is a topical solution which you can place on your feline's skin that will kill any intestine parasites that your cat may have. It generally kills roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, pin worms and heartworms.

It is also important to manage your pet's health through flea control as well. Since certain parasites are transmitted by fleas, keeping your cat on flea control can keep you and your cat comfortable and happy. Many flea controls are topical now, lasting upwards to thirty days and preventing hookworm and roundworm infection. Unfortunately, flea control is not yet protecting your cat from heart worms and tapeworms just yet, but it is good to have this medicine in your arsenal now.

Keeping your pet's health stable and balanced will allow you and your cat much happiness throughout the years. Just a bit of dedication and commitment to your pet's health will increase her longevity.

Gary Pearson is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about cat vaccinations visit Life With Cats for current articles and discussions.