Vaccinations for a Long and Happy Life

At Chicago Cat Clinic, feline vaccinations are an important part of our proactive approach toward feline wellness care. From kittenhood through your cat’s senior years, cat vaccinations reduce the risk for highly contagious diseases, including rabies, distemper and feline leukemia. Our clinic’s calm, quiet and cat-friendly environment makes vaccine administration as easy as possible.

Feline Vaccinations: Reduce Your Cat’s Risk for Illness

Vaccines are important to the health of your cat. Cats, like humans, are at risk for contracting contagious illnesses. Since many of these illnesses do not cause symptoms until several days after exposure, it is possible for your cat to interact with another seemingly healthy feline and become sick. A weekend at a cattery or even a trip to the groomer could lead to illness without proper protection. At the Chicago Cat Clinic, our veterinary care team also understands that your cat’s lifestyle plays a major role in determining which vaccines are necessary. We believe that not every cat needs to receive every vaccination, and we follow the recommendations of the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). For example, indoor cats usually only need to receive the core vaccination series, including rabies and distemper vaccines. Outdoor cats, however, may need additional vaccinations such as the feline leukemia vaccine.

Core vaccines are vaccinations deemed “vital” to your cat’s health as determined by the AAFP and are recommended for all cats – both indoor and outdoor.

The core vaccines include the Rabies vaccine which is required for all cats in the counties of Chicagoland, and the Distemper vaccine, also known as FVRCP or PCR, which is a combination vaccine including panleukopenia (feline distemper), feline calicivirus and feline herpes virus type 1 (rhinotracheitis).

Most cats typically receive their first round of vaccinations when they are kittens. The feline Distemper kitten shot series is important to protecting young cats against disease until their immune systems have fully matured. This shot series typically begins once kittens are weaned and will continue every three to four weeks until kittens reach approximately 16 weeks of age. Cats typically receive booster shots one year following their last kitten vaccination and then every three years thereafter. Our veterinarian will make recommendations for your cat’s vaccination schedule based on your cat’s lifestyle and wellness needs.

Vaccinations prepare your cat’s immune system to fight the invasion of disease-causing organisms. These vaccines work by mildly stimulating your cat’s immune system. While this mild response will not make your cat ill, some vaccinations can cause an allergic reaction. However, the risk for an allergic reaction is extremely low. In fact, there is a far greater risk that your unvaccinated cat will become ill from a preventable disease.

Why the Chicago Cat Clinic?

At the Chicago Cat Clinic, our entire staff has dedicated their professional veterinary careers to caring exclusively for cats. This depth of experience and dedication ensures a higher quality of medical care than what may be available through other general animal care hospitals. As a feline-only hospital, we provide a calm, stress-free environment that is free from barking, growling or other sounds/scents that could intimidate our feline patients. This helps reduce the stress and anxiety associated with a veterinary visit.

As Chicago’s first, feline-only animal practice, our veterinary team is proud to continue a long tradition of excellence in feline care. This starts with the close relationships that we form with our feline patients and their caretakers. Our veterinarians are always happy to answer any questions that you may have about any service and procedure. To learn more and schedule an appointment, please contact us at 773-631-5300.