General Feline Information 

Vaccines (Core)

Rabies Vaccination:

Rabies is a fatal neurological disease; it is transmitted thru bites and saliva. We offer a 1-Year vaccine or a 3-Year vaccine. In order to receive the 3-Year rabies, an animal must have had at least ONE 1-Year vaccine in the past. It is required by law for all animals to be vaccinated for rabies. Kittens can be vaccinated at 12 weeks of age or older. 

We have the ONE year Pure-Vax Rabies and a Purevax Rabies/FVRCP combination vaccine for cats. Purevax ®, is a non-adjuvant rabies product which reduces the chances of felines having an inflammatory reaction that can cause feline vaccine-associated sarcomas (a type of deadly cancer). An adjuvant is a compound that is added to the vaccine to trigger a stronger inflammatory reaction than a non-adjuvant vaccine does; therefore, the non-adjuvant vaccines will highly reduce the chances of a sarcoma and is strongly recommended.

FVRCP ( Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Chlamydia psittaci, and Panleukopenia) Vaccination :

This is a combination vaccine; it will protect your cat against these diseases, but it must be administered once a year. The vaccine series should be started at 6 weeks of age and booster at 9, 12, and 15 weeks of age. If a cat is 12 weeks or older it should receive a vaccine and a booster 3 weeks later. 

Feline Panleukopenia is a contagious, many times fatal disease; symptoms include fever, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal pain, tremors and incoordination. It is transmitted by contact with infected cats, their feces and is very resistant in the environment. 

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus are both respiratory diseases. Symptoms include nasal and eye discharge, conjunctivitis, ulcers of the oral cavity, anorexia and an upper respiratory infection. Cats can recover from the virus, but it can reoccur under stress. You should seek the attention of a veterinarian if your cat has any upper respiratory symptoms. 

Feline Leukemia Vaccination: 

Feline Leukemia is a disease associated with a high mortality rate; it suppresses the immune system causing other disease to emerge and take over effortlessly.  This disease is transmitted by direct contact with infected cats or with contaminated food dishes and litter boxes. 

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV):

FIV attacks a cat's immune system; there are many symptoms associated with this disease including development of various cancers. This is a life-long infection; it is the feline form of HIV. FIV is contagious to other cats, but is not transmissable to humans.   

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP):

Initial symptoms of this disease are usually associated with an upper respiratory infection, however, it will progress and spread to other tissues and organs. A classic sign of peritonitis is swelling of the abdomen; FIP is cause be a corona virus spread by infected cats. Once symptoms occur, mortality rate is 100%.

Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Combo Test: 

This is an in-house combination test we perform and have results within 10 minutes! We recommend this test to new kittens or new stray cats you are bringing into your home.  It is also recommended if your cat is outdoors and not vaccinated regularly.

Risk Factors for Feline Leukemia and FIV include:
Fighting 
Outdoor cats (even if for brief amounts of time)
Contact with other cats
Newly Adopted cats
Exposure to Unknown cats

Heartworm prevention:

We do not have to run a heartworm test before we start heartworm prevention on cats; heartworm disease manifests a little differently in cats and there is no treatment for the disease in felines. A monthly prevention is still highly recommended even if your cat is indoor, since one or two worms can be fatal in cats. We do have a test for heartworm disease in cats which we can run and have the results within 10 minutes.

1 in 3 indoor cats will get heartworm disease!

Combination Flea Control and Heartworm Prevention:

We have two great products which will help protect your cat against heartworms, fleas, hookworms, roundworms, and earmites; Revolution orAdvantage-Multi are monthly preventatives which can protect your pets against internal and external parasites, some of which can cause serious problems.  

Bathing:

Cats generally do not like to be bathed; we do not recommend bathing your pet more than twice a month, unless it gets dirty in the meantime. Oatmeal and aloe shampoos are perfect for bathing; flea and tick shampoos are not recommended because they can contain rather harsh chemicals to which an animal may react. Instead, invest in a good-quality flea control and use the oatmeal and aloe shampoo twice a month. 

You should also have an ear cleaner on-hand; apply this after bathing, grooming, or swimming to help reduce the chances of an ear infection. 

Spaying and Neutering: 

If you are not going to breed or are done breeding your pet we HIGHLY recommend you spay/neuter your pet. This can be done any time after 12 weeks of age; the "wait until they are at least 6 months old" suggestion no longer applies. After 12 weeks of age their livers are mature enough to handle the anesthetic procedure. It is healthier for your pet to be fixed and helps reduce the numbers of unwanted kittens in shelters or backyards! 

Male cats can develop prostate disease and testicular cancer if they remain intact; neutering your male cat will help reduce his chances of developing these diseases. If you do not plan on breeding your cat, you can set up an appointment anytime after 12 weeks of age to have him neutered. 

Another reason to neuter your cat is that he will be more likely to mark his territory ("spray") if he is intact; it is a rather unpleasant smell and can be difficult to get rid of! 

Female cats can develop breast cancer and pyometra (an infected uterus); these are both potentially life-threatening diseases! If you plan to breed your cat, keep these diseases in mind - watch for any lumps or bumps in the mammary chains & not feeling well, in general.  If you plan to spay your cat, you should have the procedure done while she is less than 6 months of age or before her first heat cycle - this will greatly reduce the likelyhood of developing breast cancer. 

Microchipping:

Microchipping is a fabulous idea; if your pet is ever lost or stolen, it can be traced back to you! Each number is unique to the pet. All shelters are required to scan pets coming into their facilities. We carry ResQ chips which you can quickly and easily register online.