Providing Vaccination to Your Felines in Townsville and North Queensland

Vaccination

Indoor-Only Cats

Cats and kittens which stay indoors are much less likely to be exposed to agents such as FIV (cat AIDS) and feline leukaemia virus. We recommend they are vaccinated with an F3 vaccine at 8 weeks old and 12 weeks old and 16 weeks old

Cat flu is a very common cat disease and several pathogens can be involved. Vaccination of cats will decrease the severity of symptoms, but cats can still get symptoms if exposed to the agents (a bit like the human flu). Some cats may develop sneezing or weepy eyes simply when stressed. This is because one of the agents of cat flu is a herpes virus (similar to a human cold-sore virus). It can never be completely cleared and will "break out" during periods of stress or other disease.

Most Townsville boarding catteries will require a recent vaccine against cat flu before your cat can enter the facility.

A booster is required at 1 year old.

Outdoor Cats

F3 vaccine at 8 weeks old, 12 weeks old and 16 weeks old. A booster is required at 1 year old.

Consider vaccinating for FIV(Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). This virus affect cats that go outside and have close contact with other cats. FIV affects up to 10% of outdoor cats in Townsville.



Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

FIV is a common infectious disease of outdoor cats in Townsville (About 10% of cats are infected). It is the cat equivalent to HIV(humans cannot catch this disease).

FIV leads to an increased risk of infection and cancer, but does not necessarily shorten a cat's lifespan if the cat is kept indoors-only and well cared for.

A cat vaccine is now available at out Townsville clinic to try to prevent cats catching this disease. As the vaccine is new, data for it's efficacy in Australia is limited, however it is recommended for high risk cats (cats that roam outside, fight and get abscesses).