Just as newborn babies require a series of vaccinations and booster shots, so do kittens and puppies. These vaccines are one of the most important ways to keep your kitten happy, healthy and safe.

A kitten who is six to eight weeks old should attend his first visit to the veterinarian. As kittens receive milk from their mothers, they are also receiving antibodies that help protect them against infectious diseases.

Once they reach the six to eight week age however, the kittens must receive vaccinations in order to build antibodies against these diseases on their own.

Upon this visit, your kitten will receive a thorough physical examination. In addition, a series of tests will be performed on your kitten to ensure he has not already contracted these diseases. Tests such as a fecal exam and a blood test will reveal any abnormalities. These tests are significant for detecting Feline Infectious Peritonitis, Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency virus.

Whether your cat is an indoor cat or one who likes to venture outdoors, they should all receive vaccinations. At your kitten’s first visit, he will receive the first in a series of FVRCPC vaccines along with a de-worming medication. The vaccine protects your kitten from the illnesses rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleudopenia and Chlamydia.

When your kitten has reached eight to twelve weeks old, he will then require a second visit to the veterinarian. Upon this visit he will receive an additional FVRCPC vaccination along with an FIP and a FLP vaccination if he is at risk for these diseases and an additional dose of de-worming medication. If your cat is one that wishes to partake in the wilds of nature, most veterinarian’s recommend that a kitten receive a Rabies vaccination at this time as well.

The third visit to the veterinarian is recommended when your kitten reaches the age of ten to sixteen weeks old. He will receive a third dosing of the previous vaccinations and depending on the status of worm infestation, a possible third dose of de-worming medication. If you’re adventurous outdoor kitten was previously under the age limit for a Rabies vaccination, one will be administered at this time.

When your kitten has finally reached his one year birthday, he will require another visit to the veterinarian for a physical exam and another series of the previous vaccinations. The Rabies vaccination your kitten received earlier is good for one year. Upon the anniversary of that date, he will require another Rabies vaccination that will then be good for three years. It is recommended by veterinarian’s that cats return each year for a booster injection for the FVRCPC as well as a physical checkup.

As with all vaccinations, there are some risks of potential side effects. The Feline Leukemia vaccine has been shown to occasionally cause a form of cancer at the site of the injection. For this reason, veterinarians do not typically recommend this vaccine unless your cat is at risk.

Other possible side effects include a growth at the injection site, which if caught in time can be removed before it has a chance to spread. Protecting your feline companion from dangerous and infectious diseases may have a few rare side effects, but when weighed against the turmoil and heartache the actual disease can cause the vaccinations are well worth it.

In today’s more pet conscious society, it is becoming more and more apparent that neutering your cat is the best and most responsible thing you can do. Every year, shelters, rescues and humane societies are over run with unwanted and unplanned for kittens. The fate of these loving and beautiful creatures is left up to the amount of people looking to add a fluffy companion to their home.

Another upsetting occurrence is the amount of feral cats that have increased in the last several years. A feral colony or wild cat colony is created by pet cats that are released by owners who are unable to care for them any longer. These colonies are a serious problem as cats can procreate several times a year and the kittens grow rather quickly. One male and one female feral cat can quickly turn into a colony of twenty in a short amount of time.

The feral colonies can become quite a problem as they are able to spread diseases to other dogs and cats quite rapidly and they are also most often infested with fleas and ticks. If a feral colony exists in your neighborhood, don’t expect to get much sleep when the females go into heat.

Males fighting and yowling for their chance to mate can be quite annoying. Kittens from these feral colonies can also be troublesome as they decide to playfully shred and dig up gardens and shrubbery as well as soil outside furnishings. As these cats are wild, trash cans become a wonderful food source and lawns seemingly become public toilets.

Neutering is not just a way to control the cat population; it also brings several benefits to your cat. No longer will an owner have to deal with the constant mewling of a female cat in heat, while at the same time, there will no longer be every tom cat in the neighborhood prowling your yard and fighting for territorial rights.

Tom cats that have not been neutered tend to stray far away from home in search of a waiting female. This can create the loss of a precious pet. Neutering is the best answer to keep your cat home. In addition, inside male cats, which have not yet been altered, will spray their distinct pungent odor on anything and everything in your home to mark his territory if a female in heat is around.

Another benefit to having your cat neutered is that it reduces the risk of their ability to contract some very serious reproductive cancers. Cats that have been neutered by the time they are one year of age, rarely contract these forms of cancer. Another reason for considering having your cat neutered is that an unaltered cat has a higher risk of transferring contagious and infectious reproductive diseases.

The benefits of neutering your cat are highly beneficial, although there is one slight downside. If you have a specific breed, altering does not eliminate it from being able to participate in cat shows as it does for dogs. However, if your cat wins the Best in Show title, anyone wanting a kitten from your prize winner will be very disappointed that you cannot provide one.

Most humane societies and shelters will alter a cat at the age of eight weeks old, but veterinarians generally recommend having your cat neutered at the age of five to six months. Occasionally, cats that have been altered at any early age have developed problems later on. Female cats undergo a more detailed surgery for alteration, so they must be kept quiet and indoors for at least a week. Male surgery is not as intensive, so male cats tend to bounce back to their playful selves rather quickly, but should still be kept indoors.

Surgery requires stitches, and those stitches must be kept clean. A daily check for puffiness or redness in the incision area is also recommended to avoid a severe infection. If your cat is constantly biting and licking the stitches, asking your veterinarian for a surgery collar will enable your cat’s incision the proper time it needs to heal.