Staying Healthy Through All Nine Lives with Cat Vaccinations
in Houston, TX
Cat vaccinations are an important part of helping them to live long, happy, and healthy lives with you. Vaccines combat the transmission of dangerous and deadly feline diseases. At The Cat Doctor in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston, we use only the safest vaccines available for cats.
If your cat needs to be updated on their vaccines, or your kitten needs their first vaccines, call us at (713) 522-8362 to schedule your appointment!
Minimizing Risk with Non-Adjuvanted Cat Vaccinations
The Cat Doctor has a great love and dedication to providing the very best veterinary medicine for cats. And with that comes an investment in the safest options for your pet. That's why we use the PureVax brand for all of our cat vaccinations. They are non-adjuvanted and are the safest options out there for our feline friends. Non-adjuvanted means they do not contain the “adjuvant” which is an added chemical often used to help boost the immune response. In dogs, these are perfectly harmless, yet these irritating chemicals have been known to cause a serious cancer in cats, Vaccine Site Sarcoma, which is very difficult to treat and often fatal. While VSS is rare, even with adjuvanted vaccines, the risk can be completely avoided by using non-adjuvanted vaccines, so we figure it’s better to take VSS completely out of the equation. Don't you agree?
Schedule your appointment today!
Every cat and family is different, so we will work with you to determine the appropriate vaccinations needed for your cat. Contact us to schedule your appointment today!
Cat Vaccines We Offer
At The Cat Doctor, we offer both core (recommended for all cats) and non-core (recommended for cats at risk) vaccinations. The following list shows you what vaccines your kitty needs, which ones are optional, and the diseases that they protect against. Call us at (713) 522-8362 to schedule an appointment.
Rabies
In Texas, Rabies is required by law, and rightly so. This zoonotic disease is fatal for cats and humans alike. Just because your cat is exclusively indoors, doesn’t mean they’re completely safe. Wildlife such as bats or rodents carrying the disease could enter your home and put your family at risk.
When your cat needs it:
- Initial series: 1st dose at 12 weeks
- Boosters: Every year after the initial shot
FVRCP
This is a combination vaccine that includes feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia. We highly recommend all cats receive this core vaccine. Each of these diseases is highly contagious and the viruses can live in the environment long enough to travel on clothes, shoes, hands, etc.
When your cat needs it:
- Initial series: 1st dose at 8 weeks; then every 3 weeks until 16 weeks of age
- Boosters: one year after the initial series, then every 3 years after that
Feline Leukemia
This is a non-core vaccine we recommend for young cats who go outdoors. It protects against leukemia, which easily spreads through close contact with an infected cat.
When your cat needs it:
- Initial series: 2 doses, 3-4 weeks apart
- Boosters: Every year after the initial series