When to vaccinate and why

Being a loving, responsible owner, it's important for you to read up on the health risks your kitten could face. It's not nice to think about, but if you pick up all the know-how you need early then, fingers crossed, you'll never have to use it. Feline infectious enteritis (FIE), feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), feline calicivirus (FCV) and cat influenza are all very infectious and can prove dangerous for kittens. Fortunately, however, there are vaccines against all of them.

Your kitten's first injections will usually be given at nine weeks, followed by a second lot at 12 weeks – however, some vaccines can differ so it is best to check with your vet when your kitten needs their vaccines. The influenza vaccine is often given as nose drops rather than by injection.

It takes up to a fortnight after vaccination for her immunity to fully develop, so during that time and probably much to her disgust, you’ll have to keep her indoors. And remember, she'll need to have booster injections every year. Be sure you keep her vaccination certificates in a safe place (preferably together with all kitten-based paperwork in a folder). If you ever want to leave her in a cattery when she’s older, they'll need this information.

If you're planning on taking your little one on holiday overseas, vaccination against rabies is a must. Just to be on the safe side you might consider other vaccinations, perhaps against feline leukaemia virus or feline chlamydia. Ask your vet for help.