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While vaccinating your cat is essential to keeping him or her in peak health for a very long time, there are a few things that you will want to keep in mind about vaccinations in order to keep your cat as healthy as possible. When vaccinating your cat, keep in mind that not every cat needs every vaccination, not all vaccines need to be done at the same intervals, and there are possible side effects to vaccination.

1. Not Every Cat Needs Every Vaccination

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make when getting your cat vaccinated is to ask for every vaccination that your vet offers. Not only is this going to potentially cause health issues for your cat, but it can also make your vet bill larger than it needs to be.

When visiting the vet, make sure to discuss your cat's age, health, and living situation before any vaccinations are performed. The reason that your cat's health is an issue is that some vaccinations are harder on the cat's body than others, so a vet may recommend foregoing those vaccinations if your cat is sick, recovering from a recent illness, or is old.

Your cat's living situation is also important because an indoor cat is not going to need the same number of vaccinations as an outdoor cat. For example, both types of cats are going to need their rabies and distemper shots, but only outdoor cats will need to have the vaccinations that protect them from contagious diseases. Contagious conditions that an outdoor cat may be exposed to include feline leukemia and Bordetella.

Vaccinations Have Different Intervals

Another thing to keep in mind is that you do not want to over-vaccinate your cat as this can lead to health problems and increase the chances of your cat experiencing side effects from the vaccinations. The easiest way to over-vaccinate your cat is to not keep track of the intervals at which you vaccinated your cat.

It is important to keep track of the intervals as different vaccinations will be administered with different frequency. For example, some vaccinations will need to be administered yearly, while others are good for up to three years. 

Possible Side Effects

Finally, you will want to remember to keep an eye on your cat for the first few days following a vaccination because there is a chance that there will be side effects. While side effects are not common, they can be dangerous if you do not pay attention to them and get them to your vet as soon as you notice them. Some side effects that can occur include vomiting, loss of energy, diarrhea, and even difficulty walking.

Speak to a vet like Chicago Cat Clinic today in order to discuss your cat's vaccination needs. As long as you remember that vaccines are administered at different intervals and have possible side effects, your cat will be as safe as possible when vaccinated. In addition, remember to only give your cat the vaccinations that he or she needs in order to avoid any unnecessary health risks.