Cats are susceptible to a number of viruses. Some cause severe and potentially fatal illness, and others cause symptoms that seem more of a nuisance, but have potential to inflict lifelong symptoms and suffering. It is thus important to follow the vaccine guidelines set up by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), who have invested time and money into studies and expert panels to develop such protocols.

It is not uncommon, as a veterinarian, to hear from a client, “My cat lives inside all the time and is not at risk for ___, so I prefer to skip that vaccine.” On one level, it makes sense: how would an indoor only cat require vaccination against contagious viruses if they are never exposed to other cats or animals? Cats are typically indoor only in our area (Northwest DC), but this could apply to any indoor-only kitty.

There are many reasons to vaccinate your cats and kittens. As cats age, they may need more frequent visits to their veterinarian due to health concerns, and there may be exposure to viruses in the clinic setting. They may be exposed to the viruses by visiting cats (neighborhood cats who touch nose-to-nose through the window), by sneaking out of the home, by humans entering the house with viruses on their hands and clothes, or by another household pet who goes outside and then returns indoors. Sometimes wildlife finds its way into your home; there are horror stories from this area about bats and raccoons finding entrance via doors, windows left ajar, chimneys, and basements. We have had several human exposures (Georgetown) and one death in the DC area (Virginia, 2017) from rabies. Protect yourself and your pets!

Of course, there are other lifestyle and health factors to consider: indoor or outdoor pets, grooming, travel, boarding, underlying disease conditions or FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) infection. I am a big believer in individualized vaccination plans designed for each pet. There is no “one size fits all” approach, but consider health and safety first, obviously! An open dialogue with your veterinarian at each annual wellness visit will allow you to come up with a safe, individualized, effective protocol for your own pet.

Let’s start with core vaccines: Rabies and FVRCP.

First, the rabies virus vaccine – this one is easy because it’s THE LAW, no matter your cat’s lifestyle. Since rabies is a zoonotic virus (may also be transmitted to humans), the law states that all cats must be vaccinated. The feline vaccine for rabies is quite safe, having all chemicals removed that historically had resulted in nasty reactions. The only alternative is an annual rabies titer test, which is costly and is reserved for pets who have an underlying medical condition that does not allow further vaccinations. We recommend using the dedicated feline rabies vaccine, as the canine vaccine has ingredients that may trigger adverse immune response in cats.

Next up is the FVRCP or “feline distemper” vaccine. FVRCP stands for Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis Calicivirus Panleukopenia kitten vaccine series. Most kittens are exposed to 3 common viruses either at birth (from their mother cat – who is known as the queen, one of my favorite animal categorizations!) or from other cats if they are in a colony, breeder, or shelter setting. These viruses are the causes for the very common disease complex known in a catchall term upper respiratory infection (URI). You may have seen a cat with a case of URI: stuffy nose, congested, sometimes sneezing mildly or severely, with boogers being produced, and/or sometimes conjunctivitis that manifests as red, swollen, infected, uncomfortable squinty eyes.

Viral rhinotracheitis is caused by feline herpesvirus. Not to be confused with human herpesvirus; humans cannot catch this from their cats. However, herpesvirus is just as contagious between cats as human herpesvirus is between humans! Simply nose to nose contact, aerosol spread from sneezing, sharing water and food bowls – it’s a virus most cats have been exposed to at some point in time. With maternal antibodies from nursing, vaccinations as a kitten, low stress, etc, most kittens will not manifest symptoms or they will have brief illness and recover. Identifying the virus is sometimes helpful but usually our treatment focuses on first suppressing the virus, which can be done safely with any number of drops, ointments, and oral medications, and also eliminating an opportunistic bug (bacteria) that has taken this chance to set up house in the abnormal eye or nose tissue.

You may have heard the expression “herpes is forever.” The virus lives in the nerves of the face, and during times of stress, the suppressed immune system allows the virus to recrudesce, or return, via these nerves, to the eyes and the nose. We try to eliminate whatever stressor or trigger has resulted in the cat’s immune system not squashing the infection on its own. Just as humans will get “cold sores” during times of stress, cats will often have an episode of URI when they are stressed. Some cats require anti-anxiety medications, but most do well with a daily amino acid supplement to prevent the virus from replicating. Some cats will notice when their people get out suitcases to travel, and within hours will show symptoms such as cloudy eyes, sneezing, and congestion!

If the viral infection leads to bacterial invasion and/or severe inflammation of the nasal passages, the result may be damage to the nasal passages and thus chronic bacterial infections due to abnormal anatomy. Treatment with antivirals and antihistamines is usually effective in mild/acute cases, but in chronic rhinitis, cats are often vaccinated more than once a year to further boost their natural defenses, and daily antiviral/anti-stress medications are used. In severe chronic cases, rhinoscopy to remove scarred tissue and clear the nasal passages is needed.

Calicivirus typically causes oral ulcers (usually on the tongue) that result in poor appetite, drooling, and halitosis. A veterinarian can usually identify these ulcers on oral examination. These kittens will sometimes also have conjunctivitis. Supportive care, including feeding, pain control, and fluids, is the key treatment to prevent starvation and dehydration while the body fights off the virus.

Panleukopenia is a very severe virus that causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia. Some kittens have milder symptoms and survive, but others do not. This virus may be identified using the dog parvovirus in-clinic test. This virus may result in death due to starvation or dehydration, so aggressive treatment in a veterinary hospital with adequate nursing care, followed by preventative vaccination are vital.

Non-core vaccines are FeLV (feline leukemia virus), Chlamydia, FIV, and FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). Of these, only the FeLV vaccine is recommended, due to efficacy and/or safety issues with the other vaccines. Cats who go outdoors or who are exposed to outdoor cats should be protected against feline leukemia virus with the FeLV vaccine, as this virus is easily transmitted by sharing bowls and grooming each other.

If you have a cat older than 16 weeks with an unknown vaccine history, 2 FVRCP boosters and a 1 year duration rabies vaccine are minimum requirements. Kittens’ immune systems are immature until about 16 weeks. It is thus vital that kittens receive FVRCP vaccine boosters from 6 to 8 weeks until at least 16 weeks to help support immunity against these viruses until their body’s immune system catches on and is able to continue producing antibodies and defense on its own. At 13-16 weeks, most states require rabies vaccination. Typically after a negative FeLV test, kittens who will go outdoors or have contact with outdoor kitties will be started on the FeLV vaccine. Again, a conversation with your vet at annual wellness examinations should permit you to work with your veterinary team to determine the best schedule for your pet.

Article Courtesy of Jann Elliott DVM -- Licensed in DC, MD and VA