Kittens get some antibodies against certain diseases from their mother through her placenta and milk. However, those antibodies break down and disappear after a few months of life. Therefore, having your kitten vaccinated properly to prevent certain life-threatening diseases is extremely important. The doctors at our clinic will discuss the ideal vaccine protocol for your kitten. Some kittens that will live outside as adults will be required to get certain vaccines since they will be at higher risk for certain diseases. We highly recommend all kittens have a FELV/FIV test prior to being vaccinated. Call Countryside Animal Health Center to schedule an appointment or learn more about kitten and cat vaccines. Some people think that after their kitten is grown, it is not important for them to continue to be vaccinated for certain diseases. However, this could not be further from the truth! If your cat goes outside, it MUST be vaccinated to prevent many different diseases that are easily spread from one cat to another. Even if your cat is inside only, it is also extremely important for them to continue to be vaccinated. Many cat respiratory diseases are transmitted through the air, so if an infected cat walks through your yard, the wind can blow the virus through the screens of your house to your house cat! Also, a rabies vaccine is important for all cats to have, whether inside or outside, in case a bat or other rabies carrying critter comes into your house or garage and bites your cat. So please don’t stop having your cat vaccinated after it is a year old. Many of the diseases we deal with in cats can be prevented with a good vaccine protocol. FLEA AND TICK PREVENTIONSquirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, and birds all can carry fleas and ticks into your yard! Therefore, it is important to give your cat and kitten flea prevention every month. When you come into our clinic for your vaccines we will discuss the options of medications we have available. Fleas suck the blood out of animals and humans, so getting them in your house is not something you want! They can be difficult to get out of your house, furniture, bedding, etc., so prevention is the key. We recommend all dogs and cats be on flea/tick preventative all year long since these parasites can live in your house even through the winter!