There are four common feline upper respiratory diseases: Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Feline Calicivirus and Feline Chlamydiosis. Feline Leukemia Virus
is another infectious disease for which there exists a vaccine but it is not as easily transmitted to cats as the upper respiratory diseases.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is spread via Feline Corona virus (FCoV),a virus endemic to most multi-cat environments. There is a new vaccine for FIP however, statistics are still being gathered on the extent of the protection it provides to cats.Bordetellabronchiseptica (kennel cough) is a disease first thought to only affect dogs but recently, laboratories have tested cats and found them to be infected with Bordetella.

Feline Panleukopenia (also known as Distemper or Feline infectious enteritis) is a highly contagious viral disease that can kill both kittens and adult cats who have not been vaccinated. Symptoms include sudden on set of fever, lack of appetite, dehydration, depression, vomiting, dizziness.Infected cats may show a decreased number of white blood cells. Mortality rates can be high.

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR, also known as Feline Herpes virus ) is a respiratory disease caused by Feline Herpesvirus type 1. Symptoms includes sneezing, coughing, photosensitivity (where the eyes are sensitive to light), swelling in the conjunctiva (eyelid tissues) in one or both eyes with discharge from eyes and nose. Depression and lack of appetite and fevers may be seen. Ulcers of the eye may develop and may lead to severe eye infections or blindness.

Feline Calicivirus is a respiratory disease similar to a human cold.It is caused by an RNA virus and is more resistant than FVR although its symptoms may appear less severe. Symptoms are similar to FVR but often include ulcers of the tongue. Pneumonia may develop, leading to high mortality rates in kittens.

Feline Chlamydiosis (also known as feline pneumonitis or chlamydia) is a respiratory disease that shows most of its symptoms in the eyes. Severely affected kittens may have eyes completely swollen shut and have prolonged conjunctivitis. Chlamydia can be very resistant to treatment; infected cats may take months to recover with antibiotic ointments.

Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is an infectious disease transmitted from cat to cat in a close and intimat e setting. No vaccine can provide 100% protection but keeping kittens away from sources of infection (outdoor FeLV positive cats)is the best way to prevent the spread of this disease. Symptoms of FeLV are varied; before the vaccine is administered, the cat should receive a blood test and test negative for FeLV.


VACCINATIONS

The incidence and severity of Feline Infectious Diseases has been greatly reduced through the use of vaccines. Vaccination is an event that begins a complicated process within the cat or kitten to encourage the cat's immune system to recognize the various foreign proteins (antigens) present in the vaccine and produce protective biological forces, including proteins called antibodies, against those antigens. This immune response provides protection for the cat against the specific infectious agents in the vaccine.

Vaccination and immunization are used interchangeably but they are not identical in meaning. No vaccine is 100% efficacious against all strains of infectious disease, however most cats vaccinated will become immunized against that disease if vaccinated properly. The proper use of vaccines will provide kittens with the best amount of protection against devastating and potentially fatal feline infectious diseases.

It is important to vaccinate kittens and boost them at least one-to-two times later to ensure immunization against these diseases. Kittens receive protective antibodies from their mother's milk. This is called maternal immunity. These antibodies begin to wear off between six and ten weeks of age. Vaccination typically occurs at six to eight weeks of age in kittens.Kittens are vaccinated (boosted) twice more (two to four week apart) in order to ensure that immunization occurs. The kitten's maternal immunity prevents immunization from occurring if vaccines are given too early. When the maternal immunity decreases, the kitten may then be successfully immunized through vaccinations. The maternal immunities decrease over a period of weeks, so vaccinations are spaced out from six to twelve weeks of age to permit the kitten to build up immunity.

A vaccinated kitten may show signs of fatigue, lack of appetite, may sneeze or have watery eyes after vaccination. These signs are usually temporary but it is recommended that a newly vaccinated kitten not be overwhelmed with attention or activity, or have other medical procedures (such as neutering/spaying) done at the same time as the vaccination. Kit tens should also not be given multiple vaccine injections at the same time. Monitor kittens closely for 24 hours after vaccination as some kittens may experience a reaction to the vaccine.

Some veterinarians suggest that owners remain with their kittens at the veterinarian's office for at least 30minutes to monitor for reactions.

Types of vaccines available include modified-live and killed. Modified live vaccines contain viruses that have been grown in a special way (called attenuation) so they stimulate the same high level of immunity that a natural infection would, without causing the same degree of illness.Modified live vaccines, however, can not be given to pregnant animals.Many veterinarians and breeders prefer to use killed virus vaccines because they are comprised of inactivated viruses which cannot replicate. While killed virus vaccines are considered safer because the virus can not possibly grow within the animal's system, they may not provide as great a level of protection.

The above text was written for the TICA Feline Welfare Committee.

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis and Feline Calicivirus at 4 and 6 weeks of age, given intranas ally.

Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Calicivirus and Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis at 9 weeks and 12 weeks with an optional booster at 15 weeks and annual to biannual boosters thereafter.

A TICA responsible breeder will ensure that their kittens are properly vaccinated before releasing them to their new homes.

Proper vaccination of kittens and cats will allow them to be protected against severe feline infectious diseases. Vaccination usually provides immunity to most strains of these diseases. While vaccinations cannot completely prevent kittens and cats from becoming ill from these diseases,they can greatly lessen the severity of the symptoms and prevent death from these diseases.