| In recent years, the vaccination of cats has | | | | become symptomless carriers of the disease. |
| become more popular. The three most common | | | | When stressed, these cats develop mild |
| vaccines give protection against feline infectious | | | | symptoms and spread the virus. |
| enteritis (FIE), feline influenza (cat flu) and feline | | | | FeLV suppresses the activity of the cat's immune |
| leukaemia (FeLV). An initial course of two | | | | system, allowing a wide range of symptoms to |
| injections, the first at nine weeks are usually | | | | develop. It often results in the death of the cat |
| given, and yearly boosters are recommended | | | | after several months of illness. The virus is spread |
| thereafter. | | | | mainly in the cat's saliva. It is a disease of cats |
| FIE causes vomiting and diarrhoea, and the cat | | | | that fight a lot, and of cats in large colonies, who |
| develops a very high tenperature. Before the | | | | share the same food and water bowls. It should |
| vaccine was introduced, it killed a great many cats | | | | not be a threat in a well-run boarding cattery, |
| by dehydration due to the bowel symptoms. Cat | | | | where the feeding and grooming utensils are |
| flu is caused by two viruses: the feline | | | | properly cleaned, and the cats do not mix with |
| rhinotracheitis (FCV). FVR is the more severe of | | | | each other. |
| the two, causing coughing, sneezing, and nasal and | | | | A vaccine exists against the chlamydial organism, |
| eye discharges. | | | | which can cause not only mild eye and nasal |
| FVC has milder discharges but more gum | | | | symptoms, but more importantly, infertility and |
| inflammation and mouth ulcers. Neither FCV nor | | | | abortion. This vacine is used mainly in breeding |
| FVR is usually deadly but the infection can linger | | | | colonies to protect against infertility. |
| on in the form of snuffles, and some cats | | | | |