F3 vaccination
The F3 vaccination protects against Feline enteritis & two forms of feline respiratory disease.

Feline enteritis, also known as panleucopaenia is a highly contagious viral disease.

Affected cats are depressed, loose their appetite and have vomiting and or diarrhoea. Many cats, especially the old and very young can die of this disease and pregnant queens may lose their young or give birth to kittens with brain damage.

Cats that do recover may continue to carry the virus for some time and will be infectious to other cats.

Feline respiratory disease otherwise known as cat flu is usually caused by Feline Herpes virus and/or Feline Calicivirus.

Feline respiratory disease can affect cats of all ages but is especially common in young kittens. The viruses cause sneezing, runny eyes, a discharge from the nose and ulcers on the tongue. Cats often go off their food and can run a high temperature. The disease is distressing and can last for many weeks despite treatment. Cats will often become life long carriers of the disease on recovery and can have recurrences of the clinical signs regularly through out their lives particularly when stressed.

We recommend all cats are vaccinated with the F3 vaccination whether they will be house cats or going outside. The respiratory viruses are airborne and so can even affect cats kept inside 100% of the time. Your cat will need to be vaccinated with an F3 vaccination to go into boarding kennels.

The F3 vaccination course comprises of 2 or 3 injections depending on your kittens age when first inoculated given at 2 to 4 week intervals.

Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV) vaccination
This disease is the feline equivalent of HIV or human AIDS. It is caused by a virus which affects the immune system and makes it difficult for affected cats to fight disease. Many infected cats remain symptomless carriers for some time before developing clinical signs but are able to infect other cats. Infected cats may have repeated infections or illness that does not respond to treatment as expected. Weight loss, poor coat quality , loss of appetite and elevated temperature can also occur. Eventually the immune system may become too weak to fight off other infections or diseases and as a result the cat may die from one of these subsequent infections.

FIV is almost always transmitted by bites from infected cats as the virus which causes the disease is present in saliva. Unfortunately in Australia a lot of cats are infected with this disease.

Any cat which will be going outside at any time should be vaccinated against FIV.

Three vaccinations against feline immunodeficiency virus are recommended at 2-4 week intervals.

Your pets first vaccination course will not protect them for life. Immunity weakens over time and your cat will need annual boosters for the rest of her life.