National Immunization Awareness Month
CATalyst Council Urges Cat Owners to Check Their Cat’s Vaccinations
Annapolis, MD – 2011—During National Immunization Awareness Month, CATalyst Council—a national initiative comprised of animal health and welfare organizations working on behalf of cats–would like to remind cat owners that their feline friends need vaccines, too!
By preventing common diseases, cat owners are taking an important step to ensure that their cats live the longest, healthiest lives possible. The best thing for a cat owner to do is to take their cat to its veterinarian for a wellness visit when the veterinarian can check to see if the cat needs any vaccines or additional immunizations.
The American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners recommend core vaccines—those considered necessary for almost every cat. The core vaccines protect cats against rabies (required by law in most states), feline distemper (panleukopenia) and upper respiratory viruses. The use of other vaccines and the frequency of vaccine boosters are best determined by your veterinarian and will be based upon your cat’s individual health, risk status and lifestyle.
National Take Your Cat to the Veterinarian Week is also in August (August 22nd-28th), so why not make an appointment to have your cat see its doctor then?
About CATalyst
CATalyst is a national initiative comprised of animal health and welfare organizations and corporations to champion the cat in light of troubling statistics released by the American Veterinary Medical Association that show an increase in the cat population coupled with a decline in veterinary visits for cats. More information about the CATalyst Council is available at www.catalystcouncil.org.
