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- Jul 2, 2015
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Hello! I'm a new kitten mama, and I had some questions, would really love some clarity and advise from those who have any to offer.
Kitten #1: around 14 weeks old. She was a stray kitten that I found outdoors at 5 weeks old. She has not been spayed yet because she hasn't been fully well enough for surgery until recently (had to be put on various medications for Coccidia, URI, fleas, tapeworms for these past several weeks). She had her first FVRCP and Felv vaccination two weeks ago, and is scheduled for her 1st booster shot for both vaccines next week. Tested negative for Felv.
Kitten #2: around 9 weeks old. She was adopted two days ago, and was initially living at a local shelter, fostered and transferred to an adoption center with her littermates. She had been spayed 3 days before I adopted her. She had her FVRCP vaccine and 2 booster shots, and is scheduled for her final booster shot in 2 weeks; (the adoption center cycled her through medications/processes much faster than my vet would). Both the adoption center general policy and my vet's new policy (funnily enough, their policy changed just 2 weeks after they tested and vaccinated Kitten #1 for Felv) is that they don't test and vaccinate kittens for Felv until they're at least 6 months old, because apparently, the test in very young kittens tend to turn up a lot of false positives?. So, she's not tested or vaccinated at all for Felv yet.
So, my questions are:
1. I'm hoping to spay my Kitten #1 before she goes into her first estrus. Kitten #1 is finally fully well (not on any meds) to start getting vaccinated, and my vet schedules booster shots every 3 to 4 weeks. And they also discourage from spaying kittens until after they've completed vaccinations and until they're 5 to 6 months in order to wait for the kitty to establish a strong immune system. And I'm speculating that Kitten #1 will go into estrus before she finishes up her vaccinations. Would it be okay for Kitten #1 to be spayed before she fully completes her vaccinations? I'm thinking that I want to have her spayed by August 1st after her 2nd booster shot, and then have her final booster shot afterward her spay. Otherwise, she'd be fully vaccinated by around August 17th, and then, spayed by near the end of August to early September, which would put her at around 5 to 5 1/2 months old.
2. I've heard some concerns about the side effects of the Felv vaccine. Would Kitten #1, tested negative, be fine with just the 1 felv vaccination shot? Are felv booster shots necessary? My vet has advised that Kitten #1 should receive the initial vaccination and then 3 booster shots, but I feel nervous when thinking about sarcomas at the injection site and whatnot...
3. Is it okay for Kitten #1 and Kitten #2 to interact, potentially play/fight, together in these coming weeks? They're still going through introductions, which have been a bit stressful on my Kitten #1 (she hasn't seen another cat since I've had her), who is a kind of pensive and careful kitty, whereas my Kitten #2 is very well socialized, cheerful, and fearless. Kitten #2 is isolated in the restroom for now. They're exchanging scents, some hissing and growling that has gotten a bit better. I feel like I've already thrown caution to the wind in regards to Felv because my vet isn't allowing for the Felv test and vaccination on Kitten #2 until she's 6 months old, but I feel a bit okay about it because Kitten #1 is negative and (hopefully?) protected with her first Felv vaccination even if Kitten #2 were to end up being positive for Felv. And both Kitten #1 and #2 haven't completed their FVRCP boosters, but Kitten #2 will complete it in 2 weeks.
I'm sorry if I'm getting too complex with these questions, hahaha... Thanks to anyone who has taken the time to read and think about this with me.
Kitten #1: around 14 weeks old. She was a stray kitten that I found outdoors at 5 weeks old. She has not been spayed yet because she hasn't been fully well enough for surgery until recently (had to be put on various medications for Coccidia, URI, fleas, tapeworms for these past several weeks). She had her first FVRCP and Felv vaccination two weeks ago, and is scheduled for her 1st booster shot for both vaccines next week. Tested negative for Felv.
Kitten #2: around 9 weeks old. She was adopted two days ago, and was initially living at a local shelter, fostered and transferred to an adoption center with her littermates. She had been spayed 3 days before I adopted her. She had her FVRCP vaccine and 2 booster shots, and is scheduled for her final booster shot in 2 weeks; (the adoption center cycled her through medications/processes much faster than my vet would). Both the adoption center general policy and my vet's new policy (funnily enough, their policy changed just 2 weeks after they tested and vaccinated Kitten #1 for Felv) is that they don't test and vaccinate kittens for Felv until they're at least 6 months old, because apparently, the test in very young kittens tend to turn up a lot of false positives?. So, she's not tested or vaccinated at all for Felv yet.
So, my questions are:
1. I'm hoping to spay my Kitten #1 before she goes into her first estrus. Kitten #1 is finally fully well (not on any meds) to start getting vaccinated, and my vet schedules booster shots every 3 to 4 weeks. And they also discourage from spaying kittens until after they've completed vaccinations and until they're 5 to 6 months in order to wait for the kitty to establish a strong immune system. And I'm speculating that Kitten #1 will go into estrus before she finishes up her vaccinations. Would it be okay for Kitten #1 to be spayed before she fully completes her vaccinations? I'm thinking that I want to have her spayed by August 1st after her 2nd booster shot, and then have her final booster shot afterward her spay. Otherwise, she'd be fully vaccinated by around August 17th, and then, spayed by near the end of August to early September, which would put her at around 5 to 5 1/2 months old.
2. I've heard some concerns about the side effects of the Felv vaccine. Would Kitten #1, tested negative, be fine with just the 1 felv vaccination shot? Are felv booster shots necessary? My vet has advised that Kitten #1 should receive the initial vaccination and then 3 booster shots, but I feel nervous when thinking about sarcomas at the injection site and whatnot...
3. Is it okay for Kitten #1 and Kitten #2 to interact, potentially play/fight, together in these coming weeks? They're still going through introductions, which have been a bit stressful on my Kitten #1 (she hasn't seen another cat since I've had her), who is a kind of pensive and careful kitty, whereas my Kitten #2 is very well socialized, cheerful, and fearless. Kitten #2 is isolated in the restroom for now. They're exchanging scents, some hissing and growling that has gotten a bit better. I feel like I've already thrown caution to the wind in regards to Felv because my vet isn't allowing for the Felv test and vaccination on Kitten #2 until she's 6 months old, but I feel a bit okay about it because Kitten #1 is negative and (hopefully?) protected with her first Felv vaccination even if Kitten #2 were to end up being positive for Felv. And both Kitten #1 and #2 haven't completed their FVRCP boosters, but Kitten #2 will complete it in 2 weeks.
I'm sorry if I'm getting too complex with these questions, hahaha... Thanks to anyone who has taken the time to read and think about this with me.
