Tip of the month:
Vaccines are still the best defense cats have against many common and often fatal diseases. When a kitten is born he/she receives what is called passive immunity from the mother. This occurs when kittens first drink their mother's milk. This first milk, also known as colostrum, contains antibodies to many common feline diseases. With the addition of those antibodies to the system the kitten now has a limited immunity. As passive immunity wears off, a common option is to have the kitten receive vaccinations.
A vaccine is a preparation containing a non-pathogenic form of the disease. This may take the form of giving antigen in small amounts of dead or attenuated form of the pathogen. Administration of the vaccine will cause the body to produce antibodies against the disease. If and when the cat encounters the pathogen later in life, as the cat already has antibodies against the disease, the cat stands a very good change of not becoming ill and fighting off the pathogen successfully. This type of immunity is known as adaptive immunity. As adaptive immunity can wear off, most vaccinations require yearly or tri-yearly boosters.
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