The Importance of Feral Cat Vaccines
Feral kittens are wild and often they will scratch and bite. If the kitten is not vaccinated, you may be in danger of contacting several infections and viruses from a simple scratch. The most common diseases a human can get are: the cat scratch fever, the chlamidosis-a respiratory disease which is passed to humans as conjunctivitis or the lyme disease. Start with the anti-rabies shot: rabies is very common among feral cats.
Feral cats develop a stronger immunity to environmental factors, but they still need vaccines both for their health and the owner's.
Administrate the vaccine against cat distemper. The rhinotracheitis vaccine is meant to prevent respiratory diseases. Other recommended vaccines are the calcivirus and the feline leukemia vaccine.
When to Administer Cat Vaccinations
At the age of 6 to 7 weeks, the cat should get the vaccine that is a combination of calcivirus, rhinotracheitis and feline distemper. The second vaccine should be administrated around the age of 10 weeks, while the rabies shot should be given when the cat is around 12 weeks old. However, visit your vet and he will indicate the most suitable times for the feral kitten vaccinations. If you cannot determine the exact age of the feral kitten, the vet will be able to tell you and administer the shots. Your vet may also recommend shots such as the chlamydia vaccine, the feline infectious peritonitis and sometimes even the giardia. These vaccines won't do any harm to the kitten-they may prevent some diseases in the future and it is better to be safe than sorry.
Get Rid of the Feral Kitten's Parasites
The feral kitten will also need some de-worming medicine, because very often, feral cats are carriers of different worms. Some of these worms may be transmitted to humans or other cats in the household. Avoid any contact with the kitten's feces and always wear gloves when handling the cat litter.
Feral kittens may also have fleas, so invest in a flea collar and a good anti-flea shampoo formula.
Feral Kitten Training
If you get the feral kitten from an early age (i.e. before he is 6 weeks old) you will be able to train the kitten. If you have other cats in your household, the task will be even easier. Socializing with domesticated cats will help a feral kitten.
Feral kittens may display aggressive behavior, so make sure to give them space and a warm, cozy room that they can explore and get used to.
Neutering can be a solution to prevent aggressive behavior and make the feral kitten more cooperative.
Feral kittens can be great pets. However, it is important to vaccinate them and get rid of all the parasites. Training the kitten might be difficult, so get some training tips from a feral cat organization.