Feline panleukopenia is a potent virus that can lie dormant in the environment for many months before infecting an unvaccinated cat or kitten. Indoor cats are vulnerable because owners can unwittingly carry the virus in on their shoes or clothing.

The report highly recommends this vaccine for all cats. A booster should be administered one year after the first vaccination, then no more than every three years. Interestingly, research so far indicates that immunity is sustained for at least seven years after vaccination. However, the research is not definitive, and the panel recommends a three-year interval for now - even though the labels on the current vaccines suggest annual revaccination.

Excerpted from The K.I.S.S. Guide to Cat Care by Steve Duno
Copyright 2001 by Steve Duno.
Excerpted by permission of Dorling Kindersley Publishing Inc.
All rights reserved.
No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.