Vaccination
Prevention is the kindest and most cost-effective way to help
Science is clear: vaccines offer protection from infectious diseases. The right vaccines, given at the right time, reduce suffering and save lives.
Scientific studies are also clear that spay-neuter and TNR programs can easily spread infectious disease if they are not scrupulous in their cleaning and disinfecting and if they don’t vaccinate the animals that come through their traps, carriers, exam and operating rooms.
When Kotor Kitties started, the cost of FVRCP vaccine —which protects cats from Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus, Calici Virus, and Panleukopenia—for a small handful of cats was prohibitive. But our intention was to find a legal supply of the vaccine we needed at a cost that made sense in our overall budget. It wasn’t a question of if we would provide vaccine, but when we could purchase it legally and affordably.
Our initial attempts to secure an affordable supply at a reasonable volume and price were unsuccessful. But then little Diesel roared into our lives!
In November of 2021 Diesel was rescued by a wonderful visitor named Eva. With permission, he joined the Stari Grad colony cats for companionship, where Daniejla looked after him. Then panleukopenia struck. Diesel was taken into care by visiting volunteers Caren and Kenric. With the help of Dr. Relja Cetkovic, they tenderly nursed Diesel through his final days and buried him, in the hills above Kotor, along with pieces of their own hearts.
Click here to read Diesel’s story.
Diesel’s Candle Lights the Way
Wanting to make sense of Diesel’s suffering and death, his rescuers helped Kotor Kitties set up a GoFundMe to raise money for vaccine. Again Kotor Kitties pressed for affordable vaccine prices, and this time successfully! Thanks to our new “vaccine partner”, MontVet, we were able to secure our first 500 doses, with syringes and needles, for less than € 5.5 per dose.
Being such a tiny country, Montenegro falls last in the line of distribution chains for all sorts of things, including rabies and infectious disease vaccines for pets. All 500 doses we ordered in May 2022 were delivered by December 15, 2022.
Until we are able to provide vaccines for every cat we work with, we have prioritized use of vaccines to provide the most effective use possible:
- lactating mother cats in foster care (2 doses)
- orphaned kittens in foster care (number of doses depends on age)
- juveniles under 8-9 months at time of spay-neuter surgery (1 dose)
- others on a case-by-case basis as vaccine is available
Preventable diseases we want to fight:
Panleukopenia (FPV) may affect cats of all ages, but kittens are most susceptible. Mortality rates are high—over 90% in kittens! Signs of the disease include vomiting and severe diarrhea leading to severe dehydration, cerebellar ataxia (inability to coordinate muscles for gait, eye control, and such~~seen in kittens only) immunosuppression (transient in adult cats), and spontaneous abortion.
Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus (Feline Herpes Virus) is a major cause of upper respiratory infections in kittens and young cats. Extremely congested kitties often stop eating because they can’t smell the food they’re given. It also causes ocular disease ~ a severe inflammation of the tissues around the eye, which can lead to lesions, rupture, and loss of an eye. Studies have found the mortality rate in young kittens up to 70%. Why are there so many cats missing one or both eyes in Kotor? Blame the Feline Herpes Virus!
Feline Calici Virus (FCV) is another highly contagious upper respiratory disease, often found in conjunction with FHV. It frequently causes painful lesions or ulcers in the mouth, making eating painful; the effects can lead to lifelong inflammation and gingivitis, and often leads to pneumonia. Death rates from calici range up to 60%.
Ultimately we hope to integrate vaccine seemlessly into all of our fundraising for spay-neuter, minor related medical care and humane education. Until circumstances allow for that, we will continue to make vaccine donation a separate but easily accessible option for everyone through the Kotor Kitties US-based nonprofit and an automatic part of every donation or funding request by the Kotor Kitties nonprofit in the US.