How long after vaccinating can I expose my kitten to a cat flu carrier?

We plan to get a kitten but I want to protect her from catching cat flu from my cat who is a carrier. I understand that there is no guarantee from vaccinating her, but wondering if 2 weeks after the first vaccination is long enough? Or should she have 2 doses before she is exposed? I believe that it takes at least 2 weeks for antibodies to be circulating to protect her.|||You have to be careful and talk to your vet. You can't vaccinate against all of the upper respiratory viruses, and kittens are pretty fragile. It also depends on the age of the kitten. Even three or four month olds are more fragile than you would think.





Another poster on this site said that one of the reasons that kittens can receive up to three vaccinations is because we don't know exactly when their immune systems are working well enough for the vaccinations to be effective. So...if you have a choice between kittens, pick the older one, and plan on two or three injections before introducing it to your cat. Ask your veterinarian about how long to wait after the last one. I think two weeks is long enough for a human flu shot to work, but I'm not sure about a kitten! : )





And even though upper respiratory viruses can be fatal to cats or kittens, it sounds like you would know exactly what to watch for - the tiniest amount of eye boogers, nasal discharge, lack of appetite, sneezing, or difficulty breathing. And prompt veterinary care - antibiotics, and fluids if necessary - should take care of it.





I don't know if you're planning to get a kitten from a shelter, foster home, or breeder, but if you went with a foster home or breeder, I would think that they would be more than happy to keep the kitten for you until it's had all the vaccinations your veterinarian recommends, since respiratory viruses are airborne. As much as I like adopting from shelters, kittens in foster homes (from licensed rescue groups) or from breeders would probably be under less stress, and therefore less likely to get sick.





I wish you the best of luck with your new kitten. Have fun, and I hope everybody stays healthy!|||You must talk to your vet about this. Don't expose a pet until the full series of vaccinations are complete and the full strength or the vaccine is protecting the system. As you said, a vaccine does not guarantee total protection but may lessen the disease if it is transferred.