Loving your kitten means more than just grooming or cuddling and securing your pet's health is the first step to a long life together. A complete course of kitten jabs will ensure that your pet is protected against a host of feline diseases, which can be costly to treat or even prove fatal. Even the healthiest kitten is at risk of these infections unless the necessary jabs are administered early in life.

Kittens may inherit immunity from the mother if they breastfeed from birth. After the first few months, this natural defence wanes and your kitten is prone to many cat infections. The only way for your pet's immune system to develop its own protection against these diseases is for your kitten to fall ill and recover from the infection. The other, less distressing, option is for your pet to have a complete course of kitten jabs within the first 16 weeks of life.

Ideally your kitten should have its jabs as early as the eight week of life although it can be delayed till it is 16 weeks old. The veterinary surgeon or pet clinic will administer an initial course of kitten jabs known as the primary vaccines. This is later followed by booster jabs to ensure that the immune protection is lasting. Some booster vaccines are administered 3 to 4 weeks after the initial kitten jabs or at 1 to 3 year intervals. A full vaccination schedule is available from your local veterinary clinic so you will know when to take your kitten in for the necessary jabs.

There are a number of infectious diseases that your kitten may be at risk of contracting without the necessary vaccinations. With a full course of jabs, your kitten will be protected against feline leukaemia, distemper, rabies, cat flu, respiratory infections and heartworm disease. Even if your kitten falls ill with one of these diseases, it will quickly recover with little or no complications. Without the jabs, recovery, if possible, may mean repeated visits to the pet clinic and veterinary bills that can be costly.

Once your kitten has its jabs, a vaccination certificate will be issued which will allow your pet to travel with you abroad or stay at a reputable cattery while you are away on holiday. Kitten jabs are a life and death matter at times. Without protection, your kitten may not recover from these infectious diseases despite the best medical treatment available.