Further reading - Kitten immunity
С какво е различен имунитетът на котенцата от този на котките в зряла възраст?
Вашето коте има специална защитна система, която да помогне за защитата му докато расте и се развива – нарича се имунната система, а мисията й е да оценява заплахите и да се бори с патогени.
За щастие системата е добре обмислена. Тя представлява мрежа от органи, бели кръвни клетки, протеини (антитела) и химикали, които постоянно предпазват от бактерии, инфекции, вируси, паразити и вредни агенти. Това е една от най-важните защити на котенцето срещу здравословни проблеми, особено в ранните дни на развитие, когато все още е наистина уязвимо.
Why do we need to assist kittens' immune system development?
Because the protection the kitten's get from their mother doesn't last forever. It’s like a temporary shield to give them a kickstart in life but the protection gradually declines after around 5-6 weeks. Your kitten’s first vaccine will help them to be protected on their adult life against the most dangerous diseases (such as panleukopenia - cat typhus - and coryza) but their little body doesn’t ‘respond’ to vaccines until they’re around 2 months old. This leaves a vulnerable time called the ‘immunity gap’ when the kitten has lost much of the protection from their mother but doesn’t yet have protection from vaccines and from their own antibodies.
During this time, which varies for each kitten, it’s critical that your kitten is kept in a hygienic place and fed with everything they need to grow stronger and healthier.
What type of food can help?
The quality of your kitten’s diet can play a big role in helping to support their immune system, and it can make the ‘immunity gap’ a lot easier to manage. The right food, specially crafted with key nutrients such as antioxidants and prebiotics (food for the good gut bacteria), can help your kitten by contributing to reinforce their natural defences.