Do indoor cats really need vaccines?

erinradfeeley

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Okay adding my two cents. I have 7 cats. All of them have received or are receiving the kitten vaccines.  5 of them get the rabies with no problem. One has to have a shot of benadryl prior to the rabies shot so she doesn't react (high fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and dehydration for a few days otherwise). My last cat is a 12 year old, who about a year and a half ago almost died from an auto-immune issue that just showed up with no warning. The Vets think his shot in April caused the reaction in August/September. So for his health, they won't do it any more. I think it was the diet I was ordered to put him on (18 lb Maine coon mix down to 16 lb.). So, While California requires the rabies, I have gotten a waiver for him. I think the kitten vaccines are important. I also think the Rabies one is important for any cat (even indoor ones) who mouse. Vinnie is having to be protected from that since he no long has protection, so no garage or any other location i think one might show up.
 

Willowy

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Rabies shots have been proven to confer immunity for at least 7 years. It's probable that one rabies vaccine given after 6 months of age confers immunity for the cat's entire life. And mice veryveryvery rarely have rabies. I wouldn't worry :D.
 

stewball

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I've had indoor cats for over 20 years. Rabies is also required by law here but my vet thinks it's unnecessary as they're in the house. I had lotto for about 20 years and suddenly out of nowhere he was covered with fleas. Well that was dealt with quickly. Now she wants worm injections ebrry six months. I'll do them yearly but wonder do they really need worm treatment? Advice needed. As kittens they'll get the necessary vaxines bfor the
 

stewball

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Babies. I need advice here too.
Regarding dogs. There's that awful illness dogs get from a worm. An injection every 3 months is the usual but we were sxvidex not to as it can effect the liver. Should have taken the jabs. My dog caught this dreadful disease and died with a cancer in his oesophagus.. Please take this treatment.
 

catsallaround

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I would not give injections for worms but I would deworm with a pill.  Fleas transmit tapeworm.  Tapeworms are present if white rice segments are on the butt. 
 

cecile

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My two got their kitten vaccines and that's it. They are both 100% indoor cats. My shepherd on the other hand gets her annual shots and rabies booster every three years(Rabies tag is good for 3 years in Ohio)

My older male cat, Auggie(19) bit me about 2 years ago. Within hours my finger was infected. He bit me because the shepherd grabbed him and he was freaking out. when I went to the hospital they had me fill out a health department form for the county I live in. they said it was just a formality since he is my cat. 2 days later I got a letter in the mail that I had to quarantine (shelter in place)Auggie for 10 days and take him to be vet checked and making sure he was up to date on vaccines. I discussed my concerns with my vet that the vaccines could actually kill him at his age. She agreed and I had to submit a letter to the Health Department stating as much. So there are ways around vaccines.

Emily I can't answer to the other issue.
 

callista

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Rabies shots have been proven to confer immunity for at least 7 years. It's probable that one rabies vaccine given after 6 months of age confers immunity for the cat's entire life. And mice veryveryvery rarely have rabies. I wouldn't worry :D.
Mice, not so much--bats, though... Bats are a problem. You guys in the UK are lucky to have had rabies eliminated.

I think that with indoor cats, it's your choice about whether to vaccinate for cat-to-cat diseases--always with the knowledge that if you adopt a new cat, you may well have to vaccinate everybody before you can integrate them. But with diseases that can pass from cat to human, such as rabies (rabies is the only major one, really), you don't take chances.
 
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stewball

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I would not give injections for worms but I would deworm with a pill.  Fleas transmit
tapeworm.  Tapeworms are present if white rice segments are on the butt. 
I would not give injections for worms but I would deworm with a pill.  Fleas transmit
tapeworm.  Tapeworms are present
if white rice segments are on the butt. 
How long do the pills have effect? I have too much trouble giving pills besides I would never be able to hold blighty long enough. The injections last 6 months and I don't even know if I can get him into the box to take him to the vet for his vaccinations.
Why wouldn't you give the injections?

It's not that sort
 

kittyfostermom

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I choose to air on the side of caution, my indoor cat just received all her vaccines as if she would be an outdoor cat, just in case she gets out plus i foster kittens from my local shelter so i want to make sure she's fully protected i also made sure she had the FeLv shot second dose in a few weeks. There is no right or wrong it's a personal decision. 
 

abbyntim

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 So, While California requires the rabies, I have gotten a waiver for him.
In California, the rabies vaccine is required by law only for dogs. For cats and horses that are outside, it is strongly encouraged but not required. Your county or city may have a legal requirement for cats, but it is not a statewide requirement. See California Health and Safety Code Section 121690 and California Code of Regulations 2606.4.
 

callista

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The rabies vaccine is killed and so widely used that it's one of the more low-risk ones. I feel that an indoor cat that catches a rabid bat may still be at risk, so I vaccinate mine for rabies.
 

bugmankeith

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I give the kitten series, or one set if it's an adult stray. I don't vaccinate after that. There's pretty good evidence that the core vaccines confer immunity for a very long time, possibly for life. I don't have many people over (and those I do have over are non-hysterical friends and family, who wouldn't report it even if something did happen), so I don't worry about bite/scratch incidents. If I had tame outdoor cats I would keep them current on rabies.

When I did vaccinate more often, the cats always had some chronic health thing going on. My first cat had IBD-type symptoms from about age 6 to about age 13. We stopped vaccinating her at age 10 and within 3 years she didn't have symtoms anymore, and lived to be 21 in fine health. I don't think she would have lived that long if we had kept vaccinating her. My first dog would become very dog aggressive for a few months after every vaccine. It took me a while to catch on to the cause of the aggression, but there was absolutely no doubt after I did figure it out. Anyway, vaccines cause more problems than just acute reactions or cancer.
One of my cats has stomach issues and I never thought vaccines could be the cause, I figured mabye a few days after getting them but that's it.

My vet said there is no side effects from vaccines which clearly is a lie but I would like to know possible side effects from each vaccine.

I have a 14 and 12 year old cat who get vaccinated yearly. I do feed strays that are friendly and my cats do get out so part of me felt they needed to be vaccinated but I wasn't sure exactly what I *could* risk skipping. We get raccoons that come through and opossums so even if my cats never went out our shoes could potentially bring something in. This year I lost a stray to leukemia, she was spayed and 8 years old and last year vaccinated for leukemia and blood test and everything was normal. She took a turn for the worst and had to be PTS, that scared me as my cats had contact with her when I didn't know she was sick my cats were up to date on shots and tested and so far no sign of leukemia. It puzzled me how a vaccinated cat that old gets it, unless the vets blood test was wrong and gave a false negative.

So now I'm confused what to do in the future, one of my cats get each shot seperate, the one year shots. The other got the 3 in 1 for 3 years. A little guidance is appreciated.
 

callista

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You're mentioning the possibility of rescuing a stray--many of us have done that, and either kept the cat or found it a home; but in either case the cat stayed with us for at least a while. If we do rescue a cat, and we have to vaccinate all of our current cats before they can mix, that means a vet visit during a stressful time. And really--what cat lover can guarantee that we will not, sometime during our cat's lifetime, rescue a cat in unknown health? That's just what you do when you see a lost cat suffering on the streets.

So I think even indoor-only cats should be vaccinated for the most severe illnesses and the most easily transmissible ones, so that when you do rescue another cat (don't say "if"; you know it's going to happen), you don't have to worry about your own cats on top of everything else.
 

shibbyyyy

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I have had many cats in the past and have always vaccinated them ~ all had various health ailments that vaccines never saved them from, if indeed were caused by them!  I have a new kitten 10 weeks old and I will vaccinate him ~ I am keeping him indoors!  My last cat Mickey boy died a horrible death, vaccines did not save him!  I want to see how this little one will get along ~ its my choice and decision not to vaccinate!
 

shibbyyyy

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I meant to say that I will NOT vaccinate my kitten ~ as I believe that this interferes with the kittens own formation of his own immune system!
 

dar slim

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I've had cats my whole adult life.  My oldest cat, Squishy, I quit taking her and her brother for shots, mostly because I couldn't afford it.  But I noticed she and her brother never had any health problems.  She was mostly an inside cat, but on occasion she'd want to go out so I'd let her. She never went past the end of the drive.  Her brother though, loved to go out, esp at night, yeah I know, dangerous since he loved to prowl, but he was fixed so for some reason I never thought twice about it.   Squishy passed at 20, and very suddenly.  I figured she had a heart attack,  and no shot can prevent that.  Her brother ran away when I my son moved out.  So not sure what happened to him.   Last year I adopted a 4 mo old kitten.  She was fine until I took her to the vet.  Even though she had gotten her kitty shots at the shelter, the vet gave her another round.  She became nearly lethargic after that, hardly any appetite, not much interest in anything, but staying close to me.  I never connected the two until it was too late.   She kept getting worse even though the vet and I tried every thing.  She passed about 3 weeks later...broke my heart.  She was such a sweet kitty. So I do believe the shots did her in.   Right now, I have 2 young and very healthy adult cats, and I just got a notice from my vet about a vaccine.  Since they are both inside, I doubt I'll be taking them to get their shots.
 

nwfn

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The FVRCP vaccine is critical because it protects against panleukopenia, but I am against vaccinating every year, especially for indoor cats. My cat got her kitten vaccinations for FVRCP and rabies, and a booster at around a year old, and that's the last vaccine I intend to give her. She's an indoor cat, and the vet doesn't recommend any further vaccination. I count myself lucky to have a vet who doesn't push yearly vaccines just to make a buck.
 

shibbyyyy

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I always always listened to the VET and vaccinated my cats ~ especially when they were kittens.  All of them were not that healthy cats, one developed kidney disease, one developed nose cancer (sun spots) and my most recent boy cat Mickey had a whole heap of complications, overactive thyroid, formation of crystals on urine and heart disease.  I will NEVER ever vaccinate any kitten that I have.  A kitten NEEDS to develop its own immune system FIRST ~ that is what I will do for my new kitten now.  I have been through enough heartache with my last boy and NO vaccine would have prevented his sickness, actually I suspect it was the vaccines that made him sick!  So I shall see how this one goes, I will mainly be having him stay inside, but on the occasion he will go out for an hour or two ~ definitely NOT at night.  I will get him fixed ~ but NO vaccines EVER ~ if I can help it!
 

callista

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At least don't let him out until he's fixed--please. There are too many unwanted kittens. :(
 

sherrifayemoore

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I have two cats, a male 7 years old and a female 10 years old both are rescue cats so they received their basic kitten shots. Both are strictly indoor cats and have not and will not receive any further vaccinations. I'm not going to risk the lives of my fur babies so the manufacturers of these vaccine products can line their pockets. Both of my cats are very healthy and I would like them to stay that way.
 
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