A Distemper shot for a bad temper??

[meow meow]

Ok -- I can't take it anymore -- my brother-in- law's cat recently bit (hard) my mother-in-law. At the vet, the cat got a distemper shot. My BIL now claims the shot has made him much nicer.

Trying not to be insulting, I said "Well, the distemper shot is to vaccinate against a form of "kitty flu" and doesn't have anything to do with biting. But, he insists it cured his cat's aggressiveness (he is not terribly smart).

So, last week my mother-in-law came to see the kitten and was encouraging me to get the kitten declawed. I said I was concerned about that since my BIL's declawed cat bit her and my sister-in-law was attacked and bit in the calf by her declawed cat (really badly). She said "well whatever you do make sure you get him a distemper shot so he doesn't bite". I wanted to scream "are you people just dumb?!"

So, later my husband brings it up that his brother said to get this shot. I finally set him straight that his brother didn't know what the heck he talking about and I am not sure he believed me! So I sent him some info on distemper from the web.

Do you see what I have to live with??

 

[zissou'smom]

Wow, there are a whole lot of misconceptions about cats stirring in your family! Yes, the distemper shot makes the cat develop antibodies to feline panleukopenia, or distemper. It has nothing to do with aggressiveness whatsoever.

And it's sad that they're trying to convince you to declaw your kitty when they have an aggressive, biting declawed cat themselves.

I don't think I could talk about cats with your family either! Next thing you know they'll be telling you that cats suck babies breath out and kill them.

 

[jen]

Oh boy, seems they have a very wrong idea about distemper, that's for sure!!

It COULD very well be the declawing that made the cat bite actually. Declawed cats are known to begin biting as they have no other form of defense.

Maybe you could ask a vet for information or a handout about it? Explain that your family just doesn't get it. Or go on the web and find info to print out.

It is kinda funny that your family thinks a distemper shot is actually for their temper

 

[jlutgendorf]

Man, that's hilarious! They actually think the shot is to "cure" bad tempers? Most likely his cat was nicer for a few days as vaccines can make them feel not so great for a couple days afterwards.

I'm very sorry you have to deal with people like that. But you do have to admit, it's pretty funny!

~Julia