Do indoor cats really need vaccines?

[pompy]

This is a good topic, since I was wondering about this.

I like to keep my cat indoors as much as possible, but he has escaped (or my parents have been pretty lax about keeping doors closed when I'm not around). I decided to vaccinate him just to be safe anyway since he does go out occasionally, and rabies is required.

But I was wondering about this, so it's interesting to see everyone's replies.

 

[kittycort]

My cats are 5, 9, 11, and 16. Except for rabies, I stuck to the vets recommendations for vacs for years but I dont plan on doing anymore vacs. My five yr old MAY get distemper again in a few yrs but beyond that, Im done. Too many terrible side effects and low occurances of the diseases to begin with.The liklihood of indoor cats getting luekemia or rabies? Very low. The likelihood of side effects or evenlife-altering complications? Higher. Ive even seen those issues from vacs.

 

[lykakitty]

My cats are all vaccinated, even though they're indoor. My oldest at the moment is 3 and she just got her first set since her kitten shots, the other 3 are a year or younger and have only had their kitten rounds. I've had 3 other cats in my life and none have ever had any problems or reactions to vaccines. I grew up with 2 cats who went unvaccinated after their kitten shots and they both passed away of unknown, sudden diseases at ages 13 and 10. The 10 year old was my first cat who was entirely mine, and I rescued her at 3 weeks old from beneath a bush during a rainstorm. My parents told me that she didn't need any other vaccines and I don't think I will ever be able to forgive myself for not pushing to get them. I know she could have lived a much longer, healthier life and she deserved it.

Unless and until I see concrete proof of vaccinations doing more harm than good I will always keep my animals current on their vaccines. Since I've never met a cat (or dog, for that matter) who's had any kind of reaction to them and none of my animals who I've kept up on their vaccinations have had health problems I see no reason to risk it.

Not to mention there's been unusually high amounts of cases of distemper, parvo, and bordatella in my area in the last couple years and I absolutely will not risk exposing my animals to that.

 

[Willowy]

Just pointing out that even if your cats are vaccinated, they are still exposed to the diseases . Just that, hopefully, the vaccines have helped them to be immune to those diseases. A small language difference, sure, but I find that a lot of people don't understand how vaccines work, and I think the imprecise language used contributes to that.

Also, the AVMA and AAHA recommend administering the FVCRP vaccine no more often than once every 3 years. This is still "current/up-to-date" although some vets still stick to the old way of giving the vaccine annually :/. But this has been proven to be unnecessary, too bad some vets don't keep up with the new studies.

 

[kittycort]

Just pointing out that even if your cats are vaccinated, they are still exposed to the diseases . Just that, hopefully, the vaccines have helped them to be immune to those diseases. A small language difference, sure, but I find that a lot of people don't understand how vaccines work, and I think the imprecise language used contributes to that.

Also, the AVMA and AAHA recommend administering the FVCRP vaccine no more often than once every 3 years. This is still "current/up-to-date" although some vets still stick to the old way of giving the vaccine annually :/. But this has been proven to be unnecessary, too bad some vets don't keep up with the new studies.

I think the vets who still do those vacs yearly are well aware of what they are doing...but th e extra income is an incentive.

 

[dmk129]

I didnt believe in vaccinating my indoor only kitties and it has been 2 x now that I have had to take 1 cat to the vet and if they stay overnight they have brought home a respiratory illness to the rest of my kitties.  One kitty in the past got so sick =he quit breathing and I needed to resuscitate him-thank goodness it was successful but he was twitchy for several years due to a slight anoxic brain injury.  He wasnt quite the same after that and we were lucky ot have him with us for another 4 years.  He was put to sleep at 17 years old due to being unable to eat without vomiting and severe weight loss.  He probably had cancer.  When he didnt have god quality of life we let him go to heaven.  The next bad episode was recently when Pal had dental work done and only spent the day at the vets but my 2 Flame Point Siamese boys got a respiratory illness.  Twizzy almost died.  Fuzzles was really sick too.  Both kitties have gone to the vet and now Twizzy is going back again on Sat because after a Convenia shot he still is sick.  I think if I had vaccinated everyone this wouldnt have happened.  I will never take a chance again.  I think every 3 years is often enough to vaccinate.  I wont go without again.  I wouldnt want to go through this a 3rd time and you never know when somebody has to go urgently to the vet and inadvertently exposes a multicat household to something bad.  I have certainly learned my lesson.  Others may feel differently but this is just my opinion for what it is worth.  I wouldnt want what happened to me to happen to others=Thats for sure!! 

 

[kittens mom]

I think the vets who still do those vacs yearly are well aware of what they are doing...but th e extra income is an incentive.

It is in some cases the only way to get cats in for a yearly checkup.

 

[kittens mom]

My cats are all vaccinated, even though they're indoor. My oldest at the moment is 3 and she just got her first set since her kitten shots, the other 3 are a year or younger and have only had their kitten rounds. I've had 3 other cats in my life and none have ever had any problems or reactions to vaccines. I grew up with 2 cats who went unvaccinated after their kitten shots and they both passed away of unknown, sudden diseases at ages 13 and 10. The 10 year old was my first cat who was entirely mine, and I rescued her at 3 weeks old from beneath a bush during a rainstorm. My parents told me that she didn't need any other vaccines and I don't think I will ever be able to forgive myself for not pushing to get them. I know she could have lived a much longer, healthier life and she deserved it.

Unless and until I see concrete proof of vaccinations doing more harm than good I will always keep my animals current on their vaccines. Since I've never met a cat (or dog, for that matter) who's had any kind of reaction to them and none of my animals who I've kept up on their vaccinations have had health problems I see no reason to risk it.

Not to mention there's been unusually high amounts of cases of distemper, parvo, and bordatella in my area in the last couple years and I absolutely will not risk exposing my animals to that.

Any vaccine with an adjuvant in it should not enter a cats body.  Vaccine reactions are poorly tracked because they are only considered if they happen in the office or the first 24 hours.  I don't advocate anyone to not vaccinate. Just to follow new protocols that might be safer for our felines.

 

[cocobutterfly]

This is an old thread, but I'm so glad I found it. Are there any fur-parents in the Southern California region who can recommend a vet who won't push unnecessary vaccinations on our cat? I'm so tired of speaking to local vets who want to vaccinate for this and that because of fast profits.

Our cat is a healthy, strictly indoor two year old who was vaccinated for everything under the sun before we adopted her. I do not want her to ever suffer from vaccinosis and/or other harmful side effects due to over-vaccination. We are in San Diego but are willing to travel as far up to Los Angeles is we can find a qualified vet who is reasonable and honest about vaccination. 

 

[Caspers Human]

Not to argue with another's beliefs and practices regarding vaccination but vaccinating your pets, even if they don't go outside, prevents the SPREAD of disease.

Diseases spread through populations of unvaccinated individuals that vector the disease from one to another.

Vaccinating one individual prevents that animal from making OTHERS sick.

I agree that one should thoughtfully consider whether they should get their pets (and themselves) vaccinated but one of the things I urge people to consider is that by getting vaccinated (they and their pets) they are doing a good turn to others by stopping the spread of diseases.

 

[Willowy]

Not to argue with another's beliefs and practices regarding vaccination but vaccinating your pets, even if they don't go outside, prevents the SPREAD of disease.

Diseases spread through populations of unvaccinated individuals that vector the disease from one to another.
Vaccinating one individual prevents that animal from making OTHERS sick.

I agree that one should thoughtfully consider whether they should get their pets (and themselves) vaccinated but one of the things I urge people to consider is that by getting vaccinated (they and their pets) they are doing a good turn to others by stopping the spread of diseases.

I don't think anyone in this thread was advocating never vaccinating a cat at all. Instead the main discussion is HOW OFTEN to vaccinate. Even the mainstream vet associations do not recommend vaccinating annually. But some vets still do it :/. There's no reason to repeat vaccination if the cat is still immune, and nobody is put at risk by refusing unnecessary vaccines.

 

[Caspers Human]

... Even the mainstream vet associations do not recommend vaccinating annually. But some vets still do it :/. ...

Agreed. 

Especially with the " :/ " part.

 

[crazy4strays]

Is there a link to the veterinary recommendations for frequency of vaccination? My vet said that the shots are only licensed for one year.

 

[sweetdz99]

I would say the basic vaccinations, as well.  We have all indoor cats but they do go outside for walks so they are exposed to the environment and everything there is out there.  My old kitty, about 4 years ago got her booster for distemper and I feel ( i may be being a bit dramatic here) that it almost killed her.  She was so sick for 2 days after that.  Never again.  

My 5, 4 year olds had not been vaccinated until they were just about 2...   their mother, a stray disappeared for 3 days and on the 3 day, she came barely crawling back  just a mess.  She was cold as ice and raspy crying.  We brought her in, cleaned up her bottom which was wet pooped on and tried to give her some water.  We rushed her to the vet where they did blood work and determined she had distemper.  She passed away within the hour.  One by one, the 5 started coming down with these crazy symptoms.   2 faught the disease on their own... the other 3 never showed signs.  That disease was awful.  They all made it through and are now vaccinated. 

 

[kittens mom]

Is there a link to the veterinary recommendations for frequency of vaccination? My vet said that the shots are only licensed for one year.

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/cat-care/article/cat-vaccine-recommendations

Then your vet is living in the past. 

 

[cocobutterfly]

Here are some helpful articles about vaccination and vaccination frequency. Every vet should be aware that once every 3 years is now the protocol for most vaccines. I hope every fur-parents can be as educated as possible so that we don't over-vaccinate our fur-babies. 

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/the-truth-about-pet-vaccines-you-wont-hear-from-your-vet/

http://vitalanimal.com/vaccines-and-holistic-vets/

http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2009/01/billion-dollar-vaccine-scam.html?spref=tw

http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/AnimalWellness/Petvacc

 

[kittens mom]

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=vaccines     After 1 year your cat does not need yearly vaccines unless your state only allows for a 1 year rabies. Hopefully that rule has changed. Always ask for an adjuvant free vaccine.

 

[crazy4strays]

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/cat-care/article/cat-vaccine-recommendations


Then your vet is living in the past. 

My vet is a 2012 graduate of vet school and is fairly young. He did acknowledge that immunity lasts longer than a year but said that at this point the vaccines are only licensed for 1 year.

Is it suggested to just do a 3 year schedule and hope for the best or do yearly titer tests? Or are there vaccines that have been licensed for 3 year use?

This is such a confusing topic and it's hard to know what sources are reliable or not.

I do a yearly rabies shot but use the PureVax rabies shot.

 

[Willowy]

Except for rabies shots, there is no reason to be concerned with what the vaccine is licensed for. There's no legal requirement for vaccines other than rabies so the only concern with them is how long immunity lasts. What the label says is irrelevant :dk:.

 

[kittens mom]

The Purevax has a three year rabies available. I know because that is what the vet from hell was supposed to give Mook when she for whatever malfunction she had gave a defensor. 3 year instead.