Feral Outdoor Cat Vaccines

orange&white

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My TNR'd cat turned one year old this month and has an appointment for vaccines tomorrow. (The TNR shelter only gives a rabies vaccine.)

I'm planning to request only the core FVRCP vaccine. I'm uncertain about any others, like FIV.

My main incentive for vaccinating her, outside of her health, is that I may want to bring her inside for a few nights this winter if we get hard freezes, and I don't want her bringing any contagious diseases inside where I have two healthy domestic cats.

From what I understand, even if she has FIV, it would be rare for my cats to contract it with only casual contact.

I'm wondering if anyone vaccinates their ferals and which vaccines do you choose? Should I do more than FVRCP? Also, they are likely to have to sedate her because I expect she will aggressively fight. That sort of makes me wonder if any vaccines are worthwhile. :dunno:
 

shadowsrescue

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I do not vaccinate my feral boys. It would be way too traumatic to have them vaccinated yearly.

One of the former feral boys who I brought inside last December tested positive for FIV. I have 2 other inside only cats. I read everything I could find as well as many discussions with my vet. It is very difficult for a cat to give FIV to another cat unless they bite very deep. Most spayed/neutered cats do not fight that way.

I have brought my feral boys inside my laundry room a few times. I always make certain my inside boys are in a closed room far from this door.
 

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You might want to test and vaccinate for FeLV. Not FIV. FIV is difficult to transmit and the vaccine will make her test positive, plus it's not very effective, so it's not generally recommended. Leukemia is more of a threat and the vaccine is fairly effective (and doesn't make them test positive).
 
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orange&white

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You might want to test and vaccinate for FeLV.
Ah, I thought the FVRCP included the FeLV, but they are separate. (?)

I do not vaccinate my feral boys. It would be way too traumatic to have them vaccinated yearly.
I was thinking to have her vaccinated only this one time. I follow Dr. Jean Dodds research on how many years protection from one vaccine lasts, (which is probably for life). Misfit obviously didn't get any kitten shots (except rabies at the shelter), but she appears fit and healthy and I don't think she'd have lived one year without a strong immune system.

Dodds recommends FVRCP at one year (and kitten series Misfit missed), and only legally-required rabies after that.
She's not recommending FeLV, so I'm not sure if that is part of the "kitten series" or not. I'm a little confused now on the FeLV.
 
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orange&white

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After doing some reading, I think I'm going to request the FVRCP and the FeLV. Since she'll be living outdoors most of her life, exposed to the apartment ferals, I think she may need that extra protection. FeLV looks to be highly contagious through casual contact, so I think it will benefit her and protect my indoor cats.

Now the question is: The vet's office quoted a price for sedation if necessary (if she gets too aggressive for a vet tech to safely give the vaccines). Does anyone know what exactly they do to sedate a cat? Is it a pill, gas, or injection? It doesn't seem like sedation would be any easier to administer than just restraining her somehow for the vaccines.
 

Willowy

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Yes, for just vaccinations I think it would be just as easy to just give those rather than bothering with sedation. Sedating cats is usually done by injection; they can press them against the side of the carrier and poke them with it. They can gas them down if they're particularly aggressive though.

If you want FeLV testing (which I would recommend before allowing her near the indoor cats), it's a little more involved than just vaccines. But I've found that most true ferals freeze when scared, so just restraining her while wearing leather gloves ought to be fine.
 

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The only really necessary vaccine is the rabies shot, which is required by law. For a feral, it's best if they receive the 3 year shot rather than the 1 year shot so you don't have to traumatize them every year by trying to get them to a vet. The problem with the FVRCP shot is that it s requires a follow up booster within 2-3 weeks.

If you're only giving her vaccinations, there's no need for sedation. If you're going to get a SNAP test done (for FIV and FeL) that requires blood work and she may need to be sedated. They would give her a shot, and then after the bloodwork would give her another to rouse her.
 
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orange&white

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The problem with the FVRCP shot is that it s requires a follow up booster within 2-3 weeks.
I wish the vet's office had mentioned that. I hate the thought of stressing her out with another vet trip, but she's at much higher risk of disease, living outside. I'm afraid she may disappear for 2-3 weeks like she did after I released her from TNR.
 

msaimee

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Here's the thing. The vets tell me that after the initial FVRCP vaccination that the booster shot is necessary within 3 weeks for it to be effective. After that, the cat can be revaccinated every few years. But I really question the need for the initial booster. I had all of my rescued cats vaccinated with the initial shot and never got the booster, but the initial shot apparently protected them from developing the herpes virus responsible for upper respiratory infections. They live with my geriatric cat who has chronic infections every few months, and he sneezes and they all share food and water bowls. And yet none of my other cats have gotten his infection, which is one of the illnesses the vaccine protects against.. Periodically they may sneeze a bit but they have never come down with a full-blown infection. So I would advise to get the initial vaccine even if you don't get the booster because I believe it does offer protection. But that is my personal, non-medical opinion only based on my experience, and the vets don't agree with me.
 

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A series of shots is usually to improve the chances of the vaccine working. Thats why when you get bitten by a suspected rabid animal, you're given multiple shots over a few days.

So its not like the first vaccination is *completely* useless without the booster. But if say an initial shot has a 30% chance of providing immunity... then a booster might up the chances to 80%. I have no idea what the exact chances are for fvrcp vaccinations though- maybe discuss it with the vet?

Also sometimes one injection already has pretty good chances of providing immunity. The second shot is given to be on the safe side or because we're using outdated vaccination schedules based on old vaccines. People used to get 4 rabies shots on the first day until trials showed just 2 were enough.
 
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orange&white

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OK. I just called the vet's office for more information, and to ask if I should just run tests today and do vaccinations later. She said the tests only take 15 minutes, so they can test and vaccinate today. But the original person I made the apt with told me nothing about testing first and quoted me $60 for FVRCP, FeLV and sedation (if necessary). Now the bill is going to be around $120 with the testing. Closer to $100 without sedation needed.

I was going to take Misfit the outdoor feral today, and take the feral I adopted and am raising inside next month (Farrell) at her one-year birthday. She also hasn't had any vaccines except the rabies shot.

I've decided to take my indoor kitten today for the tests and vaccines, and see about taking Misfit next month or maybe November since the price just doubled. :dizzy:
 

msaimee

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I think that was actually a very reasonable price. When I get home later I can check how much it cost me to do these procedures on my last Kitty. Most exams alone cost $45. Whatever you decide, please make sure you vaccinate for rabies. Ask for the 3-year shot. Outdoor cats are at risk of getting rabies, and if they contract the illness, it is always fatal. And if they bite you or another cat, they can transmit the disease. So I would make that the priority. In most states it is a law that cats need to be vaccinated for rabies. My cats are all indoors only, but on several occasions bats have gotten into my home, and on a few occasions my cats had Direct contact with the bats. So even if the cat is only indoors, there is always a chance that Wildlife can get inside as well. But it is a good idea to hold off on taking the kitty to the vet at this point so you have more time to think about what you need to have done and time to save up for it.
 
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orange&white

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Both cats were given rabies vaccines when they were TNR'd this year. That's all they were immunized for.

The price is not unreasonable. It's just expensive when you max out on pet ownership. Three cats now, and one dog. Misfit is not technically my cat, but I TNR'd her and she has decided to live here so she is mine as long as she decides to stay. I blew through my emergency vet money in January when my other dog had her final kidney failure crash.

I have to try to space vet visits out, but now the cats are all going to "come due" in the fall...that's with zero emergencies or illnesses....just annuals.
 

msaimee

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That's wonderful that you take such good care of them. With the neuter and rabies vaccine, they are in good shape. I know what you mean about the vet costs and other expenses. I'm lucky that I get overtime at my job so I can work extra shifts when needed, but not everyone is that fortunate.
 
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orange&white

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My indoor feral, Farrell, went today instead of Misfit. So she tested healthy with the FIV and FeLV blood draw. They vaccinated her with FCRVP and FeLV. Now I just need to save for Misfit to do the same, and decide if the boosters are necessary. Maybe no for Farrell since she's 100% inside and yes for Misfit since she is 100% outside.

I wasn't expecting the actual vet to step in, just vax with the vet techs, but one of the vets came in and gave her a good inspection and palpated her and said she seemed like a fine, healthy cat. The vet tech repeatedly complimented me on what a good job I did taming her from a feral. She did behave very nicely, I must say, but that is her personality more than anything I did. (That won't be the case with Misfit.)
 
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