Indoor Cats what shots should they have

[rockinrhonda]

My Cats are due for there shots next wedesday Im curious if you have indoor cats and they never go out side except in my case they go out on the screen porch to play
Should i have all there shots or just the basic shots? what shots do your indoor cats get?

 

[solaritybengals]

I would still get the basic boosters, of course rabies is required. But Leukemia is unnecessary for an indoor kitty.

 

[squirtle]

Dori is going to the vet for her annual tomorrow. She is getting rabies since it is required by law and I think I have decided that is it. I don't get leukemia for her. The FVRCP shot I have researched and found it's safe for indoor kitties to get every 3 years. So that's my plan at this point. I plan to discuss this more in depth with her vet though.

 

[rockinrhonda]

thank you for the reply: On the leukemia shot Is leukemia airborn? I know that sounds crazy but sometimes i worry about my cats when there on the porch and we have quite a few cats in are neighbor that run wild and they do sometimes come up to the porch and look in the screen and i do get nervous about that,
Last year my husband who adopted kermit cause he was living on the street and he leukemia and some type of cancer which we had to put kermit to sleep cause he was so sick.
And some of the cats running around today are from that same litter they just keep Multiplying and the neighbors feed them we do to they live up the street under a trailer the owner is to sick to take care of them

 

[jane_vernon]

I would play safe and get them all - If your cat happens to get out, you want them to be protected.

 

[solaritybengals]

Especially for things like distemper. Now there are variations where it lasts a few years. I know I used to get rabies shots that lasted 3 years but some vets do 3 years others do 1 year, all depends on the vet.

 

[squirtle]

On the leukemia, if there's a chance that your cats will come into contact with other cats then I would get the vaccine. I don't think it's airborn, but it is spread through bodily fluids, especially saliva. I do not get Dori the FELV vaccine because of a bad reaction to it as a kitten. I, as well as my fiance, understand that this means we can not allow another Dori to have contact with another cat unless of course it has tested negative for FELV. We are very careful about that.
As far as the FVRCP, it is my understanding that this vaccine stays in there system and the cat is protected adequately for 3 years. As I mentioned I plan to further discuss this with Dori's vet tomorrow.

 

[avocado]

i get mine vaccinated with the distemper combo only. i do not vaccinate for rabies, as it is not manditory in california.

 

[solaritybengals]

Originally Posted by Avocado

i get mine vaccinated with the distemper combo only. i do not vaccinate for rabies, as it is not manditory in california.

Wow I didn't know that. I thought that was standard in the US. I'm somewhat paranoid with rabies because there are breakouts all over. I've actually had to go through the series myself after being around a cat that was later found to have rabies. I was in 6th grade at the time.

 

[commonoddity042]

i refuse to get the leukemia vaccine. i've heard of too many side effects. my neighbor got it for all 4 of hers and they all took ill, one to the point of being permanently disabled.

 

[lionessrampant]

I get the 3-way combo and rabies every 3 years for my two indoor kitties.

 

[libby]

I have 11 indoor cats and I do not get ANY shots for them other than the shots they HAVE to have when I have them neutered/spayed when they are very young.

My cats are 12 years old (most of them) and I have never had any problems or sickeness other than the FATAL kidney failure.

I do not like to give my INDOOR cats those shots....chemicals are bad for ANY living thing.

I do have my 2 outside cats current on their rabies shots because I have raccoons in my back yard.

 

[greycat2]

Mine get the Rabies shots as it is required where I live in California as well as the distemper combo.

 

[littleraven7726]

my guys are completely indoor cats. right now we are just getting the required rabies vax, because it's required by law. it was recommended for raven and nabu not to get anymore distemper shots (ever) because they have been vaccinated for it annually every year since i got them (at 1 1/2 yrs old) and they both developed an allergy to it. the vet we saw last year suggested to discontinue it because of the possibility of worse reactions as they got older. fine with me. stimpy doesn't have any allergies to shots, so as of right now he's on the 3-yr distemper shot plan.

i just don't feel comfortable discontinuing the rabies shot...i worked at a shelter for several years and i know what you have to do if your cat is exposed to a bat & not UTD on shots. i just wish the vets did the 3-yr shots for rabies. all the vets here only carry the 1-yr Purevax (which is ok, where i lived before nobody had Purevax).

 

[momofmany]

I get the full round of shots for all of mine each year. My vet of late has suggested going every other year once they get older (past 10).

After Hurricane Katrina, I feel it is important to get shots for all indoor cats. What happens if a natural disaster strikes and yours are left roaming the streets? Not that anyone would purposefully do that, but if you have to get out of your house fast, fate doesn't always allow you to take your pets with you.

Just my humble opinion.

 

[crittermom]

Blaze only gets the Rabies as she's never outside.A friend of mine had her kitten receive all the shots while it was young and it passed away.So, I feel that Rabies is the only one she needs.

 

[mrod1]

Originally Posted by greycat2

Mine get the Rabies shots as it is required where I live in California as well as the distemper combo.

My cat didn't get the rabies shot. Its not required here in california. My vet didn't even recomend it since he is an indoor cat.

 

[jkulysses]

I was getting mine just rabies and distemper cause he never goes outside, but I don't think he is going to get anything from now on cause everytime he gets those shots he gets sick and can barely walk for a couple of days. It's like his muscles or joints are real sore. Can't be good for him so he is not getting them anymore. He will just get his yearly check up/exam.