Should indoor cats get shots every year?

[mishon]

First of all, let me just say that my cats DO get thier shots annually.

The reason I asked is that a friend of mine who is a vet tech was telling me that some vets are starting to recommend that older cats, and cats who have allergic reaction to thier vaccinations, be vaccinated every other year, instead of annually. This of course would apply to indoor cats only. Apparently the reason behind this, is that there has been some belief that vaccinations can increase the risk of cancer and other problems in SOME cats.

I am wondering if anyone here has considered starting thier cats on a new schedule, or if you even think it is a good idea.

I have a cat who has swelling over her entire body, every time she gets her shots, so I may ask my vet about it next time I go in.

 

[dragonlady]

I have also heard about the shots causing cancer. The main thing is to not get the shots at the same injection site. I may switch to every other year as all my cats are indoor also. I'll check with my vet first.

 

[hissy]

It is entirely an individual's choice as to whether they get their cats vaccinated or not. I have one fella here with me, wilder than a March hare who has never been vaccinated, but once as a kitten. He is a strictly outside cat and he will be 12 years old soon. Never been sick a day in his life. He just gets so stressed in captivity, and his meow is so loud- I have never heard anything like it before in my life! So he stays out of carriers, the house, and he wanders down to the other farms and stays with them, then comes home.

 

[fsttrk]

I have heard the same. In addition to that they're saying that the combos are not healthy either. That they should get each different shot individually. I AM going to change my indoor cats shot regimen to ever year untill the age of two and then every third year. All of my cats are indoor cats.

 

[sammie5]

I asked my vet about this. She said that the research about the shots causing cancer was still inconclusive, but she is aware of it. She has changed the vaccination program to every other year, because these are indoor cats, only taken outside on a leash, and so they have very little risk of encountering another cat. All except rabies, which is every year.

 

[jenng]

As for the rabies shot, my vet gives it in 3 year boosters. Spike's first rabies shot was just the year kind, because he was a baby I guess. Now it's just once every three years.

 

[seagull]

I plan to have my 3 cats vaccinated every year.

They may be indoor cats, but that doesn't mean that I couldn't take a virus home with me.
Amsterdam is a densely populated city, and on top of that there are many tourist that come in from all over the world.

We have just had the bird plague in the Netherlands, two years ago it was foot-and-mouth disease.
And before that we had a rhinopneunmonia epidemic, which caused the death of many horses.
All those diseases are not just spread from animal to animal, but especially from animal to human carrier to animal.
Those viruses could travel with humans on shoes, clothes, in their hair etc.

Farmers had to keep their children home from school, and were not allowed to have people (family + friends) visit them, to prevent the virus from spreading.
Markets and big events (not just the ones with animals) were cancelled.

So keeping your cat indoors may not be enough to keep him safe.

 

[princess purr]

my cats get there kitten shots and go to the vet has needed. Moe and Neo haven't had any shots since they were a year old. The last shot neo got made him very very sick and he threw up for two days. The vet says that is not a normal reaction and i will have ot watch him closely when he gets shots. So i decided not to do shots. When i bring new cats into the house I keep them apart until blood work is completed and the kitty has there shots.