Tnr Volunteering W/ Feral Cats; Risks For Cats W/health Issues At Home?

[FunfettiSquid]

So I just attended an orientation workshop to be able to start volunteering with my local humane society's TNR program for community cats, which I'm super excited about! However, one of my two cats at home has some chronic health issues, and his vet recommended not getting certain vaccines that aren't necessary since he doesn't go outside or have contact with outdoor cats. (She also recommended staggering the vaccines he does get, so he got the rabies one earlier in January when it was due, and will get one more in March, but I'm totally blanking on which specific one at the moment.)

I'm definitely going to double check with our vet before I do anything, but she's not in today at the clinic, so while I'm waiting to speak with her, I was just curious if there was a general consensus already out there about this question. The cats would never be in my house, and I'd be able to avoid coming into direct physical contact with them, but they would be in my car (inside traps), and I'd be touching things they have come into contact with. I spoke with the volunteer manager for the program, and she was sure it wouldn't be a problem. I could definitely work a system of precautions, and I really hope this works out, but obviously my first priority has to be not endangering the health of my cats at home, and figuring out some other way to help if this isn't feasible. Thanks!!

 

[maggiedemi]

Did he get the Distemper vaccine? That's an important one.

 

[FunfettiSquid]

Been playing phone tag with my vet this morning, but from her voicemail, she confirmed that distemper and rabies are the vaccines he does have.

 

[maggiedemi]

I know those are the two most important ones.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, distemper is definitely the most important right now, since the virus lives so long and is so hard to kill. Make sure your cat is up to date and he should be fine. WASH YOUR HANDS before coming home and once home, that is the most important preventative thing to do, as it is with all diseases.
Thank you SO much for becoming a volunteer, I am so happy there are people like you out there to make such a difference in cat's lives. I applaud you!
I have done it alone for so many years now, and years ago convinced my local humane shelter it was the way to go. My city still traps and kills, but we have been trying to get this changed, we have some real cat haters on the city council, they are still trying to get cats licensed for 50.00/year and allow cats to be shot/picked up if they leave the owner's property. We still have a law on the books that says aLL feral animals cannot be fed or you will get fined/jail. I still feed the birds, squirrels, and any cat that is hungry, and I know others do too. I sabotage any city traps I see too, and hang my own sign saying they should TNR, NOT KILL! We are sLOWLY getting the rules changed, but we can't do much alone, we are just "crazy cat ladies"!

 

[auntie]

My indoor, already-vaccinated kitten got calicivirus, which is so contagious it may have come in on a cat hair. Just wanted to point that out. I think calicivirus is extremely common, but is really only dangerous for kittens, old cats, and cats with weak immune systems. But it’s easy to unwittingly track into your home, and the vaccine only works for a couple of strains.