Back from the vet.......Rabies ??

Sylvetser went to the vets this morning for a wellness check and a thyroid level check.
This is a new vet for her, so she asked about her rabies vaccine... Well Sylvester is 15 yrs. old and strictly indoors, so although she had one many moons agao, I have not had her have one since..........well she said it was required and I told her I didn't want to do itl at this point with her age.

So of course I had to sign something saying I was refusing...okay fine.

What are your thoughts on rabies shots and older indoor cats???

Any info would be appreciated.

I think it depends on the incidence in your own area. Some places have a lot of wild animals who might be carriers, others, such as cities. may not, though there are always squirrels and bats. And an indoor cat can sometimes escape, though I guess if Sylvester is 15 she is fairly used to her routine. Apart from when I lived in Britain, where there is no rabies, I have always had my cats vaccinated.

We made the same decision for our eldest, Much. She had pre-cancerous tumors removed from between her shoulder blades where she had received her vaccinations. We believe that the risk of her getting rabies is very low because she is strictly indoors and we are in an area where there haven't been any cases reported in the wildlife. She has more risk from the vaccination than the disease.

She was 12 when she had the surgery and she's 14 now.

I would also have reservations about vaccinating a 15 year old indoor cat. I think it is unnecessary.

The trouble you may have - is if Sylvester needs to stay at the vet for hospitalization at some point, they might require the vaccine. Did they mention that? Or did the waiver take care of that?

Leopold is 9 and has probably had his last rabies shot. I will probably still do the other "distemper" shot, as that covers many things that can travel in the air and on our hands and clothes when we handle other cats. But rabies, no.

I stop the rabies vaccinations once they are about 13-14, but make sure that they are in for an annual exam, and if I still bring new cats for rescue, then they are vaccinated for FeLV etc.

It is a law here that all animals have to have a rabies shot. So I have to get that for her even tho she is an indoor cat only. I did stop getting the feline leukemia shots for her years ago at my vet's suggestion since it can cause cancer, if she was an indoor/outdoor I would need that shot too. She is 14 years old and doing well without a lot of those extra shots.

Cleo had a reaction to her rabies shot when she was about 6 months old, so she's never been vaccinated again (for anything.) Lola & Maggie had their kitten shots, but they've never been vaccinated since either. They're all strictly indoors, so I just never kept up. Should they be getting other shots besides rabies? If so, what ones?

The Vet, said it was required but said I could sign the form that I refused. Bascially she was warning me that if she gets out and something happens she might get rabies.

I just don't feel comfy giving her that shot because of her hyperthyroidisim she is on meds for that and she has a heart murmur.

There is such a little chance that she will get out that I don't worry about it. I live on the 1st floor of a condo, she is petrified when I open my door to the hallway....LOL Only way she could get out is if somehow my screen got knocked out...............Now I have lived here since 93 and it has only happened once cause her and a kitty outside were fighting and knocked the screen.

I will get the results of her thyroid level test on monday. She thinks alot of her dander problem could either be the thyroid out of control or she is not grooming herself like she used to.

Both of my kitties are strictly indoor kitties. They both had their initial course of vaccinations and nothing since. If I were taking them across the border to the USA, or overseas, then yes, I'd get them vaccinated again. I'm not against vaccinating, but I don't see the point behind it if they are strictly indoors and not exposed to any other animals. I could be wrong, but I've done it this way with all of my cats and none of them have ever come down with rabies or anything else.

Originally Posted by Pookie-poo

Cleo had a reaction to her rabies shot when she was about 6 months old, so she's never been vaccinated again (for anything.) Lola & Maggie had their kitten shots, but they've never been vaccinated since either. They're all strictly indoors, so I just never kept up. Should they be getting other shots besides rabies? If so, what ones?

Click to expand...

The FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis Calicivirus Panleukopenia) vaccine is one that I feel is more important than the others, for my indoor cats. The things it vaccinates against are illnesses that they can easily catch at the vet, in the air in some cases, or stuff I can bring in from coming in contact with other (possibly unvaccinated) cats.

There is some good info here http://www.avma.org/vafstf/rbbroch.asp

For your cats safety even if she doesn't go outside she should still have it. If she were to bite someone and does not have a rabies shot you would be in big trouble, and it would probably mean certain death for your kittie cat. It's required by law (at least in the U.S.) to have your cat up to date on the rabies vaccine.

I agree for the cats safety. Because if she did bite someone you would be required to show proof of rabies vaccine. And if you couldnt supply it. It wouldnt end well.

Originally Posted by Luvs2Be

Sylvetser went to the vets this morning for a wellness check and a thyroid level check.
This is a new vet for her, so she asked about her rabies vaccine... Well Sylvester is 15 yrs. old and strictly indoors, so although she had one many moons agao, I have not had her have one since..........well she said it was required and I told her I didn't want to do itl at this point with her age.

So of course I had to sign something saying I was refusing...okay fine.

What are your thoughts on rabies shots and older indoor cats???

Any info would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't do it, esp. not for such an old indoor kitty. I wouldn't sign anything either. Vets work for YOU, YOU have the say so in health care for your animals. I would find another vet.

I wouldn't do it either. I just gave my 13 year old kitty the rabies shot (didn't find out until later that I didn't actually have to) and she was in pain for days. They gave it between her shoulders and she wouldn't move for about 4 days. She laid around with a heat pack on feeling terrible. I'll never put her through that again.

my two cats have all their shots on a reg schedule, including the rabies. BUT they live outside where there are strays, and coons and possums. Plus, I was under the impression that in my state, KY, rabies is a required vaccine-by state law. I have the rabies cert. to show that they are vaccinated.

Last year when the stray/feral (not sure but I think feral) sliced my finger open, my vet was very forceful about me making sure it was a claw and not a tooth that got me. He said if it had been a bite, I would have to have the rabies shots, and he said they aren't pleasant...

by the way, it was a claw and I didn't have to have the shots. But I don't mess with cats I don't know anymore either. my vet told me to stop trying to mother everything before I get hurt.