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Do you vaccinate your indoor cats? - Page 2

post #31 of 35
9/24/10 at 7:38pm
I have not re-vaccinated any of the adult cats for years....I go back and forth as to whether I should or not. Right now I'm leaning toward not. They do get their kitten series, or if I get the cat as an adult, the core vaccines at the initial vet visit, when we test for FeLV/FIV and make the appointment for spay/neuter (if necessary).

I find that cats have a lot more chronic health issues when vaccinated more often. My first cats were vaccinated annually for everything until 8 years old (military vets ), but when my dad retired we slacked on the vaccines. All of their chronic health issues disappeared by the time they were 13 (until CRF was diagnosed when they were 17), and they both made it to 21 years old (one is still with us, the other just died last month). I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have made it so long if they had gotten more vaccines.
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post #32 of 35
9/24/10 at 8:14pm
Although Ku Ku's been strictly indoor, she used to get an annual rabies shot when we were living in FL as that was required by the local law.
I know it sounds strange but cats also need to be registered in the county I was living in.
Rabies shot certification is required to get a county registration tag(sounds like motor vehicle but this is for pet animals)...so...Ku Ku was getting the rabies shot every year.

Ever since we moved to Hawaii - the only state in the US with no rabies - rabies shot is deleted from the list. Only vaccines she needs to get is now FVRCP but my current vet told me it's not even necessary unless she needs to be at a boarding, due to the fact that Ku Ku is an indoor cat with no other cats or pets in the household.
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post #33 of 35
9/28/10 at 12:35pm
My first cat (totally indoors) got all the shots the vet recommended annually--and she got sick each time for about 48 hrs after the shots. I repeatedly asked the vet if we could eliminate any and was advised not to do so (I also didn't want to spread out the shots because every vet visit was so stressful for her). When I moved (when she was about 7) and started with my current vet, I asked again, and he told me that since she never went out nor did I allow other animals in the house, she only needed the rabies (required by law here).

When she was 17 and declining, I asked him if we could omit the rabies shot, and he explained that it's relatively easy for a rabid mouse or bat to get into the house, and it would be a terrible way for her to die. That made sense to me.

I adopted my current boy from a shelter when he was 4. He is totally indoors now and only get the rabies shots.
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post #34 of 35
9/28/10 at 3:08pm
Oscar has herpes and got a URI from the FVRCP (or whatever the acronym is), so I will not be vaccinating him anymore. I got all the available vaccines for the kitten because we were planning to find him a new home, but he's staying, and I'm not sure I'll vaccinate him any more.

I'll only get them the rabies shot in the future if they need it in order to get some kind of surgery.
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post #35 of 35
9/28/10 at 3:12pm
No. None of my cats are exposed to other animals, and I'm not typically around other animals either, so my vet told me there is no need to vaccinate them.

I do get their initial shots, but I don't do the yearly boosters.
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