Let's talk about rabies in cats - is your cat vaccinated?

The topic came up in comments to our article  [article="30096"]Rabies What You Need To Know To Protect Your Cat​[/article]  and I think it deserves a full-fledged discussion. I've researched this quite a bit, consulted with doctors, vets and epidemiologists and came up with some interesting facts which I want to share here. 

It's a question that many cat owners ask themselves: Considering the affects of vaccines on cats, and specifically vaccine-associated sarcoma, why should we have to vaccinate indoor cats every year, or even once every three years? 

Here's the thing. The title of the article is somewhat misleading. Yes, we want to protect our cats but when it comes to rabies, it's about protecting the people even more. Rabies vaccinations are determined by public health considerations more than anything else. We have a larger population of people living with animals inside their homes. Those animals, mostly dogs and pets, are potential vectors for rabies. Vaccinating them creates an added buffer between the disease and human beings. 

Why not vaccinate human beings directly?

That's actually a good question. We give everyone tetanus shots, so why not rabies? Tetanus is just as uncommon. The answer to that is that tetanus shots have very few side effects. Severe adverse reactions to DT (diphtheria-tetanus) shots are extremely rare. Most people won't experience anything and a few will have local pain for a few days and maybe 24 hours of feeling a bit bleh. That's an acceptable price for being protected from a horrible disease like tetanus. 

Now, the rabies vaccine is different. Not only is it a more complex protocol (several shots and not one), there are more side effects. It's not a fun vaccine at all. Not dangerous but can give you temporary neurological side effects. It's a vaccine which isn't really a good solution for the entire population. With that in mind, a different strategy is applied: Vaccinating high-risk groups, such as veterinarians and animal control personnel and vaccinating our dogs and cats. By having our pets vaccinated, we eliminate the most common vector of infection. Yes, you can still get rabies from bats or even from raccoons but contact with wildlife is way more rare than contact with pets. 

But what about indoor-only cats? Surely their chance of catching rabies is practically zero?

Excellent question. Now, I am not an epidemiologist and not the one making the decisions but applying what I do know, I think this is the explanation. The risk from cats is very real and it's hard for the "authorities" to tell which cats are indeed kept indoors-only 100% of the time. What about a cat whose owners say they keep indoors-only yet goes out to the porch twice a day, potentially coming in contact with wildlife? What about a cat that got outside for 24 hours and was found and taken back home? What about the scenario of a bat getting inside and coming in contact with the cat? Possibly going out again with no one even knowing about the encounter? And bats absolutely can carry rabies, as we all know. When a human comes in contact with a bat, they can tell us about it. Your cat will keep quiet and you may never know it happened.

Rabies is literally the most lethal virus known to humankind. I know about the Milwaukee treatment protocol but a. without it you have 100% chance of dying b. with it your chances of survival are extremely low and c. it doesn't actually "heal" anyone completely. So, for all intents and purposes, consider rabies still as a certain death sentence. A particularly agonizing death at that.

You don't want to take chances with rabies. An infected cat is a very very bad thing for all concerned. It's far better to have the cat vaccinated than to have to deal with the risk of rabies.

And here's a fact I learned which really surprised me. In the US Cats get more rabies than dogs. 

Here's the information from the most current CDC report -

Cats Cats accounted for 61.1% (272/445) of the rabid domestic animals reported in 2014, a 10.12% increase, compared with the 247 reported in 2013 (Table 1). 

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Fortunately, none of these cases ended with people being infected. However, cats with rabies is way too close to getting people infected, so it's something I think all cat owners should keep in mind.

I don't know about you but to me that data came as a surprise. I somehow assumed dogs were the culprit where rabies is concerned. Turns out cats are the more common potential vector. I also wonder about the increase. They don't specify in the report but I suspect it's related to people avoiding vaccines because of the vaccine-associated sarcoma risk.

What's my bottom line?

I think that as cat owners, we should be more aware of the risk of rabies. I still believe the vaccine program for each cat should be carefully considered and cats should not be getting vaccines unless they are absolutely necessary. That said, the laws about rabies vaccines are there for a very good reason. They reflect how common rabies is in your area. Knowing what I know now about rabies, I would keep all of my cats fully vaccinated against it if living in the US. 

Last, but not least. The risk for vaccine-associated sarcoma has been attributed to the adjuvant in the shots. There's an entire line of vaccines available for cats that contains no adjuvants. It's called Purevax and it should immensely lower the risk for local side effects, including the sarcoma. So, make sure your veterinarian is using Purevax but do get your cats vaccinated against rabies according to the protocol required in your area. It could save your own lives and the lives of your family members. 
 

And this isn't an article, just me sharing my insights and recently acquired information, so feel free to discuss and argue   Also, if you have any questions, do ask and I'll try and get us answers from the experts.

We vaccinate both cats as required. We live in the red dot hot zone on that map.  

I do try to limit those which I feel aren't necessary for our circumstances - both are completely indoor cats.  But rabies for sure.  I'd never want to take the chance if either got out of the house.  We have critters in our neighborhood which could potentially carry rabies.  It isn't worth the risk.

One of my cats is vaccinated the other one is not current, hasn't been vaccinated in a number of years.  Patches has probable liver damage from having had fatty liver which is why he isn't vaccinated.  Ohio actually doesn't require cats to be vaccinated but many localities have a law requiring it.  Both of them would be current if it weren't for a health issue in one of them.

i actually have absolutely no issue with the requirement for rabies vaccination as long as it is possible to get a waiver for a health issue.  I think keeping companion animals vaccinated is an important part of creating a barrier between rabies in wildlife and people.

Denice said:

 
One of my cats is vaccinated the other one is not current, hasn't been vaccinated in a number of years.  Patches has probable liver damage from having had fatty liver which is why he isn't vaccinated.  Ohio actually doesn't require cats to be vaccinated but many localities have a law requiring it.  Both of them would be current if it weren't for a health issue in one of them.

i actually have absolutely no issue with the requirement for rabies vaccination as long as it is possible to get a waiver for a health issue.  I think keeping companion animals vaccinated is an important part of creating a barrier between rabies in wildlife and people.

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Good point. There are always individuals that can't be vaccinated. That's true for cats and humans alike. 

None of my cats have ever been vaccinated for rabies. I've only ever had cats while living in the UK and in Japan and the rabies vaccine isn't required in either country. The Japanese government recommends a rabies vaccine for dogs. Stray dogs are routinely caught and, if not claimed, euthanised because of the fear of rabies even though there have been no cases of the disease since 1957. Cats don't have to be vaccinated even though there is a huge feral cat population.

I guess that might be because the Japanese for rabies, kyoukenbyou 狂犬病 means Mad Dog Disease. People don't associate it with cats.

Even though my cat is a 100% indoors cat who is only in contact with vaccinated animals (for example when I pet-sit my mom's dog and cat when she goes on vacation), I do keep her rabies vaccination up-to-date. We're on a three-year schedule. I can't tell from the slip what type of vaccination it is -- it says only "Producer, first three letters: IMR." I'll be sure to ask my vet about the Purevax.

The reason I vaccinate is because I live in an area where the bats are known to carry rabies (in fact a man a few towns over actually died of rabies a few years ago). Even though Isabel never goes outside, every once in a while a mouse finds its way inside. I know rabies in field mice is very rare, but I'm just not willing to take the chance. Also, I do see bats quite regularly in the summer, right in the backyard, and it's entirely possible one could accidentally find its way into the house. All it would have to do is follow the trail left by the invading mice! One summer, I actually had a couple bats who would swoop in and out of the crawlspace. Talk about motivation for mouse-proofing, yikes.

Several years ago a man here in Ohio died of rabies and he got it from a bat.  At least the family said that must have been where he got it.  He had gotten a bat out of the house and apparently had been bitten without knowing it.

My four cats are all 5 years old and younger and all were adopted from local rescuers and shelters.  Shots are mandatory before a cat can be adopted here in Tennessee.  We give the PureVax rabies vaccine every three years.  However, Maggie, one of my kitties who died at age 12, was put on steroids by my vet by the time she was three years old.  She suffered from acute skin problems for the rest of her life to the point where it truly became a quality of life issue.  Tested countless times, all aspects of diet and environment changed and rechanged, to no avail.  I despise steroids because of what she went through, but after starting them, she could never again be vaccinated.  For my current babies, I would only allow a vaccine with no adjuvant.  Rabies is not prevalent here and my vet is one who believes most indoor cats are overvaccinated.  As my cats age, we will do titer testing for the vaccines that show up in those tests (panleukopenia and rabies).

We keep both cats up to date. They are young and healthy. We live in the forest, so even though they are indoor cats they could come in contact with wild animals easily. We've had all manner of critters getting into our home in the past. They also go outside on a harness, so it is important, just in case they somehow ended up in contact with a wild or domestic animal out there as well. 

One of the arguments I often hear people say is that their cat is indoors only so they don't need it. As Anne pointed out, there are still lots of ways that animals can get it. I have heard tons of stories about raccoons, squirrels, and all kinds of critters getting into people's homes. It wouldn't take much from this point to get rabies to find its way to an indoor cat. 

We live in WA state- so not a hot bed of rabies by any means, but when were talking about a disease that is deadly and difficult to treat at all- it isn't worth the risk.  Of course, cats with specific health problems may not be able to get the vaccine.

Due to the fact my cats are indoor only, we do not vaccinate beyond their kitten shots for FeLV. This is the only vaccine we currently omit from their health plan. 

Thank you for the informative post,  Anne. Our cats have always been indoor only and are always kept up to date with their vaccines. 

Fortunately, Australia, being an island (Some say he world's largest) has exceedingly stringent quarantine laws.  So stringent  that only animals from UK, I think Eire and New Zealand are allowed in - and even they have to undergo three months quarantine!   The result is that there is no legal requirement for Rabies vaccination of pets.

With regards,

Geoffrey

Mine are all vacinated. It is not required by law here, but highly recommended by our vet even though my cats are indoor only. They do not have a porch or a catio. Her recommendation is because bats can get in your house. We live in Michigan. When we bought our house there were several rooms that needed totally redone so they were ripped down to the studs and we were working in the attic. One morning my daughter did wake up to a bat in the house. I have not seen one since, but I guess once is enough for me to follow my vets advice. One of my cats also has a cerificate to go to nursing homes to visit so he is required to have all vacines in order to renew his certificate.

Geoffrey said:

 
Fortunately, Australia, being an island (Some say he world's largest) has exceedingly stringent quarantine laws.  So stringent  that only animals from UK, I think Eire and New Zealand are allowed in - and even they have to undergo three months quarantine!   The result is that there is no legal requirement for Rabies vaccination of pets.

With regards,

Geoffrey

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I knew that no rabies has been found in Britain but I didn't know that it was also true for Australia.

Some vets may not carry the PureVax rabies vaccines at all. If you know your cats are due for their rabies vaccination, when you call to make the appointment ask if the PureVax rabbies vaccine is used. If the vet doesn't use it, ask if the vet can order it. I don't think a single vaccine can be ordered, more likely a whole box and some vets may not want to buy a whole box and make other clients aware of the PureVax option vs the regular vaccine. If the vet won't order PureVax, call around to other vet offices to see who uses it and schedule your cat's vaccine there.

PureVax has a 1 year vaccine and a 3 year vaccine. It's recommended to start with the 1 year vaccine first and the following year to start with the 3 year.

My cats have always been rabies vaccinated per state law even though they are indoors only. Where I live now, there are coyotes and other wildlife. Even though I live in a building, I'm on the third floor and I always worry about the cats pusing out the flimsy window screens and falling out. I only keep the windows open just a few inches in the summer but I still worry.

All current cats but one get the PureVax vaccine every year (have yet to find a vet locally that uses the 3-yr.) The one that is not current had a severe reaction to it 2 years ago (caused rear-limb paralysis), so he will no longer receive *any* vaccines.

Two of my other cats must be pre-meded with Cerenia and Benadryl due to being allergic to ingredients used to make the vaccine. (Both are monitored for an hr post vaccine as well.). I may end up stopping them in the future, but so far the pre-medding has kept any reaction at bay.

Because I work in rescue I've also looked into getting myself vaccinated as well; but, the cost is high and it's not currently covered my insurance...

Denice said:

 
I knew that no rabies has been found in Britain but I didn't know that it was also true for Australia.

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The only thing I knew was that rabies vax isn't required in the UK. 

I lived in Gibraltar with my parents for a time when I was younger, and when we moved home to scotland, we brought back four cats and a dog. All of them had to go through the "home quarantine" procedure, where they are allowed to live at home, but their shots must be started exactly 6 months prior to your departure, and the dates must be exact for every single required shot or they would not have been granted entry into the UK. Their pet passports are absolutely full of stamps for the shots they had.

However, since then, they've not had to have any updates on those shots.

I vaccinate both of my cats on schedule and never go even a day over the recommended interval. They also wear their rabies tags on their collars (as well as a regular ID tag with contact info), so if they were to escape, someone would know that it was safe to pick them up and bring them back to me, without fear of getting rabies.

There is unfortunately no such thing as an "outdoor only" bat. We also have all sorts of wildlife where we live, such as skunks, raccoons, etc. 

I also have a cat that I've tried to keep indoors and he doesn't want to be indoor only, so with having young children run in and out of doors and leave doors and windows open, inevitably he figures out how to escape. My cat that's indoors and doesn't try to escape, still goes out on leash walks with me.

If your cat ever bites someone (or gets bit by wildlife) and is not up to date on shots, your legal and logistical nightmare begins. I'm really not interested in forced quarantine or euthanasia. It seems safer and simpler to just get the PureVax boosters when they're due.

I find it ironic that my indoor only cats are vaccinated but the Vet would not worm or give the rabies shot to a feral I took in to be neutered.  The reasoning being with a feral it likely would not be possible to keep him current on either.  Well, maybe the worming which would need done more often, but the shot would protect the cat legally for one year and in reality for probably much longer.  I wish I had insisted on the rabies as now I can pick that feral up and cuddle him and we have hopes of bringing him inside.  

My local low cost spay/neuter program gives a 3 year rabies shot to the ferals that come in.

Crazy4Strays said:

 
I vaccinate both of my cats on schedule and never go even a day over the recommended interval. They also wear their rabies tags on their collars (as well as a regular ID tag with contact info), so if they were to escape, someone would know that it was safe to pick them up and bring them back to me, without fear of getting rabies.

There is unfortunately no such thing as an "outdoor only" bat. We also have all sorts of wildlife where we live, such as skunks, raccoons, etc. 

I also have a cat that I've tried to keep indoors and he doesn't want to be indoor only, so with having young children run in and out of doors and leave doors and windows open, inevitably he figures out how to escape. My cat that's indoors and doesn't try to escape, still goes out on leash walks with me.

If your cat ever bites someone (or gets bit by wildlife) and is not up to date on shots, your legal and logistical nightmare begins. I'm really not interested in forced quarantine or euthanasia. It seems safer and simpler to just get the PureVax boosters when they're due.

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All very true! There's a lot of wildlife where I live, too, and a bat flew into our house last summer and spent a few minutes in a room with one of our cats before we figured out where the bat had gone. (Bats are fast, swooping fliers and can be hard to follow...) Our cats' vaccinations were up-to-date, we got boosters, and the bat tested negative so everything was fine. But Crazy4Strays is right about legal and logistical nightmares if a pet hasn't been vaccinated: our vet mentioned this, too, when we brought our cats in for their booster shots.

Thank you for this post, @Anne! I have very strong feelings about rabies vaccines for cats after last summer's incident. Beyond that, we went through human rabies shots (it's long story) when we adopted a cat in the early 2000s; that's not something I would ever want to go through again.