Questions about shots/vaccinations

Meaile · 07-23-2005, 06:51 AM

I was just wondering what all the shots are for really.... I've read some posts pro and alot of cons.

All 3 of my cats have rabies shots, not that they will ever come into contact with anything rabid, but the vet that spayed/neutered said without the rabies shot if they were to bite they would keep them a mandatory ten days at my expense..... I don't use that vet anymore.

The shelter I got them from had given them supposedly all the shots they needed, or so I was told, but 2 were only 5 weeks and the other 7 weeks.

Are vaccinations really necessary for indoor only cats?

**Sol** · 07-23-2005, 07:05 AM

Yes, vaccinations are necessary for indoor cats. Rabies is mandatory in the US and some other countries and that really is a disease one don't wanna see the cats catch.

The only vaccination I really think is necessary (except from rabies is if you live in a non rabies-free country) for indoor cats is the vaccination against panleucopenia. A deadly disease and the virus can be brought into the house by the owner (the virus can stick to shoes, clothes and such).

Meowmie · 07-23-2005, 07:38 AM

If you work in a shelter or bring in new cats, the distemper shot (because it's a combination vaccine) can protect your resident cats from certain respiratory infections.

The rabies shot is important for two reasons.

God forbid, if one of your cats ever gets out, you want that cat to be protected against rabies.

If your unvaccinated cat bites or scratches someone, your local authorities can demand that you quarantine the cat for a certain amount of time, or that you euthanize the cat immediately and have it tested for rabies. (Actually the authorities do that.)

If you don't have the necessary space for a strict quarantine, your local authorities can demand that you hand the cat over to a facility (an animal hospital for instance) for quarantine and you will have to pay a hefty daily fee for keeping the cat at that facility. If you don't want to pay the fee, the cat is euthanized.

By not vaccinating against rabies you are taking terrible, unnecessary chances.

Also, my vet explained to me that rodents can be carriers of the rabies virus, so just simply catching a mouse can put an unvaccinated cat in danger. Bats are another danger because they need such a tiny space to get inside a house. (As tiny as a mouse.)

It can take a very long time for symptoms of rabies to develop, depending on which part of the cat comes into contact with a rabid animal.
The farther it is from the brain, the longer it takes.

I had to quarantine a stray once for six months to save it from immediate euthanasia with no questions asked. Based on everything I learned about rabies at that time, I urge you to keep your cats vaccinated against rabies.
Don't ever allow their boosters to expire.

emma_pen · 07-23-2005, 08:26 AM

Luckily, the UK is rabies free, so thats one thing we don't have to worry about. I have my three indoor cats vaccinated against flu & enteritis (the full UK basic course), I have my only outdoor cat vaccinated against Leukeamia as well as the basics.

07-23-2005, 06:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
Meaile Cat Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The Columbia River Gorge Posts: 141	Questions about shots/vaccinations I was just wondering what all the shots are for really.... I've read some posts pro and alot of cons. All 3 of my cats have rabies shots, not that they will ever come into contact with anything rabid, but the vet that spayed/neutered said without the rabies shot if they were to bite they would keep them a mandatory ten days at my expense..... I don't use that vet anymore. The shelter I got them from had given them supposedly all the shots they needed, or so I was told, but 2 were only 5 weeks and the other 7 weeks. Are vaccinations really necessary for indoor only cats? __________________

07-23-2005, 07:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
Sol Super Moderator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,799	Yes, vaccinations are necessary for indoor cats. Rabies is mandatory in the US and some other countries and that really is a disease one don't wanna see the cats catch. The only vaccination I really think is necessary (except from rabies is if you live in a non rabies-free country) for indoor cats is the vaccination against panleucopenia. A deadly disease and the virus can be brought into the house by the owner (the virus can stick to shoes, clothes and such).

07-23-2005, 07:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
Meowmie Cool Cat Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,076	If you work in a shelter or bring in new cats, the distemper shot (because it's a combination vaccine) can protect your resident cats from certain respiratory infections. The rabies shot is important for two reasons. God forbid, if one of your cats ever gets out, you want that cat to be protected against rabies. If your unvaccinated cat bites or scratches someone, your local authorities can demand that you quarantine the cat for a certain amount of time, or that you euthanize the cat immediately and have it tested for rabies. (Actually the authorities do that.) If you don't have the necessary space for a strict quarantine, your local authorities can demand that you hand the cat over to a facility (an animal hospital for instance) for quarantine and you will have to pay a hefty daily fee for keeping the cat at that facility. If you don't want to pay the fee, the cat is euthanized. By not vaccinating against rabies you are taking terrible, unnecessary chances. Also, my vet explained to me that rodents can be carriers of the rabies virus, so just simply catching a mouse can put an unvaccinated cat in danger. Bats are another danger because they need such a tiny space to get inside a house. (As tiny as a mouse.) It can take a very long time for symptoms of rabies to develop, depending on which part of the cat comes into contact with a rabid animal. The farther it is from the brain, the longer it takes. I had to quarantine a stray once for six months to save it from immediate euthanasia with no questions asked. Based on everything I learned about rabies at that time, I urge you to keep your cats vaccinated against rabies. Don't ever allow their boosters to expire.

07-23-2005, 08:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
emma_pen Cat Addict Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: UK Posts: 2,655	Luckily, the UK is rabies free, so thats one thing we don't have to worry about. I have my three indoor cats vaccinated against flu & enteritis (the full UK basic course), I have my only outdoor cat vaccinated against Leukeamia as well as the basics.

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