[Cattikus]

I heard something on the news the other day stating that booster shots for healthy adult cats are not needed and can cause health problems later in life like cancer. The shots in question would be the FVRP and the feline leukemia. If a cat is properly immunized as a kitten it should do them for the rest of their lives.
As a child growing up, in our family, the only shots our cats got were as kittens; and they all lived long healthy lives.

What is your experience/opinion?

This would pertain to indoor-outdoor cats that do still receive rabies shots.

 

[Sol]

I would follow the manufacturers advise. It´s not enough to vaccinate them only as kittens but it´s not always necesarry to vaccinate every year. Sometimes once every second year is enough, depending on what manufacturer it is.

 

[ears]

i think that they only need the feline leukemia vaccine once anyway.

 

[Kelly_ann]

Every year I get my cats their yearly needles. Rabies are the law, that has to be done even if they are indoor cats, a bat could come in the window or we could pick something off are shoes and are cats are expose to the diease. I get my cats the booster shot because that helps the immune system build up and it helps to fight of disease quickly and prevent a cat from getting a cold.

 

[Jessica]

In my experience vaccine related sarcomas(cancer) are rare but they can and do happen.

Your best bet is to consult with your veterinarian about the proper vaccination schedule for your cat. If you have a cat who is strictly indoors and has had her distemper vaccine for the last couple years, your vet may recommend holding off for a year or two.

Rabies should be administered according to state law. Here in Massachusetts if your cat has had two rabies vaccines within one year's time when it's young, every rabies vaccine after that is good for three years. It varies with different states and countries.

Felv and FIV vaccines should only be given if your cat goes outside and comes in contact with other cats, otherwise those vaccines are not necessary.

 

[tanyuh]

Our cats are inside and they get FELV and FIV because we have lots of strays outside and there's no telling if they will run in when we open the door or our cats will bolt outside and come in contact with them. Better to be safe than sorry, I think...but it is not a yearly thing. I think Samhain has only had these vaccinations when she was little. Upper Respiratory she had a couple years ago when she caught a cold but it too isn't a yearly thing. I don't think vaccinations need to be yearly if you have indoor cats.