Do house cats need vaccinations?

Question

It doesn't come into contact with any other animals.

Answer 1

Well now, that's a loaded question!

After going through Vaccine-Associated Sarcoma with my late great Rusty, I am extremely gun-shy about vaccinating cats. It sort of gives me the creeps just to watch it done.

On the other hand, I know there worse things than cancer, and some of them are diseases we can vaccinate for. Rabies is one, and many would say that "distemper" is another.

The idea is to minimize the risk of VAS by vaccinating only against diseases kitty is apt to be exposed to, and only to diseases that are dangerous enough to be worth risking cancer to protect against.

The really dangerous stuff, rabies and feline leukemia and FIV, require direct contact and the exchange of bodily fluids to be transmitted. If kitty is 100% indoors, and you really, really know she won't ever get out, you can dispense with vaccines for things she won't be exposed to.

There are diseases that can blow in through an open window, or that you can bring home on your feet. Most of them aren't really terrible or life threatening.

Some diseases are a threat to kittens but not to adults. A kitten can die from a "cold" but an adult isn't likely to. Feline leukemia is very contagious to kittens, but an adult with a properly functioning immune system should have a natural immunity to it. (And if they don't have a properly functioning immune system, a vaccination probably won't protect them.)

Here's a good brochure from the Cornell Feline Health Center, "Feline Vaccines: Benefits & Risks." It explains which vaccines are recommended under certain circumstances, and which ones seem to actually work (some don't do much; the FIV vaccine is a notorious example.)

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/vaccbr.html

And here's one on VAS, "Vaccines and Sarcomas, A Concern for Cat Owners."

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/vaccsarc.html

You can read and download a copy of the latest vaccine recommendations from the American Association of Feline Practitioners here:

http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/pdf/10.2460/javma.229.9.1405

And please visit us at http://www.vas-awareness.org

You'll find some excellent material in the section "Our Educational Resources," on the menu in the sidebar on the right. (The calendar boy on the home page is my Rusty.)

Short answer: adult housecats probably don't need vaccinations if they really don't ever get out. But you have to realistically evaluate each cat's chances of exposure to each disease and make an informed decision. There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer.

Answer 2

There are some strep's and staph's that humans and animals share so it would help your cat to at least have a distemper shot and some areas require rabies regardless of weather they do go outside, they may bite someone. I would like to add also that Felv or Feline Leukemia is not something that a cat gets over or fights longer than two years. If it is born with the disease it will not live to be 2 years of age and if it contacts it while mature it may last longer but the disease will inevitably kill the cat, that is what is so sad about the disease. If you give a cat the vaccination without blood testing first and the cat has it the disease will come on stronger and faster.

Answer 3

Do Cats Need Shots

Answer 4

Yes, they do need vaccinations. All pets need rabies shots. There are other vaccinations that will help your pet live a loner happier life. The good news is that your indoor cat will live longer than cats that go outside on the average. I had a cat that lived 22 years. She did go outside from time to time but mainly stayed in our home. She had her vacines. Many vets will work with you on paying for shots if you ask them.

Answer 5

Vaccinations are a controversial issue among veterinarians. Homeopatic and holistic veterinarians strongly feel that vaccinations cause more problems than they solve.

The first series of kitten shots are absolutely essential and one rabies shot may be good for a lifetime.

Go to: http://littlebigcat.com and read Dr. Jean Hovfe's article, "Vaccination". It is at the end of about fifty articles in her free article library. There are also updates on vaccination in her newsletter archives you can also look up and read.

Answer 6

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RE:
Do house cats need vaccinations?
It doesn't come into contact with any other animals.

Answer 7

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Yes he will need vaccinations for rabies and I believe par-voe. You don't want your cat to catch a disease from another animal. Call some of the vet's and ask how much they charge. It will be a charge plus the office visit charge. Rabies cost depends; sometimes there are cheaper rabies clinics held in your area, but the par-voe vaccine, you will have to get from the vet.

Answer 8

It doesnt matter, you should at least get rabies done ever year because as far as I know it is required by all or at least most of the states.

Also if you travel and need to board the cat or ever need to have it groomed you must have rabies for them to groom or board your cat, and if you dont get some shots and the other animals in the cages are sick then your cat could get a cold or something else as well. (you might not think your ever going to board the cat, but a family emergency or something else might force you to one day at last minuet)

I personally would give it vaccinations just to be safe, there is even a shot to prevent HIV in cats, but they have to get the shot, otherwise they could get it (I think its called FIV for cats)

You dont have to pay a fortune at the vet to get its shots either, the humane society, county animal shelters, and some petco stores also have low cost vaccinations that are much less then going to the vet. (I pay 60 dollars for one of my dogs to get a complete set of shots and to get worm tested at petco)

Answer 9

Yes house cats need vaccinations to protect them from decease, even if they are in the house, they can still get sick.

Answer 10

It's a smart idea to vaccinate anyway, in case Kitty somehow gets out, or gets in a hissing fight with some other critter through the screen.