Is it okay for a kitten to be brought into a house with cats before getting shots?

Question

I'm getting a kitten when she's old enough to be taken away from her mother.
She's an outdoor cat..she's not inside at all(due to allergies).
The people I'm getting her from also live out of the city.
I already have three cats.

Is it okay for her to be brought home before going to get her shots?
I can only pick her up on a weekend so I may not get her in to a vet right away.
And they can't take her in before hand because they leave for work at 5am.

Also, do the kittens stay over night at the vet's office when they get their first shots and deworming?

My other three cats have had all of their shots.

Since I probably won't be able to get to a vet the same day, is it okay if she's kept in the same house for one night but kept in a separate room away from the other cats?

My three cats are the indoor cats.
The kitten I'm getting is an outdoor cat..for now.

Answer 1

First shots and deworming take only a few minutes. The vet will also perform a thorough examination, and may discuss with you any additional vaccinations and/or tests you might want for your kitten. That's about it. No overnight stay.

About bringing the kitten in your house: There is no reason to be alarmed. Look at it this way: if you just had a baby, would you bring him home even though there are older siblings in the house already? duh.

It takes a few days to a few weeks for a kitten to develop full immunity following a vaccine, so waiting 24 to 48 hours won't make a difference. If your cats are up to date on their shots, there isn't much they can catch from the kitten. As for the kitten, in the first few months of life they get their antibodies from the mother's milk, so unless the kitty was weaned a long time ago it still has the mother's immunity. If she's an outdoor cat, chances are the mom transmitted to her kittens a well-developed immune system.

A lot is made lately about FeLV (Feline Leukemia) and FIV (Feline AIDS). Both diseases are contagious and fatal, so fear is understandable. But be aware that those diseases are not very common, and, like human HIV, are not easily transmitted.

If you want to be absolutely certain to keep everyone safe, you can always quarantine the kitten until it has been dewormed and screened for FeLV and FIV, but I don't think that degree of precaution is warranted. If you were adopting an adult stray, perhaps, but not a kitten that has just been weaned from a mother you know.

Ask the vet's office for advice when you make the appointment. They can tell you what precautions you should take.

All the best with your new kitty!

Edit: just read your additional comments. Yes, a separate room is fine, if you feel it's necessary. Be prepared to separate the kitten anyway, because it might be overwhelmed by your three adult cats anyway, and feel better if it has its own space for a while.

Answer 2

I think it is OK, since the other cats have had shots. This means they are protected against anything the kitten may have, and the kitten is protected because your cats are not sick and won't transmit anything to her. The kitten has no reason to stay overnight at the vet after her shot, she just gets a shot and goes home. make sure she has a nice warm place away from the other cats after the shots, because she may be a little sleepy and not feeling very well for a day, and she will need her privacy.

Answer 3

IF you keep her completed isolated from the other cats. Feline Leukemia is a deadly and incurable disease. If this kitten has it - and your cats contract it from her - they will most likely die. Have the kitten in a bathroom or your bedroom with it's own water, food and litter box.

Which cat is outdoors - yours or this one you're adopting? Did you know the average lifespan of an indoor cat is about 15 years - while outdoors it's only about 2? There's diseases, cars, mean kids, predatory animals (coyotes, etc), antifreeze - all kinds of dangerous out there that our pets shouldn't be around.

WHOA - just read this from the prior responder "A lot is made lately about FeLV (Feline Leukemia) and FIV (Feline AIDS). Both diseases are contagious and fatal, so fear is understandable. But be aware that those diseases are not very common, and, like human HIV, are not easily transmitted."

Since when is Feline Leukemia "uncommon"? Please don't believe this - it's VERY prevalent and VERY contagious and is a leading killer of cats.

Answer 4

No, they don't stay overnight at the vets for the first shots.

And I wouldn't bring the kitten around your cats. If your cats are up to date on their shots, they should be ok, but they might spread something to the kitten. I think it'd be best to keep them separated until her shots and other tests are done to be on the safe side. I could be wrong here, I don't vaccinate my animals every year anymore(they're older), but I don't believe there's a vaccine for feline HIV, which is more common in outdoor cats...

Answer 5

NO WAY!!!
Have you ever heard of Feline Lukemia? (FELV) If ALL of your cats are not protected from this deadly, HIGHLY contagious virus, the kitten you may bring into your home MAY BE A CARRIER!!! If it is, your WHOLE BROOD of cats will surely catch it, and SURELY die. PLEASE seek advice and treatment from your vet b-4 you do this!!!!!

Answer 6

NO