Do you have your housecat(s) vaccinated?

Question

I just took my two Ragdolls to the vet this morning to be vaccinated for rabies and distemper. The vet just called and they both had reactions (both vomited and had diarrhea) and one is now on Oxygen!

Is it really necessary to continue with yearly vaccinations, and should I discuss ending future vaccinations with my vet? I don't want to have to worry about this again. Especially since my cats never leave the house (unless they go to the vet) and aren't in contact with any other animals.

What do you think?

Walter is 1 1/2 yrs. old and Dwight is just a little over a year old.

They've been vaccinated before. I wasn't there when the shots were given, so I can't say whether they were given their shots in the scruff of the neck (which I just read was a big no-no) but I do think its odd that they had a reaction today, and they never have had reactions in the past.

I'm wondering if the rabies or distemper serum which was used was tainted. This is all very odd. I'm hoping all will be ok. This makes me very worried that something more tragic will happen; though the vet told me not to worry.

Thank you all for your insight and thoughtful answers and kind words. I just wished my vet had discussed possible vaccination reactions and allergies with me before I dropped off the boys (and even odder, they've been given these shots before). I would have spent the extra money for the milder serums or for the benadryl beforehand as a precaution.

These two guys are the first two purebred cats I've ever owned. I guess I knew that their immunity to disease would be less than an alley cat, but this was a hard lesson to learn.

I hope the boys are doing fine; I want to go pick them up shortly! I'll keep you all posted on their progress.

Answer 1

It is usually the rabies vaccine that causes reactions. The rabies vaccine made by Merial is the only one made specifically for cats. It is twice as expensive as the other brands, but it is worth it to me -- the other brands produce skin cancer in 3% to 5% of cats that receive it, and are far more likely to cause vaccine reactions.

Since your cats are indoor only, I wouldn't get them vaccinated for rabies again. Their chance of exposure to the virus would be extremely low.

For the other routine vaccinations -- feline distemper, rhinotracheitis, calici, and leukemia -- there is some danger of exposure even for housecats. I get my own cats vaccinated for those diseases every three years.

Your vet can give your cats medication before vaccinating them in the future that will make them much less likely to develop a vaccine reaction.

Of all the cat breeds, Ragdolls are the ones that most commonly have vaccine reactions.

Answer 2

Most states require by law that all animals be vaccinated against rabies. Is this their first round of vaccines? I have been a tech for 5 years and seen very few reactions in cats, let alone two from the same household. Are they from the same litter? If so, maybe it's a genetic thing. If its not their first round of vacs, I would suggest just doing the FVRCP vac every 3 years, and I would still recommend rabies yearly. Your vet may recommend doing a prophylactic injection of benadryl or steroids prior to vacs or may even recommend stopping all together.

Answer 3

My vet told me it's not 100% necessary to get them vaccinations beyond the first three rounds during the first 6 months of their life if they are indoor only. I've got a country vet. We live in the kind of area where dogs are practically required to get rattle snake vaccinations... So, as long as they never get out, then it's fine.

We've got a big old tom who I swear is psychic. We make an appointment at the vet and he dissappears. Just to get him neutered, we had to catch him in the morning when we fed him, and lock him in his carrier all day until his appointment. It was our third appointment by then. He just KNEW when we were going to take him in and he would disappear for DAYS! So, we eventually gave up. We figured, he had had all his kitten vaccinations, he was fixed.... We recently took him in for what we thought was a tumor (turned out to be a pocket of FAT). He's a monster for the vet and has to wear a muzzle and a blanket or the poor vet comes away bloody. I swear he's a mostly sweet cat, lol.

Anyway, he's 20 now. Never had shots except those first few. He's still kicking some neighborhood kitty butt. He's missing most of his ears, his face has a scar and he's got a snaggletooth... but I swear that cats going to live to be 80!

Answer 4

I have a 17 year old cat, I have not gotten her shots in 10 years. She stays indoors most of the time. The only time she is outside is if I am out their with her. My vet yells and says that it is against the law for her not to have them. However, personally, I do not care. I could see if she lived outside but she doesn't so where is she gonna get rabies from?

Answer 5

I have worked in the vet field for over 10 years, and I only vaccinate my kittens/cats for the first 3 years of their life. After that they keep enough immune response in their bodies and have really passed the age of being at risk. Most of the vets I know don't even vaccinate their own cats after the 1st year or so. Of coarse this is ONLY for INDOOR cats. Outdoor or in/out cats need the vaccines to protect them from diseases passed from other stray cats or from wild life.

Answer 6

I would be extremely careful I had a pug ray I took him in for shots at pet smart he died 15 minutes later some animals have reactions change vets I did it is scary reactions are common would not if they've had reactions but they must have shots as babies get another vet tell him your concerned maybe and I WONDER THIS was it there fault. some say yes be careful and I pray your babies will be fine if they have had all shots don't give them again it is not necessary keep them in they'll be fine good luck loosing a pet because of someone stupidity is very hard my ray has been gone for about seven months and oh I miss him

Answer 7

I have not vaccinated any of my cats for the last seven years. I stopped due to the fears surrounding the VAS cancer. My cats are all in their "teens" now.

I am sorry one cat had such a bad reaction and I am sure your vet will never again vaccinate that one again.

If you need reassurance on this issue you might go to: http://www.littlebigcat.com and read Dr. Jean Hovfe's article titled "Vaccinations" (it's at the end of about fifty articles on cat health, behavior, nutrition, etc.).

Answer 8

Yes, the vaccinations protect your cat's health. However, I don't give my cat the rabies vaccine, which has the worse side effects, I give him the other usual ones. Rabies is extinct in my country (Greece) for more than 50 years, and he is an indoor cat anyway, so rabies is not an issue, although it is obligatory.

Answer 9

I agree mostly with the others but wanted to add my 2 cents. My cats got their kitten shots when they were neutered and that is all. They are indoor cats and NEVER go outside. They are in a clean enviroment that never changes. I feel like an indoor cat, who is not used to being exposed to another enviroment, is more likely to get sick from a vet, then from never going at all. It's like going to the doctors when you're not sick, being around all of those sick people.

Answer 10

As long as you not only keep them in the house but do not expose them to aother cats that have not been tested and vaccinated.

They asked me not to bring one of mine back years ago. It took 5 techs a vet and a sheet to give her one shot. They asked us to leave the room.

They both had a reaction? Are they litter mates? That is odd.