Vaccinations?

It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. I just know the vet
will want to give her booster shots. That's all well and good, but is it
really necessary? She's an indoor cat. (She doesn't even really care to
sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) How on earth
would she get rabies? (I do think there's a law in SC that a rabies
certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? Are they necessary? I'd
welcome a civilized discussion. Obviously there will be differing opinions
but there aren't any right or wrong answers.

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. I just know the
vet will want to give her booster shots. That's all well and good, but is
it really necessary? She's an indoor cat. (She doesn't even really care
to sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) How on
earth would she get rabies? (I do think there's a law in SC that a rabies
certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? Are they necessary? I'd
welcome a civilized discussion. Obviously there will be differing
opinions but there aren't any right or wrong answers.

Jill

I thought the rabies was every 3 years

"Matthew" wrote in message
ng.com...

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. I just know the
vet will want to give her booster shots. That's all well and good, but
is it really necessary? She's an indoor cat. (She doesn't even really
care to sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) How
on earth would she get rabies? (I do think there's a law in SC that a
rabies certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? Are they necessary?
I'd welcome a civilized discussion. Obviously there will be differing
opinions but there aren't any right or wrong answers.

Jill

I thought the rabies was every 3 years



Where we live (New Jersey) rabies is annual. Distemper is every 3 years.
Our two cats are both indoor and have never been outdoors, yet the vet
recommended rabies and distemper shots. I trust the vet because he could
have also sold me flea and tick monthly protection and he told us that in
our area, for indoor cats to have fleas or ticks is very rare. They did not
have any in Florida (their original home) and they have a virtual zero
chance of getting any in NJ.

I feel that the rabies shots are worthwhile, although our cats are always
indoors. So do several friends with cats.

Jay

"Matthew" wrote in message
ng.com...

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. I just know the
vet will want to give her booster shots. That's all well and good, but
is it really necessary? She's an indoor cat. (She doesn't even really
care to sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) How
on earth would she get rabies? (I do think there's a law in SC that a
rabies certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? Are they necessary?
I'd welcome a civilized discussion. Obviously there will be differing
opinions but there aren't any right or wrong answers.

Jill

I thought the rabies was every 3 years

I think the regulations vary by state. But I don't see a reason to
vaccinate Persia against rabies (or anything else) when she never comes into
contact with other animals. Why are vets so eager to give indoor-only cats
booster shots every every time they have a check up? This is what I'm
questioning.

Jill

On 2012-02-08 11:44 AM, jmcquown wrote:
It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. I just know the
vet will want to give her booster shots. That's all well and good, but
is it really necessary? She's an indoor cat. (She doesn't even really
care to sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) How
on earth would she get rabies? (I do think there's a law in SC that a
rabies certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? Are they necessary? I'd
welcome a civilized discussion. Obviously there will be differing
opinions but there aren't any right or wrong answers.

Jill

I don't bother. A former vet whose retirement I regretted immmensely
didn't think it was necessary for indoor cats, and until very recently
rabies was unknown on the island on which I live. It HAS occasionally
been spotted in wild animals which presumably came down from Labrador on
the ice in the northeast; I live in the middle of a city in the
southwest many hundreds of km away. Nevertheless, one of the early vets
I went to, back before the rabid Arctic foxes were found, wanted to give
my cat a rabies vaccination, and I actually agreed only to think later
how absurd!! What chance did she have of ever encountering a rabid animal?

The kitten vaccines, now, I think they're an excellent idea, and my cats
got them.

--
Cheryl

On Feb 8, 9:14*am, "jmcquown" wrote:
It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. *I just know the vet
will want to give her booster shots. *That's all well and good, but is it
really necessary? *She's an indoor cat. *(She doesn't even really care to
sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) *How on earth
would she get rabies? *(I do think there's a law in SC that a rabies
certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? *Are they necessary? *I'd
welcome a civilized discussion. *Obviously there will be differing opinions
but there aren't any right or wrong answers.

Jill

I don't vaccinate cats who don't go outdoors. Not after two (two!) of
my daughter's
cats died from vax-related sarcoma, and Yoda almost died from a
violent reaction
to vaccines. That said, you just have to weigh the risks yourself. And
realize that
if they're ever boarded, they'll probably require a rabies vax.

I do wonder about the *frequency* of vaccinations. I seriously suspect
that your cat
is still protected long after the 1-year mark has passed. But I
wouldn't bet my cat's
life on it if he were regularly exposed to other cats.

Sherry

On 2/8/2012 9:14 AM, jmcquown wrote:
It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. I just know the
vet will want to give her booster shots. That's all well and good, but
is it really necessary? She's an indoor cat. (She doesn't even really
care to sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) How
on earth would she get rabies? (I do think there's a law in SC that a
rabies certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? Are they necessary? I'd
welcome a civilized discussion. Obviously there will be differing
opinions but there aren't any right or wrong answers.

Jill

I don't get mine vaccinated since they don't go outside either. My vet
just says "that's between you and the city" when I tell him not to give
them rabies either - he' supposed to make sure of rabies vaccination
before he performs any treatment, but he knows us for years.

--
Hugs,

CatNipped
See all our masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped

See the RPCA FAQ site, created by "Yowie", maintained by Mark Edwards, at:
http://www.professional-geek.net/rpcablog/

Email: L(dot)T(dot)Crews(at)comcast(dot)net

On 2/8/2012 11:24 AM, Cheryl wrote:
On 2012-02-08 11:44 AM, jmcquown wrote:
It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. I just know the
vet will want to give her booster shots. That's all well and good, but
is it really necessary? She's an indoor cat. (She doesn't even really
care to sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) How
on earth would she get rabies? (I do think there's a law in SC that a
rabies certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? Are they necessary? I'd
welcome a civilized discussion. Obviously there will be differing
opinions but there aren't any right or wrong answers.

Jill

I don't bother. A former vet whose retirement I regretted immmensely
didn't think it was necessary for indoor cats, and until very recently
rabies was unknown on the island on which I live. It HAS occasionally
been spotted in wild animals which presumably came down from Labrador on
the ice in the northeast; I live in the middle of a city in the
southwest many hundreds of km away. Nevertheless, one of the early vets
I went to, back before the rabid Arctic foxes were found, wanted to give
my cat a rabies vaccination, and I actually agreed only to think later
how absurd!! What chance did she have of ever encountering a rabid animal?

The kitten vaccines, now, I think they're an excellent idea, and my cats
got them.


Yes, I did get all mine their kitten vaccines. I just think the chance
of vaccination site sarcoma is more likely than an actual case of rabies
in my indoor cats.

--
Hugs,

CatNipped
See all our masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped

See the RPCA FAQ site, created by "Yowie", maintained by Mark Edwards, at:
http://www.professional-geek.net/rpcablog/

Email: L(dot)T(dot)Crews(at)comcast(dot)net

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. I just know the
vet will want to give her booster shots. That's all well and good, but is
it really necessary? She's an indoor cat. (She doesn't even really care
to sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) How on
earth would she get rabies? (I do think there's a law in SC that a rabies
certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? Are they necessary? I'd
welcome a civilized discussion. Obviously there will be differing
opinions but there aren't any right or wrong answers.

Jill

I've been wondering about that myself since I realized that Pickles is
absolutely panicked by being put into a carrier. I found a new vet that
makes house calls, but apparently they only call you the day before to ask
if it is convenient for them to come that day, so I'm not really happy with
that.

My cats stay indoors and never encounter any other animals, so I have my
doubts about the necessity, too.

Joy

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
It's time for me to take Persia for her annual checkup. I just know the
vet will want to give her booster shots. That's all well and good, but is
it really necessary? She's an indoor cat. (She doesn't even really care
to sit in the Kitty Walk enclosure on the patio much anymore.) How on
earth would she get rabies? (I do think there's a law in SC that a rabies
certificate must be filed with some government agency.)

How do you folks feel about annual vaccinations? Are they necessary? I'd
welcome a civilized discussion. Obviously there will be differing
opinions but there aren't any right or wrong answers.


I cannot see any reason where a cat that never goes out would need any. We
don't need rabies shots here and Boyfie has his jabs for whatever is a
dangerous disease for a UK cat as he is allowed out.
If your cat is entirely inside forever I cannot see why they would need any
vaccinations at all, unless a bad cat disease comes in via your
air-conditioning!