How Often to Vaccinate?

I have read that it is not good to give yearly vaccinations on cats that don't
go outside. I have two one year old kittens who have had all of their kitten
shots and don't go outside. I have an elderly indoor cat and a senior
indoor/outdoor cat that rarely leaves the yard. I just received a notice from
my vet that all three of them are due for their vaccinations. Just wondered how
often you would vaccinate them?

From: (Scuba4dk)

I have read that it is not good to give yearly vaccinations on cats that
don't
go outside. I have two one year old kittens who have had all of their kitten
shots and don't go outside. I have an elderly indoor cat and a senior
indoor/outdoor cat that rarely leaves the yard. I just received a notice
from
my vet that all three of them are due for their vaccinations. Just wondered
how
often you would vaccinate them?

That's really a decision you need to make yourself, but there is lots of
information out there to read. Here are a couple of interesting articles:

http://www.blakkatz.com/vaccination.html

http://www.anc.org/editorials/editor...r=2003_0801_va
ccines

Lauren


________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

From: (Scuba4dk)

I have read that it is not good to give yearly vaccinations on cats that
don't
go outside. I have two one year old kittens who have had all of their kitten
shots and don't go outside. I have an elderly indoor cat and a senior
indoor/outdoor cat that rarely leaves the yard. I just received a notice
from
my vet that all three of them are due for their vaccinations. Just wondered
how
often you would vaccinate them?

That's really a decision you need to make yourself, but there is lots of
information out there to read. Here are a couple of interesting articles:

http://www.blakkatz.com/vaccination.html

http://www.anc.org/editorials/editor...r=2003_0801_va
ccines

Lauren


________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

"Scuba4dk" wrote in message
...
I have read that it is not good to give yearly vaccinations on cats that
don't
go outside. I have two one year old kittens who have had all of their
kitten
shots and don't go outside. I have an elderly indoor cat and a senior
indoor/outdoor cat that rarely leaves the yard. I just received a notice
from
my vet that all three of them are due for their vaccinations. Just
wondered how
often you would vaccinate them?

When you go to the appt., ask the vet about the pros & cons of the various
vaccines, & the different forms of some of them, too - there are a bunch of
choices involved.

Make sure the vet knows the habits of all of the cats, besides just the new
inside-only kittens; it'll help for him/her to give you insight as to what
your best choices may be for the various cats involved, & if the other cats
might impact what vaccinations you decide on for the kittens. A few years
ago I dropped all but really important - to my cats - vaccines. They no
longer get the FeLV one, for example, because years & years ago the older
one stopped trying to escape out the doors whenever I open them, the
younger one turned out to easily adapt to being inside-only, & they have
access to the outside only on a screened-in porch. So the vets & I decided
that the FeLV vaccine was more risky than it was beneficial to them. My
late eldest cat - at my vets' suggestions, I'd dropped all vaccines in her
last few years except rabies because she'd become chronically ill & we
didn't want to overload her system anymore than it already was.

AFAIK, the rabies vaccine needs a booster one year after the initial one,
even if you then choose to use the 3 year rabies vaccination schedule
instead of one of the annual rabies vax. It's been a long time since I had
young cats, but it's possible that other vaccines (the ones you decide to
keep in the regimen) also need a 1 yr. booster even if you vaccinate only
every 3 years after that.

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon

"Scuba4dk" wrote in message
...
I have read that it is not good to give yearly vaccinations on cats that
don't
go outside. I have two one year old kittens who have had all of their
kitten
shots and don't go outside. I have an elderly indoor cat and a senior
indoor/outdoor cat that rarely leaves the yard. I just received a notice
from
my vet that all three of them are due for their vaccinations. Just
wondered how
often you would vaccinate them?

When you go to the appt., ask the vet about the pros & cons of the various
vaccines, & the different forms of some of them, too - there are a bunch of
choices involved.

Make sure the vet knows the habits of all of the cats, besides just the new
inside-only kittens; it'll help for him/her to give you insight as to what
your best choices may be for the various cats involved, & if the other cats
might impact what vaccinations you decide on for the kittens. A few years
ago I dropped all but really important - to my cats - vaccines. They no
longer get the FeLV one, for example, because years & years ago the older
one stopped trying to escape out the doors whenever I open them, the
younger one turned out to easily adapt to being inside-only, & they have
access to the outside only on a screened-in porch. So the vets & I decided
that the FeLV vaccine was more risky than it was beneficial to them. My
late eldest cat - at my vets' suggestions, I'd dropped all vaccines in her
last few years except rabies because she'd become chronically ill & we
didn't want to overload her system anymore than it already was.

AFAIK, the rabies vaccine needs a booster one year after the initial one,
even if you then choose to use the 3 year rabies vaccination schedule
instead of one of the annual rabies vax. It's been a long time since I had
young cats, but it's possible that other vaccines (the ones you decide to
keep in the regimen) also need a 1 yr. booster even if you vaccinate only
every 3 years after that.

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon

(Scuba4dk) wrote in message ...
I have read that it is not good to give yearly vaccinations on cats that don't
go outside. I have two one year old kittens who have had all of their kitten
shots and don't go outside. I have an elderly indoor cat and a senior
indoor/outdoor cat that rarely leaves the yard. I just received a notice from
my vet that all three of them are due for their vaccinations. Just wondered how
often you would vaccinate them?

Since you are asking for personal opinions, I would do the following:

Since one cat does go out and then back inside, I'd vax all with
FVRCP, since those diseases are the most common and easily spread from
cat to cat.

Aditionally, I would vax the cat that goes out for rabies as well, and
if any other cats come in your yard, FeLV, minimally.

-L.

(Scuba4dk) wrote in message ...
I have read that it is not good to give yearly vaccinations on cats that don't
go outside. I have two one year old kittens who have had all of their kitten
shots and don't go outside. I have an elderly indoor cat and a senior
indoor/outdoor cat that rarely leaves the yard. I just received a notice from
my vet that all three of them are due for their vaccinations. Just wondered how
often you would vaccinate them?

Since you are asking for personal opinions, I would do the following:

Since one cat does go out and then back inside, I'd vax all with
FVRCP, since those diseases are the most common and easily spread from
cat to cat.

Aditionally, I would vax the cat that goes out for rabies as well, and
if any other cats come in your yard, FeLV, minimally.

-L.