Does my indoor cat need vaccinations?

[Anonymous]

My indoor cat hasn't had any in 10+ years. Very healthy and happy.

[Anonymous]

Rabies shot or GTFO. Seriously, your cat could contract it from a bat, rodent, etc and you might not know until it's too late -- then your cat will die and you might be seriously ill or die as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rabies shot or GTFO. Seriously, your cat could contract it from a bat, rodent, etc and you might not know until it's too late -- then your cat will die and you might be seriously ill or die as well.

You cannot name one instance where a rabid bat or rat has given a 100% indoor cat rabies while inside an occupied home or apartment in DC. Don't be an hysteric.

If there is a rabid bat in your house flying around, the CAT being bitten is the least of your problems. Really.

Rats don't transmit rabies.

[Anonymous]

Don't bother to ask you vet. They aren't going to tell you your cat needs every shot under the sun. My mom gets her cats all the shots and they die within 6 years. My cats don't get anything and live to be 12-15 years.

[Anonymous]

PP again. I do get all the first kitten shots. Then our cats never go back to the vets unless something is wrong.

[Anonymous]

distemper more than rabies for an all indoor cat per a couple of vets I know ... unless local ordinances require rabies, then that's required (by law) ...

[Anonymous]

Rabies is required by law. End of story. If your cat bites someone and is not UTD on rabies vaccination, you will have a big issue with the Animal Control people. Save yourself the trouble - be a responsible pet owner and get your pets checkups and vaccinations on a regular basis. Would you ignore your kids like you are ignoring your pets???

[Anonymous]

We also have indoor-only cats. Except one got out once for about 20 hours. I too had been considering not vaccinating them; I'm glad now that I did. Also had had him micro-chipped a few months before, thank goodness (though we wound up finding him in our yard the next morning). We are always careful so I never thought they'd get out, but he did. Also, they catch mice on occasion in the house (which is its own issue) and you never know when a bird, bat, or other critter will make its way in -- hasn't happened to us yet but I remember a few occasions when I was a kid. So, all in all, we vaccinate. Bad enough the cat got out; it would have been worse if he'd contracted some disease.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, the rabies vaccine is required by law in DC and MD -- don't know about VA but I'd imagine so. Not sure that you would ever get "caught" by on the off-chance your cat were to bite or scratch someone and that person made a fuss about it, you could get in trouble if the cat doesn't have the rabies vaccine.

I don't know about the "law" in VA but I do know that my vet will not perform any services on the cat (dental, grooming, bathing, dematting) unless the cat is up to date on at least the rabies shot. The vet knows they are indoor only cats but they will not risk their staff being stratched or bitten by a nonvaccinated cat. So I'm stuck unless i opt to find a different vet.

[Anonymous]

You are not 'stuck'. You are working with a vet who knows the law and good medicine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rabies shot or GTFO. Seriously, your cat could contract it from a bat, rodent, etc and you might not know until it's too late -- then your cat will die and you might be seriously ill or die as well.

You cannot name one instance where a rabid bat or rat has given a 100% indoor cat rabies while inside an occupied home or apartment in DC. Don't be an hysteric.

If there is a rabid bat in your house flying around, the CAT being bitten is the least of your problems. Really.

Rats don't transmit rabies.

I can name an instance (sadly) of a rabid bat giving rabies to a CHILD inside a house. Much more likely a cat would contract it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rabies shot or GTFO. Seriously, your cat could contract it from a bat, rodent, etc and you might not know until it's too late -- then your cat will die and you might be seriously ill or die as well.

You cannot name one instance where a rabid bat or rat has given a 100% indoor cat rabies while inside an occupied home or apartment in DC. Don't be an hysteric.

If there is a rabid bat in your house flying around, the CAT being bitten is the least of your problems. Really.

Rats don't transmit rabies.

I can name an instance (sadly) of a rabid bat giving rabies to a CHILD inside a house. Much more likely a cat would contract it.

Statistically, more people are struck and killed by lightening every year in the USA than by being bitten by a rabid bat. (Bat conservation International). I'd agree that fatal bites are more likely in indoor cats than indoor humans, but c'mon.

[Anonymous]

My vet requires all animals to have the rabies vaccine but recommends not giving other shots unless your cat goes out. One of mine occasionally gets out so I have to give both all the shots since the 100% indoor one could catch something from the one who escapes occasionally. I'm hoping as the escaper gets older, she will stop going out and I can stop all the shots except rabies.

[Anonymous]

I'd get the FIV vaccine also. My cat got out once and contracted FIV. Died about two months later. Heartbreaking.

[Anonymous]

Do what the law requires in your state- do it for your protection. Also on the off chance the cat gets out. Its so easy for this to happen. To that end, I think I might agree with the PP that mentioned Feline Leukemia.