Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:46     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nothing. If you regularly shop around for new vets, they're going to miss that the cat isn't vaccinated. A lot of things in life are up to your own sense of ethics and morals, OP. Virtue is often its own reward. The shit hits the fan only rarely. Would you be devastated if a human died of rabies because your cat was infected? Are you prepared to gamble?


This has nothing to do with morals or virtue for FFS. If your cat never goes outside, the risk that the cat would contract rabies and ever be able to infect someone is basically non-existent. However, your dumb virtue signaling over something that doesn't even matter is on full display.


PP you replied to. No, I'm an animal biologist and I understand the situation from a biomedical point of view. You never know if your cat is going to get spooked, run out and possibly get rabies from wildlife (even in urban or suburban areas). You ever know if a rabid bat will enter your home (this has happened before). This is something you do for the good of the community, because even though the risk is small, the consequences will be fatal. Rabies has a mortality rate of over 99% and easily jumps the species barrier. You can skip some other vaccines, but you don't skip the rabies vaccine.

With respect, it's you who doesn't grasp the medical situation here.


You still didn't disprove that the risk is so minimal that I'm simply not choosing to put this on the top of my list of things to worry about. Next time we go I'll get the cat vaccinated. But I'm not worried about stray bats enough to make it a special trip.


In the time it took you to make this thread and follow up with the comments, you could've gotten your cat vaxxed.

Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:44     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you get the vaccine?


Vets are charging astronomical fees for every aspect of care. It is an obstacle to responsible pet owners.


This is true but plenty of places offer low cost or free vaccinations for pets. We can help you locate one if you need.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:43     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nothing. If you regularly shop around for new vets, they're going to miss that the cat isn't vaccinated. A lot of things in life are up to your own sense of ethics and morals, OP. Virtue is often its own reward. The shit hits the fan only rarely. Would you be devastated if a human died of rabies because your cat was infected? Are you prepared to gamble?


This has nothing to do with morals or virtue for FFS. If your cat never goes outside, the risk that the cat would contract rabies and ever be able to infect someone is basically non-existent. However, your dumb virtue signaling over something that doesn't even matter is on full display.


DP and I disagree. PP's point that doing the right thing is the right thing, regardless of potential risks, is a sound one. Not enough people have the integrity to do what's right just because it's the right thing to do. On a thread where a lot of people are saying "it's probably no big deal" (and I agree that it's probably not likely to have catastrophic consequences), it still matters to high-integrity people to do the right thing. There's always that chance that it could go wrong, and if/when it does, having done the right thing covers everyone's backside.

Plus, you know, having your integrity where it should be and being accountable for yourself and your pets is the decent human thing to do.


Well I think you and PP are highly obnoxious for repeated attempts to make this a moral issue. It's simply not. It's a practical one and it has nothing to do with my morals since it impacts no one other than myself.


Since you can't guarantee that, you're the AH here. Sorry not sorry. You're an irresponsible tw@t.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:42     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nothing. If you regularly shop around for new vets, they're going to miss that the cat isn't vaccinated. A lot of things in life are up to your own sense of ethics and morals, OP. Virtue is often its own reward. The shit hits the fan only rarely. Would you be devastated if a human died of rabies because your cat was infected? Are you prepared to gamble?


This has nothing to do with morals or virtue for FFS. If your cat never goes outside, the risk that the cat would contract rabies and ever be able to infect someone is basically non-existent. However, your dumb virtue signaling over something that doesn't even matter is on full display.


PP you replied to. No, I'm an animal biologist and I understand the situation from a biomedical point of view. You never know if your cat is going to get spooked, run out and possibly get rabies from wildlife (even in urban or suburban areas). You ever know if a rabid bat will enter your home (this has happened before). This is something you do for the good of the community, because even though the risk is small, the consequences will be fatal. Rabies has a mortality rate of over 99% and easily jumps the species barrier. You can skip some other vaccines, but you don't skip the rabies vaccine.

With respect, it's you who doesn't grasp the medical situation here.


You still didn't disprove that the risk is so minimal that I'm simply not choosing to put this on the top of my list of things to worry about. Next time we go I'll get the cat vaccinated. But I'm not worried about stray bats enough to make it a special trip.


If your cat(s) have no prior shots, you're an idiot. It's a quick shot, you can get them cheap at a shot clinic, and there's a reason there are laws about this. And if you chance it and miss? it's 4 shots for rabies prophylaxis: https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/hcp/prevention-recommendations/post-exposure-prophylaxis.html

Don't fsck around. Just vax your stupid cat(s).
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:42     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nothing. If you regularly shop around for new vets, they're going to miss that the cat isn't vaccinated. A lot of things in life are up to your own sense of ethics and morals, OP. Virtue is often its own reward. The shit hits the fan only rarely. Would you be devastated if a human died of rabies because your cat was infected? Are you prepared to gamble?


This has nothing to do with morals or virtue for FFS. If your cat never goes outside, the risk that the cat would contract rabies and ever be able to infect someone is basically non-existent. However, your dumb virtue signaling over something that doesn't even matter is on full display.


DP and I disagree. PP's point that doing the right thing is the right thing, regardless of potential risks, is a sound one. Not enough people have the integrity to do what's right just because it's the right thing to do. On a thread where a lot of people are saying "it's probably no big deal" (and I agree that it's probably not likely to have catastrophic consequences), it still matters to high-integrity people to do the right thing. There's always that chance that it could go wrong, and if/when it does, having done the right thing covers everyone's backside.

Plus, you know, having your integrity where it should be and being accountable for yourself and your pets is the decent human thing to do.


Well I think you and PP are highly obnoxious for repeated attempts to make this a moral issue. It's simply not. It's a practical one and it has nothing to do with my morals since it impacts no one other than myself.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:40     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you get the vaccine?


Vets are charging astronomical fees for every aspect of care. It is an obstacle to responsible pet owners.


I'm in MoCo. HRA will do vax for $15. MoCo animal services will do it for free if you buy a license (so $12). You're still out the time, but it's a yearly thing (or a 3-year thing, if you want to spend $32 for the 3-year license and get a 3-year shot).

It's not an obstacle at all, and a truly responsible pet owner would take care of it.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:39     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nothing. If you regularly shop around for new vets, they're going to miss that the cat isn't vaccinated. A lot of things in life are up to your own sense of ethics and morals, OP. Virtue is often its own reward. The shit hits the fan only rarely. Would you be devastated if a human died of rabies because your cat was infected? Are you prepared to gamble?


This has nothing to do with morals or virtue for FFS. If your cat never goes outside, the risk that the cat would contract rabies and ever be able to infect someone is basically non-existent. However, your dumb virtue signaling over something that doesn't even matter is on full display.


PP you replied to. No, I'm an animal biologist and I understand the situation from a biomedical point of view. You never know if your cat is going to get spooked, run out and possibly get rabies from wildlife (even in urban or suburban areas). You ever know if a rabid bat will enter your home (this has happened before). This is something you do for the good of the community, because even though the risk is small, the consequences will be fatal. Rabies has a mortality rate of over 99% and easily jumps the species barrier. You can skip some other vaccines, but you don't skip the rabies vaccine.

With respect, it's you who doesn't grasp the medical situation here.


You still didn't disprove that the risk is so minimal that I'm simply not choosing to put this on the top of my list of things to worry about. Next time we go I'll get the cat vaccinated. But I'm not worried about stray bats enough to make it a special trip.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:38     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nothing. If you regularly shop around for new vets, they're going to miss that the cat isn't vaccinated. A lot of things in life are up to your own sense of ethics and morals, OP. Virtue is often its own reward. The shit hits the fan only rarely. Would you be devastated if a human died of rabies because your cat was infected? Are you prepared to gamble?


This has nothing to do with morals or virtue for FFS. If your cat never goes outside, the risk that the cat would contract rabies and ever be able to infect someone is basically non-existent. However, your dumb virtue signaling over something that doesn't even matter is on full display.


PP you replied to. No, I'm an animal biologist and I understand the situation from a biomedical point of view. You never know if your cat is going to get spooked, run out and possibly get rabies from wildlife (even in urban or suburban areas). You ever know if a rabid bat will enter your home (this has happened before). This is something you do for the good of the community, because even though the risk is small, the consequences will be fatal. Rabies has a mortality rate of over 99% and easily jumps the species barrier. You can skip some other vaccines, but you don't skip the rabies vaccine.

With respect, it's you who doesn't grasp the medical situation here.


Agreed, though per the article linked upthread, you may not need to get one every year. You should, but some vax is probably enough protection for most scenarios. Outdated vax is definitely better than none.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:36     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nothing. If you regularly shop around for new vets, they're going to miss that the cat isn't vaccinated. A lot of things in life are up to your own sense of ethics and morals, OP. Virtue is often its own reward. The shit hits the fan only rarely. Would you be devastated if a human died of rabies because your cat was infected? Are you prepared to gamble?


This has nothing to do with morals or virtue for FFS. If your cat never goes outside, the risk that the cat would contract rabies and ever be able to infect someone is basically non-existent. However, your dumb virtue signaling over something that doesn't even matter is on full display.


DP and I disagree. PP's point that doing the right thing is the right thing, regardless of potential risks, is a sound one. Not enough people have the integrity to do what's right just because it's the right thing to do. On a thread where a lot of people are saying "it's probably no big deal" (and I agree that it's probably not likely to have catastrophic consequences), it still matters to high-integrity people to do the right thing. There's always that chance that it could go wrong, and if/when it does, having done the right thing covers everyone's backside.

Plus, you know, having your integrity where it should be and being accountable for yourself and your pets is the decent human thing to do.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:36     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you get the vaccine?


Vets are charging astronomical fees for every aspect of care. It is an obstacle to responsible pet owners.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:34     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nothing. If you regularly shop around for new vets, they're going to miss that the cat isn't vaccinated. A lot of things in life are up to your own sense of ethics and morals, OP. Virtue is often its own reward. The shit hits the fan only rarely. Would you be devastated if a human died of rabies because your cat was infected? Are you prepared to gamble?


This has nothing to do with morals or virtue for FFS. If your cat never goes outside, the risk that the cat would contract rabies and ever be able to infect someone is basically non-existent. However, your dumb virtue signaling over something that doesn't even matter is on full display.


PP you replied to. No, I'm an animal biologist and I understand the situation from a biomedical point of view. You never know if your cat is going to get spooked, run out and possibly get rabies from wildlife (even in urban or suburban areas). You ever know if a rabid bat will enter your home (this has happened before). This is something you do for the good of the community, because even though the risk is small, the consequences will be fatal. Rabies has a mortality rate of over 99% and easily jumps the species barrier. You can skip some other vaccines, but you don't skip the rabies vaccine.

With respect, it's you who doesn't grasp the medical situation here.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:34     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
If your cat suddenly gets out and comes back with scratches and bites but isn't vaccinated...what do you do?

Dunno, I really theres a 99:1 odds it won't happen, but the annoyance of dealing with the vet is 1/100000 of the pain i'd feel if I had to euth my cat, so I do it anyway.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:34     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:If it bites someone, you will have to put it down.


This isn't true. If it bites someone, you will need to provide proof of vaccination to the person it bit. If you can't, you'll have to follow bite protocol and quarantine and observe the animal. It will be suggested that the bitten person get rabies shots, if you can't show your animal to be rabies-free.

But they're not going to put a indoor-only cat down for a single bite.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:32     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you get the vaccine?


Not OP, but for most people, it's the expense, both money and time. Not to mention most cats HATE traveling, and the vet, and being in a carrier...

I make my cats deal with it, but I can see why some people don't make this a priority for an indoor-only animal.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2025 11:31     Subject: What happens if you don’t get your (indoor cat) a rabies shot?
If it bites someone, you will have to put it down.