Cats and vaccinations

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Cats and vaccinations

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Went

Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 6968

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 11 11:55 am Post subject: Cats and vaccinations

Our cats are four years old, castrated males and in good health. To date we have had them vaccinated for cat flu and cat leukaemia (a triple vaccine) annually. It is that time of the year again but not sure if we should continue with these vaccines.

Any thoughts on the use of annual vaccines for cats? Really not sure if we should continue or if we should let our healthy cats take their chance. It is not about money more about the debate on prophylaxis and marketing hype.

marigold

Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 11 12:05 pm Post subject:

I have mine done annually because I occasionally have to put her in a cattery and they won't take cats without an up to date vac. cert.. I doubt whether it's actually essential, but it's also hard to assess what the actual risk is if you don't vaccinate. I suppose you also have to consider the cost of treatment and emotional consequences if they do catch something nasty that they could have been vaccinated against. I didn't have my previous cats vaccinated regularly, but am more risk averse now.

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 11 12:12 pm Post subject: Re: Cats and vaccinations

Gawber wrote:

When I first had cats, yes I did.
The RSPCA get you to sign a form which says you will if you adopt one of their animals ...

The quartet we have now were vac'd when they came from Freshfields 3 and 5 years ago but we've not done the boosters since.

The incidences of that fatal viruses around here are thankfully few and far between and we've only one (as far as I know) posse of cats that aren't that well looked after/ strays.

It has crossed my mind that boosting them every year may act a bit like humans who overdose on antibiotics, in that their immune system becomes immune to the drugs when they're really needed.

I've only lost one cat to a virus and he was inoculated but the vet said as he was such a young fella, his immune system simply couldn't fight it, even with help.

So, waffle over. No, ours don't have an annual jab because I DO think there's a fair dollop of marketing hype involved.

EV

hots

Joined: 23 Sep 2010
Posts: 397
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 11 4:13 pm Post subject:
We only ever have ours jabbed once, when they get castrated. After they take their chances, but they very rarely meet another cat to catch anything off as we are a couple of miles from anywhere. As Marigold says, if you want to use a cattery (or kennel your dog for that matter) you need the bits of paper.

Mutton

Joined: 09 May 2009
Posts: 1508

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 11 5:55 pm Post subject:

In terms of whether jabs are necessary and how soon you build up an immunity.
I don't know the answers for cats (we have ours vaccinated every year even though they don't go in a cattery and rarely meet other cats).

However for humans the answers vary depending on disease. This may well be the case for cats, so worth asking the vet or researching on line. From various experiences down the years the human answers vary as follows:
Smallpox, TB, rubella, measles seems to be a couple of jabs in childhood and you are set up for life.
Tetanus - repeat every ten years until you get a strong reaction at which point you have immunity - may take 4 or 5 jabs to reach that point
Cholera - not 100% effective, stops working after a year or so, no longer given to travellers the last time I asked.

Liz in Ireland

Joined: 27 Jan 2009
Posts: 1287

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 11 7:31 pm Post subject:

I have a population of house cats and another of wild cats. House cats just means tame and allowed as far as the kitchen sometimes. I always had this group vaccinated so that they could go to kennels. The wild population took their chance. For the last two years I haven't been able to afford vaccine or holidays, and so far all seem to be OK.
I do trap and neuter everyone I feed, except one wily tom who has evaded me for years!
I have decided that if I get anything nasty disease wise I will just have to have everyone put down.
Meanwhile I offer cats a happy life even if it may only be short!!

Goxhill

Joined: 27 Mar 2005
Posts: 245
Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Thu Jan 20, 11 10:05 pm Post subject:

Our cat had a very bad reaction to a vaccination one year - probably when she was about 7 or 8. We nearly lost her; she had to have lots of treatment in the form of antibiotic injections & then tablets. Next year she only had a single dose [sorry I can't remember which it was]. Then eventually I decided not to put her through it at all as we wouldn't put her in a cattery & she's becoming more an indoor cat as she ages. That was the only time I ever recall her being ill & it was scary.

Mustang

Joined: 15 Jul 2005
Posts: 768
Location: Sunny Suffolk

Posted: Tue Jan 25, 11 10:13 pm Post subject:

I have 4 cats. I give them the initial full vaccination, then once at 5 years, then 10, then not at all. Then again, my cats don't come into contact with other cats.

I've read much about the over-vaccination of cats, about sarcomas developing at injection sites, about the lack of research behind the 'annual recommendation' from vaccine manufacturers, and research showing anti-body levels in the blood lasting far longer than a year after a vaccination.

I understand that Vets have to follow the recommended vaccination advice from the manufacturers to cover themselves legally in case of any arising issues with illness. However I've had in-depth discussions with my vet who admitted there was little basis for yearly vaccinations.

Vaccine titers provides a means to test a cat's requirements for vaccines, but that's not at all common.

If you want to read more, there's stuff on the web such as https://www.ehow.com/how_5115633_prevent-vaccinosis.html

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