Vaccinations for cats?

[Monkeygrrl]

I am curious what your thoughts are on vaccinating cats.

I have one indoor/outdoor cat that adopted us several months ago. We moved into the house where her previous owners lived - when they moved, they left her - we started feeding her, and she has decided we are good people. I took her to the local SPCA to get her fixed (because I didn't know her history) and it turns out she was already. They asked about vaccines, but I declined because I wasn't sure about them, and I don't vaccinate my children.

I am also going to be taking a local stray cat to the SPCA to get him fixed, and because he is a stray (and the neighborhood fighter) they want to test him for leukemia and AIDS. I technically don't have a problem with them testing him, but if he is sick, I have no way of treating him. I don't have the money. I was just going to ensure that there are no more kittens in the neighborhood - at least from him.

What would you do - about the vaccines and testing?

Thanks!

peace...
Margaret

[lonegirl]

If he is an indoor outdoor cat then yes for sure vaccinate! He is at risk and will put all the neighbourhood cats at risk too. In most areas it is the law to have at least rabies vaccine. Feline leukemia and FIV are good to test for (a quick snap test) and were he my cat I would immediately have him be an indoor cat if he were positive (well I would have him indoors only no matter what but at min if he is positive). Feleuk/FIV are fight and bite diseases that spread when they get into spats.

[Kindermama]

There are local pet stores and vets around here that have low cost spay/neuter/vaccination clinics...look around your area!

[Monkeygrrl]

Originally Posted by lonegirl

If he is an indoor outdoor cat then yes for sure vaccinate! He is at risk and will put all the neighbourhood cats at risk too. In most areas it is the law to have at least rabies vaccine. Feline leukemia and FIV are good to test for (a quick snap test) and were he my cat I would immediately have him be an indoor cat if he were positive (well I would have him indoors only no matter what but at min if he is positive). Feleuk/FIV are fight and bite diseases that spread when they get into spats.

I don't know that I can bring PapaCat (what I call the stray, as he is the papa cat to my sister's cat) into the house. That's a convo I have to have with my BF, and we have a small house. But he is the neighborhood fighter, so I'm thinking the tests might be a good idea.

Thanks for the info.

peace...
Margaret

[Monkeygrrl]

Originally Posted by Kindermama

There are local pet stores and vets around here that have low cost spay/neuter/vaccination clinics...look around your area!

Our local SPCA does it for $45 (females) and $30 (males). The Leuk/AIDS test is another $30. Rabies vaccine is $6.

Is that high?

I'll call around. Thanks for the tip.

peace...
Margaret

[North_Of_60]

If PapaCat is indeed positive for either FIV or FeLV, I would recommend him being an only indoor cat or humanely euthanized. Both can be spread by fighting, so if he's a known fighter, he's putting other animals at risk being outside. Inside, FeLV, especially, can be spread by mucus, saliva, etc, so even if he doesn't bite one of your cats, he can spread it by being around them.

Both can be managed, and and the cat has a good change of living a relatively long and somewhat healthy life, BUT you're putting your own animals at risk. There are rescues dedicated to finding home for positive cats. My mom has a FIP positive cat (feline infectious peritonitis), and the only way she'll be able to own another cat is if she adopts another positive one. The good news is that the one she has not only appears to be a carrier and may not ever present with symptoms, meaning she'll stay relatively healthy. She's 7 now.

If you're going to have an indoor/outdoor cat, deffinitly vaccinate it. This is a good example of the risks we take by letting our animals outside to roam the neighborhood. We just DO NOT know what other animals are out there, whether or not they're healthy, whether or not they've vaccinated, whether or not they will fight or attack our animals. And not only are domestic cats a problem, but quarreling or coming into close contact with wild life posses a problem too. You have the potential to pick up things like fleas and ticks, ringworm, or intestinal parasites.

Cats are safest indoors, outside on a leash, or in an enclosed cat run where they are not exposed to strange animals.

I have two indoor cats, and beside the mandatory county 3-year rabies vaccine, they are not vaccinated.

[mattemma04]

We do not vax our cats.Mostly indoor with acess to a cat run outside.