Do indoor-only cats need vaccines?

[Desley (booktigger)]

The only thing I would say is to check the laws in your country - I know in certain parts of America, if a cat is picked up or bites someone (even you, unless you say it was a different cat that bit you), and doesn't have a current rabies certificate they have to isolate them and can pts if they feel they do have rabies (as you can only test a dead animal, not a live one), so I wouldnt put my cats life at risk. Also, as Teresa says, we can carry certain things in.

[swampmaxmum]

mine were indoor but with access to a balcony. Until they were old, they had the cat flu and enteritis vaccines just in case. These vaccines seem to be safe. The rabies and felV are potentially nastier from the side effects point of view, so cancer vets (UK and EU) suggest only giving them to entirely indoor cats if required by law, travel regulations or catteries. They then suggest having them given in the cat's leg and finding a vet who knows how to do this, as not all do. It's more common in America but it can be done as mine had 1 rabies inoculation in their legs done in the UK for their pet passports.
Also they said if it's rabies, try to use the vaccine that lasts 3 years. HTH

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Very hard for us to answer this I think as we do not have rabies in the UK.

When we have our cats vaccinated its basically for 3 things, cat flu, enteritus and FeLv, the first two can be done without the third but usually recommended initially for all 3. Rabies would only be done hear as part of the pet passport scheme.

I would consider the two or 3 way jab as this is considered normal even for indoor cats but sorry cant answer about rabies...............just out of interest cos \i dont have a clue but do humans there get vaccinated against rabies?

[Teresa Pawcats]

Not a dumb question at all  , if you were in this country I would be able to answer you fully however I have no knowledge of your country whatsoever.
The only thing I can say is that Cat Flu is airborne and Enteritis is carried in on clothing shoes etc so these vaccs need doing whether cat is indoor or outdoor.
How are all your little fosters getting on.

[DolceNGabanna]

 

Apologies for my dumb question.



I ask because I am reading supposedly in my city there are no rabies however many vet places ask for lots of $$ to vaccinate them against rabies and my saving-money-at-all-costs-boyfriend says we shouldn't vaccinate my cats for that.

Also because the friend who I got Dolce from, has like 7 cats and all of them are indoors and healthy and she hasn't vaccinated any of them because they don't go out.


Then again Dolce likes to wander outside where I got my plants, so I am thinking maybe I can put her on a leash and go around our apartment complex at odd hours when there are no dogs around.


This complex has many pet owners but the dogs are french poodles, etc that are well taken care of. So I also think, doesn't my cat deserve anything I can do to prevent illness? however it is unlikely she will come across strays etc.........


I am confused...