Cat Health Survey by Bristol Uni - please take a couple minutes to help

[Ann Clarke (Tabby cat)]

Done, I found it really interesting. I said ok to hind leg but not tail - just wouldn't be comfortable with the tail. At least as mine are indoor I can usually catch them although as Hobbes is due to go for his booster next month I may change my tune - he's a bit quicker on his feet this year now he's 18 months old

[Leanne]

Done 

[Mojo]

Me too 

[puddypaws]

I have done the questionnaire

[tigerbaby]

Same, I've had to cancel quite a few appointments due to Jameson managing to sneak off the last minute.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Oh yes , I loved that and had they not said to use the one who came first alphabetically , in Sasas case that would be true and of course the late Kocka who had so many tricks when she heard me booking the appointment on the phone.

I always failed to understand how she knew the day and time of the appointment 

[Rosella moggy]

Had to laugh. Initially looked a question asking what, if anything, put me off wanting to bring Billy to vets for vaccination. Nothing I thought with indignation ...... then saw option "trying to catch the cat" 

[Katherine]

I said yes too for the same reason - I woudl ask why they wanted to give it there but I think I would ultimatley trust the vet

[tigerbaby]

I said yes to hind leg and tail, only because, if a vet preferred to do it that way/suggested that method then I would trust him or her that it was a safe method. I do trust my vet, and Jameson doesn't even blink whenever he's had his vaccinations/microchipping so I believe it's such a small 'prick' it's not even noticeable. (to him, anyway)

[Christine (Blip)]

Yes, for my job I used to have about eight lots of injections regularly and I always had them in the left upper arm (equivalent sort of site).  I would rather have side effects than rabies (say).

[blackcat]

I would resist a tail-based injection simply because the tail is basically skin over the vertebrae, so there is only a limited capacity for the injected fluid to be put in the right place without causing a bump (albeit temporary). Injecting into the spinal fluid would be something you would notice, as there would be resistance and sensations that would make it obvious that is what you were doing. Vaccinations are generally subcutaneous so it makes sense to put them in places where there is loose skin. The tail is not such a place ...

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

I feel very well informed now. Lexy just had her MOT with Caroline. She was good as gold and didn't even blink. First time she's been so good.

And she got her vaccinations. I asked about the tail/hind thing. She just looked at me, said hind was fine, but she prefers neck. Best place. 

[Teresa Pawcats]

Think we all need to remember that an injection is over in seconds, well worth it

The injection may be over in seconds but the side effects can last for days and be quite nasty

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,6283.0.html

Seen some nasty side effects Yvonne,but I have dealt first hand with Panleukopenia, cat flu and Felv, No contest

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Ok T 

Have I used the wrong words , I mean the spinal fluid?? that runs down from their heads to end of tail, that exists in cats doesnt it?

Anyway still think that tail is a bad place to vacinate and I would never allow it 

Rught getting coat now cos I know what I mean 

[Yvonne]

Think we all need to remember that an injection is over in seconds, well worth it

The injection may be over in seconds but the side effects can last for days and be quite nasty

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,6283.0.html

[Teresa Pawcats]

Gill cats nervous system is unlike ours.

[Christine (Blip)]

Think we all need to remember that an injection is over in seconds, well worth it

I am with you there 100% and Blip (like the rest of our family) always has her jabs.  But I prefer us to have our subcutaneous injections in the best place (the human arm, the feline scruff).  Hence my reservations about the tail 

PS happy to be corrected as I am skating on flimsy intellectual ice here...

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think vacinating into the tail could be highly dangerous cos under the fur its so small and it would be too easy to accidentally inject into the central nervous system.

I know one injection that Kocka had in the neck, wasnt a vaccination, but he must have gone too deep or something and by the time I had got her to the station she was paralised, I was terrified and rang them from the station cos she was just lying on her side.

I remeber they admitted her and she was alright that evening but cant remember anything else, I guess it was too traumatic cos I thought he had killed her.

[berties mum]

Just filled it in - thought it was v interesting 

[Teresa Pawcats]

Think we all need to remember that an injection is over in seconds, well worth it

[Yvonne]

tail seems a strange place to me, why would they want to do that? would it hurt the cat?

ok filled in - bit difficult to vaccinate Homer in the tail when he hasn't got one!!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Done

tail seems a strange place to me, why would they want to do that? would it hurt the cat?

Indeed!  The reasoning behind vaccinating in a leg is that if a vaccine site sarcoma develops you can amputate a leg, but you can't amputate a neck!  I would guess that they are simply applying that reasonsing to the tail - you can amputate a tail - but I can't imagine vaccinating in a tail!

[Katherine]

tail seems a strange place to me, why would they want to do that? would it hurt the cat?

[Christine (Blip)]

Like you Christine I was horrified to see tail mentioned but hind leg Ok as long as its not atually in the leg.....the bottom part........didnt think they meant the bottom  grrrrrr but of course I am assuming ......very bad to assume!

If you mean the bottom part as it appears to us, then I guess that is actually the foot?    So the leg would be the "haunch", so to speak?

These are the issues that wont be clarified by the survey.  You and I know that the cat walks on tiptoe, but does the general public?  I should have made these points on the survey, and I didnt 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Like you Christine I was horrified to see tail mentioned but hind leg Ok as long as its not atually in the leg.....the bottom part........didnt think they meant the bottom  grrrrrr but of course I am assuming ......very bad to assume!

[blackcat]

the idea of vaccination in the tail is indeed alarming, Chris, I indicated my alarm in my response. Hind leg not so problematic for me as quite a few injections go into the hind leg where there is ample muscle to absorb the impact ...

[Teresa Pawcats]

Hind leg is fine

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I maybe wrong but dont think thats what they are after. I think they are looking at FeLV vaccine uptakes and the reasons for people not having the jab and side effects etc.

I was also interested in the question ref FIP and reasons peeps had for gettiung their cats vaccinated.

A very interesting survey and I hope we get to see the results and hear what they are going to do with them.

[Christine (Blip)]

I would be very alarmed at the idea of Blip being injected in her tail    or her hind leg for that matter.  Am I being rational?  It is based on my ( ashamedly limited) understanding of feline physiology  

PS I am confident that the tail would be a lousy place to inject so I suppose I am asking about the hind leg?

[blackcat]

I guess that is my point Gill, if they are only 'singing to the choir'they will not gain any insights into the obstacles to achieving 100% vaccination. So I have suggested they try a few sites that are frequently referred to here, as representative of the dark side so as to get a more representative sample ...

[tigerbaby]

Yeah Jameson was really hard done by wasn't he with all you didn't know       Don't think he cared much if you knew or not, that photo on your melons is an interesting indicator of that.

True! Love is all he needs. (ok, and some good food and vaccinations too!)

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think you have a point bc but I suspect they were also wanting UK forums and dont think there are that many besides us and CC and Daves site, cos UK forums tend to be cat care oriented.

I just wrote something else and deleted it cos I reckon they do want to target sites like us, cos  others not into cat care would not be able to answer on the whole,  in fact they would bother with such nonsence like vacinations and the site used to inject...............sigh

[Mark]

completed the survey but suggested that a more representative samply might be obtained by advertising on forums not completely dedicated to cat care, where the respondents might be more representative of broader (and not entirely cat-focussed) attitudes ...

You took the words right out of my mouth 

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Yeah Jameson was really hard done by wasn't he with all you didn't know       Don't think he cared much if you knew or not, that photo on your melons is an interesting indicator of that.

[blackcat]

completed the survey but suggested that a more representative samply might be obtained by advertising on forums not completely dedicated to cat care, where the respondents might be more representative of broader (and not entirely cat-focussed) attitudes ...

[tigerbaby]

Done. Interesting thing is many of my answers about actual vaccinations were based on what I have learned from you lot. 

Same. I probably wouldn't even KNOW about cat vaccination hadn't it been for this forum! As a first-time, un-planned cat owner this forum has been my bible!!

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Done. Interesting thing is many of my answers about actual vaccinations were based on what I have learned from you lot. 

Katherine, there is never a day that I don't learn something new here.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Another killer of cats but am sure that someone will be able to tell you in more detail. If not do a search on internet, you will get loads of info 

[tigerbaby]

D'oh - it clearly explained it overleaf: Feline Enteritis (Panleucopaenia), Cat Flu, Herpesvirus and Feline Leukaemia.

Can someone explain to me what Feline Enteritis is?

[Teresa Pawcats]

Enteritis ( Panleukopenia)