Shots for indoor cats.....NEED HELP GETTING HER INTO THE CARRIER!!!!!

[goofinoff]

So I have to bring my 8 year old indoor cat to the vet tomorrow. She's been digging at her ears and is very aggitated so I think she has ear mites. She hasn't been to the vet in a while and I know that they are going to tell me she needs shots. To be perfectly honest I really don't want to pay for shots for her that she doesn't need. She's never been outside and never will. She is a very skidish cat and doesn't go near the door.
So my question is this....are there shots that she absolutely should have or can we just skip it. She's gone this long and is fine.
Thanks

 

[pumba]

well they explained to my mom with her housecat....rabies can be from even a bat that could get into your house....
Distemper shot should be one that I would get otherwise...cause you can bring that in on your shoes...we lost an indoor cat to distemper many years ago ...so I would say okey to that one..

 

[Handbag Lady]

So I have to bring my 8 year old indoor cat to the vet tomorrow. She's been digging at her ears and is very aggitated so I think she has ear mites. She hasn't been to the vet in a while and I know that they are going to tell me she needs shots. To be perfectly honest I really don't want to pay for shots for her that she doesn't need. She's never been outside and never will. She is a very skidish cat and doesn't go near the door.
So my question is this....are there shots that she absolutely should have or can we just skip it. She's gone this long and is fine.
Thanks

My vet has a standard set of shots for indoor cats and outdoor cats. I can't remember which is in which, but the indoor is less expensive than the outdoor.

He does grill you, though, to make sure your cat never goes outside.

 

[Coconut36]

I was just reading an article and have seen other references that indicate that a cat that is truly indoors really doesn't need regular vaccinations and that many times in cats they cause more harm than good (kidney problems, seizures, tumors..etc).

My first cat was fully and 100% vaccinated for everything and she did spend time outside (supervised..I never let her roam unattended). She was also offspring of a feral cat and spent her first year or so outdoors (before adoption) so we felt it was important.

We have had our current cat for several years now and beyond the initial kitten vaccines he has not been vaccinated since. He is completely and totally indoors..he does not even go outside supervised, no contact with other with cats (that is something to keep in mind if you choose not to vaccinate..some of those illnesses are highly contagious cat to cat so if your cat goes to a groomer or is sometimes exposed to other cats you might want to factor that into your decision) so we really didn't see the value in vaccinating as there is nothing for him to be exposed to or at risk from.

The vet possibly will inquire about vaccines but to me a good vet will discuss the pros and cons with you in a non biased way so you can make a decision (our vet is awesome and seriously very respectful in regards to treatment, vaccinating..etc choices..they are not ones to push a procedure on you every time you visit).

 

[msjprincess]

My indoor cats got rabies and FVRCP vaccines

 

[ZellyB]

I also have an indoor cat that never goes outside. We vaccinated her as a kitten and did boosters at one year, but have since declined any further vaccinations.

 

[tvguy]

Our vet recommends all shots for kittens who are indoors to start, then everything but feline leukemia from adulthood on.

 

[FergieTCat]

I duly admit that i was fairly negligent about getting my cats their annual shots. Both were indoors and didn't step paw outside of my apartment for 14 and 16 years, respectively.

Diana lived to be 18 and Fergie lived to be 20. I don't know if that's common, or if I was lucky.

 

[tiggger1]

Both of my cats are indoor cats and we get all of the normal shots...mainly because my male tries to escape daily even though we have never purposely let him out and the longest he has been out is 10 minutes but that is long enough to get into trouble....and we have the vet out for the ponies fall shots anyway so what is paying an additions $50 on an $900 vet bill

 

[Squirlz]

I can help you with the ear problems. This product will fix it:

http://www.fiascofarm.com/herbs/mollysherbals.php/products/garlicmullein-oil-aka-ear-oil

 

[bethbuchall]

I would recommend a rabies shot for an indoor cat. We also have a cat who has never been outside and will actually run away (into the house) from an open door. We had a bat get into the house this summer. We've never had a bat in the house in the 22 years that we've lived here, and we don't even see them outside. In NYS, if a cat without rabies vaccination could have come into contact with a bat, they require that the bat be tested for rabies, the cat be put down immediately, or the cat be quarantined (at the owner's expense) for six months. I know that it's unlikely, but I would have never thought we'd have a bat in our house either.

ETA: We also had him vaccinated for distemper upon the vet's recommendation. We opted for the less expensive three year rabies vaccine over the more expensive one year one. He is over 12 years old, so we figured he would only need one or two more in his lifetime. There is cause for concern over the 3-year vaccine and the development of sarcomas at the injection site.

 

[kamik86]

Mine get two shots a year, rabies and distemper.

Rabies is good because well at the apartment we live in now we have caught 4 mice in the three years. No not too many but that is only because my landlords outdoor cats get most of them.

The shots aren't much at my vet though... I think only like $40 for both and rabies is now done every 3 years. (shots are frequent for kittens and less frequent as they get older, just like for humans as kids we got multiple shots a year as adults we get much less)

I do still give my cats flee treatments in the summer every months and every other the rest of the year. We didn't for a while and had a really bad year for flees in the area and my cats got them. We are guessing we brought them in on shoes/clothes from the outdoor cats outside.

 

[Mokat76]

Until I lived in a hurricane prone area, I got my indoor cats only theirkitten shots and then no more. Now, however, I have to be ready to evacuate with them so they have to be current.

Some states or municipalities require shots regardless, so your vet my push pretty hard and may be required to report noncompliance. Mine never reported me where I lived before that wasn't a hurricane area, but he probably should have.

 

[Coconut36]

Until I lived in a hurricane prone area, I got my indoor cats only theirkitten shots and then no more. Now, however, I have to be ready to evacuate with them so they have to be current.

Some states or municipalities require shots regardless, so your vet my push pretty hard and may be required to report noncompliance. Mine never reported me where I lived before that wasn't a hurricane area, but he probably should have.

I have never heard of vaccination requires for housecats from a state/county..etc. I know kennels or groomers can require they have certain vaccines but not the state/county/city. I can't find anything for my state that requires any kid of shots for cats. Dogs they want rabies of course.

 

[matt98378]

Our state requires that cats get the rabies vaccine every year.

Another thing to consider is whether there is an emergency. I know someone that was late in getting their indoor cat vaccinated and it had to go into the vet for emergency surgery. At the time, she was very worried the cat may catch something while it had to spend a couple days at the vet around other animals.

 

[MrsDuck]

Our indoor cats have gotten vaccinations!

 

[SaraJayne]

Our cats have all been strictly indoor and beyond the routine kitten shots have never gotten another.

 

[clm10308]

Ma y municipalities do have ordinances on the books requiring cats to be licensed and have rabies shots, but Ihave never heard of anyone ever getting ticked for not having cats licensed.

 

[trip]

For those that don't vaccinate, don't you have to provide proof of current vaccination and a licensing fee to get your yearly county tags?

 

[Coconut36]

For those that don't vaccinate, don't you have to provide proof of current vaccination and a licensing fee to get your yearly county tags?

What county tags? That might be the difference. Cats are not required to be licensed and there is no "leash law" for them or tags here.

Dogs you do and the only vaccine required and the only tag you get is rabies.