just wondered what people think as i have 3 cats all of them vaccinated and have boosters every year,but my next door neighbour has a cat and its 14 and was only vaccinated as a kitten and then had 1 booster and has not had any since

I have mine done each year- have the main two and leukemia:thumbsup:
mine don't go out so i'm perhaps being paranoid but better safe than sorry!

We have never had ours vaccinated the eldest is 9 and we have 4 cats.Neither has my Mother she has had cats for the last 25years not one of them got flu or leukemia but 2 got hit by cars and cost hundreds in vet bills at her peak she had 12 cats running around the house.

We have just had our kittens vaccinated it is a good thing, if your cat was to be bitten by another cat the possibilties are they may get feline cat leukemia, I had a white kitten that did have FCL but we did not know untill she had her first injections, it was really upseting she started to go blind, kept missing the cat tray, and started to lose her balance. All this was brought on much quicker because of the injection.

i seem to recall a discussion concerning an article in a veterinary journal several years ago in which it was implied that vaccinations every year were nothing other than revenue generators for the companies that make them and the vets that dispense them (except the initial ones, and then at intervals of several years). nb it wasn't an article backed by evidence, and was based solely on the opinions of the author. i'm inclined to agree with it, though.

I guess part of the problem is 'how often is several years' for the boosters?

I've been a bit slipshod with mine - once I waited 15 months for the booster - and I guess that saying 'booster each year' whilst making more money does at least ensure that the boosters get applied!

yes cats should be vaccinated, now on the other hand,have you ever tried to give a cat a pill? :loopy:

1 Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2 Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3 Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

4 Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5 Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

6 Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7 Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered Doulton figurines from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8 Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9 Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10 Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11 Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw tee-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12 Call fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap.

13 Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed, force cat's mouth open with small wrench. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet mignon. Hold head vertically and pour ½ pint of water down throat to wash pill down.

14 Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture store on way home to order new table. :hihi:

i seem to recall a discussion concerning an article in a veterinary journal several years ago in which it was implied that vaccinations every year were nothing other than revenue generators for the companies that make them and the vets that dispense them (except the initial ones, and then at intervals of several years). nb it wasn't an article backed by evidence, and was based solely on the opinions of the author. i'm inclined to agree with it, though.
Yes, I agree with this and it's the choice I made. All my various cats have lived or are living happy and healthy lives free from lurgies.
Only the initial ones are needed, after that it's all money making on the soft human heart to alleviate their even softer pockets of their hard earned cash.

thanks for all your answers very intresting to know what other people do

I almost lost my moggy to cat flu when he was a kitten so vaccination is a good thing.

Appolo, that is SO funny and so true :thumbsup:

I have mine done each year- have the main two and leukemia:thumbsup:
mine don't go out so i'm perhaps being paranoid but better safe than sorry!

Just like mine! But then you wouldn't find a decent cattery that would take unvaccinated cats so its worth it if you ever have to put them in 'jail' for a bit. :thumbsup:

If you ever intend to put your cat in a cattery you will need evidence of them being vaccinated. Including up to date boosters.

Mathom we're synchronised!

My Sydney (now deceased) was vaccinated against everything he could be, but within six months he had both, Cat AIDs and Cat Leukemia

My Sydney (now deceased) was vaccinated against everything he could be, but within six months he had both, Cat AIDs and Cat Leukemia
Cat Aids,how do they catch that:confused:

Cat Aids,how do they catch that:confused:

From fighting I believe.

Cat Aids,how do they catch that:confused:

It's passed in the same ways as HIV- exchange of body fluids, which in cats usually involves sex, or fights over which cat gets to have sex with other cats.

The infection rate of both FIV and Feline Leukaemia Virus (passed by the same way) is thought to be the major cause of death currently with feral toms. This is one VERY strong reason for having cats neutered or spayed.

Unneutered house toms will encounter stronger, meaner and better conditioned feral toms whilst out looking for lady cats. Fighting will pass on FIV and FeLV.

Unspayed queens are more likely to meet feral toms when in season because the feral toms have already beaten the crap out of the nice house toms to get them out of the way. A different route of infection, but just as deadly- and any resultant kittens will be born infected and die within the first few months of life.

There is a vaccination available against FeLV, but that obviously has no chance of preventing an infection if they have already been exposed (as it sounds was most likely in Olliekitten's Sydney's case). There is no vaccination against FIV, and there is no treatment for the resultant illnesses caused by either virus.

Does anyone know - Ziggy has the jags for staying at the catteries - the booster one, cant remember what it covers, he doesnt have the leukemia jab. Is the leukemia jab a once of, or does it need doing every year?

He doesnt go out either, so is this jab necessary?

Something to bear in mind.

As a boarding cattery we regularly have to turn down emergency requests due a lack of vaccination. Some people have come to us with genuine heartbreaking stories and though we wanted to help lack of vaccination made it impossible.

Hi Sarah,

don't think our cats have the leukaemia jab

Hi

I have 3 cats and vaccinated all mine wen they were kittens but i havent done them since, they are 5 and 4.

I think it's only important in terms of cattery's?? I could be wrong but i think as with dogs they only accept cats with full vaccination records??

x

Hi
I think it's only important in terms of cattery's?? I could be wrong but i think as with dogs they only accept cats with full vaccination records??
x

And as I've said we regularly get desperate people needing care for their cats... without vaccinations certs we cannot help.

I inherited a beautiful cat when some friends of mine emigrated.

They left him unneutered and unvaccinated, when I got him he was four and I insisted he was neutered as a condition of taking him on.

I found out within 18 months that he had FeLV and FiV which slowly took him over the next two years. In the last few months the vet bills were £30-£40 a week and that was in the 1990's.

I discovered that a cat vaccinated against leukemia subsequently exposed to a cat with the disease becomes fully resistant to it because my other cat was exposed to this cat but was vaccinated at the time. She went on to live another 9 years after he died.

I always vaccinate cats against 'flu, enteritis and leukemia although some vets say they don't need the leukemia jab if they are indoors only. The first two are absolutely necessary for any cattery stays and I would hate any of my furry mates to suffer from any of these illnesses.

Regards

L.

when i first got my cat he had what i thought were all his jabs but apparently he only had 1 & was ment to go back for the other but the vet never mentioned this to me.

when i got a card through the door for his booster a year later & i took him back he had the other jab that he should have had so many weeks after the first one.

then a year later after that & another card for booster. i took him & the vet explained about the above & gave me the option of having them both reboosted this time round or just have the jab which catterys look for & have the other in 4 years or so. if that makes any sence to you all.

Sounds like the vets cocked up a bit there!

I have always had my animals vaccinated after seeing first hand Parvo in dogs and Flu, Leukemia in cats and the suffering is terrible to witness.

I also agree with Babychickens though in the fact that an animal should not have to have a yearly booster to top up the vaccine. This is too much, and I believe it is a money making scam. It has been argued that a 2yearly booster is adaquate but vets wont do this...suprise suprise.