The vet called my husband today (who’s only just told me now 🤭) to remind him that our girl’s boosters are due by the 1st of June. I’m planning on calling back tomorrow to have a chat with her obviously, but I’d like to get some opinions first.
Last time I had my puss vaccinated, she ended up losing a lot of fur on her neck (near where the jab was given) about a week later, and started licking herself until she bled. This was during the first lockdown and our vet at the time didn't seem to think it was an emergency (according to him, everything is always down to grain-free kibble anyway—we’ve changed vets since then), so we still don't know exactly what it was.
It cleared up eventually, though we aren't sure why as we tried several things: Feliway in case it was stress, a recovery suit to stop her scratching, and coconut oil followed by green clay on the bald patches. We took her little suit off once the fur had grown back a few millimetres and it was fine after that, but the whole thing lasted at least two months.
So, I’m terrified it’ll happen again with the vaccine! Plus, I can’t help thinking that yearly boosters seem like a lot, don't they? I studied the immune system a bit during my degree (well, for humans—I'm sure there are differences), and it seems unlikely to me that a vaccine would only be effective for a year, unless the strain changes...
Just for context: Since last August, Lilith has gone from being an indoor-only cat to a house cat with garden access. She goes out a bit (about an hour and a half in the evening, if she asks) but only if the weather is nice (she’s a proper princess XD), so she doesn't go out at all from the start of November until spring. Also, she doesn't like other cats, so she runs away if she sees one...
I'd like to at least space the jabs out to every two years—what do you think? What do you lot do? What do your vets say?
Translated from French
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Thanks for the replies, everyone! Courgette and canne A Pêche, do you think all vets do these tests? How much did the titre testing cost you? ^^
Not all vets do them because they have to invest in a batch of tests that they aren't sure they'll use up, and others just stick to routine vaccinations without worrying about anything else.
It involves a blood test that the vet will test with a kit in a few minutes.
It costs me about £35 per cat.
(Keep in mind that the cost of the vaccine might be added on top if it's necessary.)
I completely agree with Courgette et canne à pêche; a vaccination every three years is more than enough. With the backing of all the vets I’ve had, I’ve never done yearly vaccinations, except for once when there was an outbreak of panleukopenia. I got my cats a booster then, but you don't need to restart the whole primary course – that's just an urban myth. If I went to get my cats jabbed tomorrow after more than four years without one, my vet wouldn't redo the whole protocol, just a single booster. She’s also against over-vaccinating because it taxes the immune system. Actually, France is the only country that still does annual boosters, even though they were supposedly meant to align with everyone else and switch to every three years.
Any vet should be able to do titre testing, as it’s just a blood test sent to a lab. Depending on the vet and the lab, it costs around £45, or maybe a bit more depending on the specific checks requested.
If needed, go through a vet or a lab that does titre testing to avoid unnecessary vaccination.
After 4 years, I haven't had to give my two cats any boosters (this is just an example, don't draw any conclusions from it).
It doesn't cost any less because of the price of the tests, but on the other hand, you aren't injecting vaccines and their adjuvants left, right and centre.
If you’re thinking of vaccinating, make sure you stick to the dates (it’ll save you having to start the whole course all over again).
Personally, I don’t get my cats vaccinated. Whenever I move house and see a new vet, they ask the question and just take it on board; I’ve never had a vet actually tell me I had to do it. (The same goes for adult dogs; I stopped vaccinating them once I stopped travelling.) (I’ve only ever had one sick cat, and he was an older rescue who was FIV positive.)
Maybe I’m wrong, and maybe my pets are riddled with viruses.
One of my girls is allergic to all sorts, and with my other cat, I can’t get him into a carrier without the risk of him hurting himself or doing a runner, so there we are...
(A reassuring read: https://fr.yummypets.com/mag/2015/06/22/4790/vaccination-frequente-animaux — I had to put a couple of spaces in the middle of the address to get the forum to accept it, so you’ll obviously need to remove them if you want to follow the link.)
Good evening,
For a cat that goes outdoors, the annual booster is essential. They don't even need to actually come across another cat; simply stepping in some urine and then grooming themselves is enough. That's all it takes for them to catch feline infectious enteritis or cat flu, not to mention what gets brought in on the soles of their owners' shoes. As for feline leukaemia (FeLV), that requires an exchange of saliva between cats, which is always a risk when a cat goes out.
For indoor cats that never go outside, certain brands of vaccine can be administered every three years.
Cat vaccines aren't really comparable to human ones. It's great if some unvaccinated cats stay healthy, but you should know they are in the minority. From my time volunteering at a rescue, we saw cats every day that were essentially doomed by diseases that vaccines would have easily prevented.
Right, well I’ll see what she says tomorrow… As for giving the jab in a different spot, there’s not much point if that’s what caused the hair loss; she’d probably just lick herself raw somewhere else instead…
I didn’t mention it, but I’m having a bit of a mental struggle with it because when I first got Lilith, I did want to get her vaccinated just to be safe, even though it’s not what I’m used to. My parents’ cats aren't vaccinated (they’re just microchipped and neutered) and they live outdoors, barely coming in even to eat, and—a stroke of luck, I’m sure—they’re never ill! And yet they fiercely defend their territory from other cats and even dogs. Compared to my girl, who barely goes over the garden wall into the orchard next door, the risks aren’t really the same…
Anyway, I’m not talking about not vaccinating at all in my case, but after a year, a vaccine should surely still be effective. We don’t get vaccinated every single year as humans! Animal cells can’t exactly renew themselves completely (to the point where the vaccine stops working) quite that fast, can they?
It’s just my opinion, but I think there’s a massive difference between an indoor cat and one that goes outside. For an indoor cat, I’d also have my doubts about whether yearly boosters are really necessary, even though there are still risks indoors—especially since we humans go out and can bring viruses back home with us.
On the other hand, I really wouldn't take any chances with a cat that goes outdoors. There are far too many diseases doing the rounds, and catfights can lead to some really serious illnesses.
Anyway, I’m no expert, but for me:
Indoor cat = yearly jabs are up for debate
Outdoor cat = annual vaccinations are a must because the risk is just too high.
Evening,
Booster vaccinations need to be done every year, or at least that’s what my vet recommends.
Some of the diseases cats are vaccinated against can be fatal, so I personally wouldn’t take any chances... Besides, your cat goes outdoors, and even if she doesn’t meet other cats, she can still come into contact with plenty of viruses or germs on the ground, in the leaves, and so on.
If you're worried about a reaction at the injection site, you could perhaps ask for the jab to be given in a different spot.
