Do pet cats need to be vaccinated? The short answer to this question is yes. If that was all you needed to know, the rest of this article is perhaps meaningless and you should go immediately to your veterinarian to get the annual shot for your cat right now. However, for those of you still unsure of whether or not you should get your cat vaccinated, I have a little story for you that may help round up your emotions to make a good decision.
Imagine little Fluffy running through the forest. Out of nowhere, a feral cat attacks little Fluffy. Little Fluffy seems fine and you do not take him to the veterinarian. A year passes and Fluffy decides to bite your next-door neighbor’s child because Fluffy did not like his tail being pulled. Because Fluffy was not vaccinated, little Fluffy, regardless of who’s fault it was, will probably be put down because he did not get his vaccination.
The truth is that all states require rabies vaccinations by law. The first rabies vaccination is good for one year, and in many other states, subsequent vaccinations are sometimes good for three years; however this is not in all states.
The best place to find out this information is to call up your local veterinarian to determine the legal requirements in your locality. Vaccinating your pet for rabies may literally save its life. As you may know, rabies is a threat in many areas and it is a terrible disease. An unvaccinated pet that bites a human being, even by accident, is subject to long quarantine periods or even death. This is for the purpose of testing for a rabies infection.
In order to ensure that your pet’s life is not at risk, you need to find out about the vaccinations available for cats. You must also consider the habits of your cat to determine its risk of exposure to other cats that may get it infected. For instance, if you have an indoor cat that is either by itself, or with only one other indoor cat, the odds of your cat being exposed to a situation that would allow it to contract rabies is pretty remote.
An outdoor cat is a completely different story. Cats that roam the yard freely are more than likely going to encounter other cats on a daily or weekly basis. Whether you see them or not has no bearing whatsoever on whether or not your cat is being exposed to potentially dangerous animals. Therefore, using common sense, and if you really do love your cat, you should definitely make an appointment today to vaccinate your cat against rabies and other diseases such as Feline leukemia, Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, and Chlamydiosis.
In conclusion, it is prudent that you find out how to get your cat vaccinated as soon as possible. Although many of the vaccinations, over time, may last longer than one year, it is probably a good idea to get your cat vaccinated on a regular basis - your veterinarian will assist in the scheduling. Also, even if you do not have to get a vaccination every year, it is a good idea to take your cat in for an annual checkup. Many potential problems can be detected early and treated or prevented. Regular health checkups will give your cat a happier, longer life.
