Preventative care for your pets is the best way to keep them fit and healthy so they can live a long and happy life. In Australia, it is becoming more and more popular to keep your cat contained overnight or even 24 hours a day. Cats are known as crepuscular, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk and will sleep for most of the day. Cats naturally are more active at night as their prey is most active at night also, so they may spend a lot of time outside. Cats can become a nuisance when they roam the suburbs at night, caterwauling, urine spraying and fighting, which is also how many of the feline diseases are spread. Domesticated cats are estimated to kill hundreds of millions of native Australian animals each year when they roam outdoors. We know you love your cat and that’s why cat enclosures with indoor-outdoor access can be a great alternative to keep your cat safe from injury etc.
Contained cats live longer, healthier lives, and because the risk of accidents, disease and injury is reduced when they don’t go outside, there will be less need to visit the vets and have to pay emergency vet fees. So if the cats are not mixing on the streets, do indoor cats need shots?
Infectious Diseases
There are various feline vaccinations available and which ones your cat needs will depend on their lifestyle habits and the area you live in. The vaccines are commonly referred to as F3, F4 and F5 and protect against some or all of the following infectious diseases: feline panleukopenia (feline parvovirus), feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, chlamydophila felis and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV). The Australian Veterinary Association, along with the Vaccination Guideline Group, recommends that vaccines be defined as core and non-core, and F3 vaccines are considered core vaccines that should be administered to all cats to protect them against severe and life-threatening diseases. The F3 vaccine will protect your cat against the herpesvirus, calicivirus and panleukopenia, the other vaccines are considered non-core, and your veterinarian will let you know if they think it is necessary to give them. Chlamydia is only a problem in some shelters and breeders, and the risk of infection from FELV is based on your geographical location, the local environment and the lifestyle of your feline friend. If you’re unsure about which vaccinations your cat needs, consult your local vet for shots for cats.
My Cat Never Sees Another Cat, So Does It Still Need A Vaccine?
If you and your cat lived solely in a sterile environment, your feline friend wouldn’t be at any risk of picking up any infectious diseases. But infectious diseases can be picked up through either direct contact with other infected cats or contact with infected environments, so while your cat may not go outside, viruses and bacteria can still be carried home on shoes, clothes or through the air. And however healthy your indoor cat is, he or she will still need to leave the house on occasion, either to visit the vet or maybe to stay in a cattery or another house if you have to go away. Do indoor cats need vaccines then? The answer is yes, for their own protection, and most kittens that are adopted from a shelter or registered breeder have already been given their first injection, so it is highly recommended to continue the vaccine schedule and provide them with full protection against some of those potentially life-threatening diseases. Being vaccinated means that if your cat did become infected with a virus their immune system would be better able to deal with the disease and they would make a much swifter recovery. Even though the risk of an indoor cat contracting any infectious diseases is lower, compared to outdoor cats, it is still recommended to administer an F3 booster every 12 months. Check with your local veterinary clinic to see what vaccines your cat requires. At Vets of Geelong, we provide expert feline care, including vaccinations tailored to your cat’s needs. Book a consultation today to ensure your cat stays protected and healthy.
