Why do I have to vaccinate my indoor cat?

“We were carrying groceries in and the cat ran out.”

“The realtor showed our house and our cat escaped through an open door.”

“We wanted an indoor cat but this kitten was definitely an outdoor cat.”

cat-sleeping.001Vaccines provide our pets with the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives. Vaccines allow veterinary professionals to vaccinate against potentially life threatening diseases such as rabies, Feline leukemia, and panleukopenia. A common question that we get asked is “Why do I need to vaccinate my cat if they are indoor only?” There are several reasons to vaccine an indoor pet.  Your kitten may start out as an indoor pet, but you may quickly come to the realization that the cat wants to go out all the time.  Also, we have had several clients whose cats have accidently gotten out through no fault of the own.  Cats that stay indoors can also be exposed to infectious diseases. For example, panleukopenia infection in cats is a potentially fatal and spread through contact with bodily fluids such as urine and feces. Panleukopenia can live in the environment such as bedding, food bowls, toys, litter boxes and other items for a long time. So if a cat owner is exposed to a cat or items in the environment contaminated with infection and fail to change clothes or wash hands they can spread the infection to their indoor cat without even realizing it. Not only do vaccinations protect your pet but you are creating a safer environment for you, your family, friends, community and other pets.