To keep vaccinating my two old cats

[risotto]

My two cats are 17 years old and I've had them vaccinated every year. They are due their annual vaccinations, but as they are both needing for veterinary attention as they get older, I half feel I don't want to put them through another visit - although Lottie will now let me pill her, she's really started struggling with the vet and nurses and Toby has always been one for putting up a fight with them (and us). Toby now has CKD and is having a couple of good days, so I want to give him the chance to build himself up if I can - both of them have been a bit quiet for a couple of days following vaccinations in recent years and I think it takes it out of them.

What would you do? Leave them be, or get them vaccinated?

[Janey]

We adopted our first cats from kittens, they were always vaccinated. Then we only adopted old cats, most over 15 and still vaccinated. All our cats were off it for a day or two. We didn’t go on holidays, and our vet eventually said she wouldn’t bother vaccinating them if she were us. We now have a younger cat of 7 (since she demanded she move in with us a couple of years ago ) and we have had her vaccinated. We expected the usual off it for a day or so, but it was much worse, we nearly thought we were losing her as she had a bad reaction. So, my vet said they’d put an alert on her notes and next year (this year) they would split them into two doses. However, I am actually dreading it, but she needs them as she will be going in a cattery when we go away for a few days on and off this year. If she reacts again the I will not have her vaccinated any more, and I will have to either ask my vet for a note to give the cattery, or sort something else out. But in answer to your question, I probably wouldn’t bother vaccinating at that age again, although it would either mean going back to no holidays or sorting alternative arrangements.

[booktigger]

Do you need to put them in a cattery?

[meriad]

Do you need to put them in a cattery?

That, and pet insurance are the only two reasons I'd keep vaccinating older cats; because without many catteries won't accept a cat and without many insurances become invalid.


I vaccinated my old girl Molly right to the end (she was 21) but that was because I had younger cats in the house and wanted to make sure that everyone was protected from everyone; so for me it just felt the safer options. But had I not adopted the younger ones, I wouldn't have continued with them

I think there are two schools of though on this but I stand open to correction....

• - Once a cat has had vaccinations and boosters for a continuous period of 10 years they've got all the immunity they can get; boosters won't increase it.
  - Many vets now agree that a three yearly booster vs the annual one provides adequate cover... but again this brings up possible cattery and insurance issues

[booktigger]

It would only affect your insurance if they developed a condition that could have been prevented by vaccinations

[wanderingstorm]

I live in the Midwest US and I was advised a few years ago by my vet that I didn't need to vaccinate/booster my elderly cat so long as she wasn't going outside or coming into contact with un-vaccinated cats. I guess it would depend on the laws in your area and as another post said, the rules of any boarding places or if you have pet insurance that requires it. I stopped vaccinating my old girl but my younger girl still gets her boosters.