Does my 12-year-old indoor cat still need vaccines and deworming?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is great that you decided to get your cat fixed! To be considered fully vaccinated, she will need at least a rabies vaccine, FRCP vaccine, and I recommend an FeLV vaccine for outdoor cats. These are all potentially deadly or extremely common viruses that cats can get from each other or wildlife such as raccoons. Although your cat is indoor only, there is a risk that she may run away and be exposed. I recommend having her microchipped and wear a collar in case this happens so that the two of you can be reunited. She should also be on monthly flea control, even f she is only indoors to prevent flea infestations.

Yes, I would recommend giving this vaccine on a regular basis, even though Gracie does not go outside. These are highly contagious and serious viruses that can be transmitted easily - even if Gracie is laying by an open window and a stray cat is outside. Depending upon the vaccine manufacturer's labeling claims, this vaccine may be given every 1 or 3 years. Since she does not go outside, feline leukemia vaccines (FeLV) are likely unnecessary unless she has a housemate cat that does go outside, or you plan to introduce a feline leukemia positive cat to your household.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Yes dewormers can be purchased online. I’d deworm every 6 months if the cats go outside. See the link below on the kind I like. I recommend the FVRCP vaccine as well as the rabies. If Kitty never received this vaccine then he needs two 3-4 weeks apart. The 2nd is good for 1 year the all subsequent are good for 3 years. Have a good day! https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3464 https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=1268

I have attached the most recent recommendations from the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) below. https://www.catvets.com/guidelines/practice-guidelines/feline-vaccination Their general recommendation is to repeat the FVRCP vaccination every 3-4 weeks until a kitten reaches 16 weeks of age, then booster it 1 year later, then every 3 years after that. Unfortunately, we do not have enough data to give better recommendations than that. Injection site sarcomas have dramatically decreased over the last 15 years since we have made some changes to our vaccinations and vaccination schedules. The kidney issues are more likely due to chronic mild dehydration. There is some concern that the FVRCP vaccinations are grown on renal cell cultures, but I am unaware of any good research in that area. As far as FeLV vaccination, the AAFP generally does not recommend continuing to vaccinate indoor only cats who do not have a risk of exposure with FeLV vaccination. And Rabies vaccination is dictated by local or state laws, so if you live in an area that legally requires Rabies every year, you should comply with that. The bottom line is that we try to protect all cats from as many infectious diseases as possible, but try to use the most recent research and the lifestyle of the cat to help determine which vaccines to give and how frequently to give them. I hope that was helpful and answers your questions. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi, Vaccination as an adult cat who is not strictly indoors is annually so if she had her shots in Sep she is covered till Sep 2019 . Deworming is recommended every 3 months so she may be due that by now from her vet. And anti flea treatment is also recommended routinely, the frequency of application depends on the product used. Hope that helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there, if Gabriella is an adult cat, she world need the rabies and fvrcp combo given once, then boostered after 12mths. That second dose would likely be good for 3yrs. If she is a kitten, we recommend boosting the fvrcp every 2-4wks until she's 16wks old. The risk for felv increases if she's ever in contact with other cats eg. If neighbors cats come into your yard, or she goes to a boarding facility. If that is the case, she should get the felv (leukemia) vaccine. After the initial 2 doses, felv should be boosted annually. I hope this helps - I can offer a consult if you would like more specific recommendations.

I would have her vaccinated at least once and checked by your veterinarian to make sure everything is all right and she does have any health issue. Basic vaccination would include RCP (herpesvirus, calicivirus and panleucopenia virus) and FeLV (leukemia virus). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.