Is it really necessary to keep vaccinating my 18 yr old girl?

[StillMedusa]

Portia has had her jabs every single year for the last 18 years. But now she is a house cat who spends 75% of her day asleep and the other 25% slapping me (this is not new!)
I have decided not to use a cattery when I take my family camping this summer. Obie's other woman is going to come and feed them all, as Ophie hates the cattery and refuses to eat. So Portia doesn't need her jabs for that.
Occasionally she totters out into the back garden and sleep in a plant pot. That's it. The other two are jabbed up yearly and no plan to change but I have been reading info online which suggests it is NOT necessary to vaccinate yearly, and as she is an old girl, slow kidney failure and slightly demented I feel it's pretty unlikely she will be exposed to anything.

Can anyone advise me? She hates the vets so much and it stresses her horribly so she refuses to eat and pees all round the house after every visit.

[NormHonal]

Watching with interest as I am cross with the cattery for insisting on the jabs although our old girl sounds even less active than yours.

[Toddlerteaplease]

If she's definitely not going to go to a cattery then I probably would t bother.

[Bananarama12]

I didn't think vaccinations were supposed to be given unless the animal was in good health anyway. But no, I wouldn't bother.

[Pebblespony]

I don't think I'd bother in your case either.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

You need to weigh up the risks:
Leukaemia viral disease tends to be a disease of young cats as it is passed on in body fluids so most likely contracted during fighting. Protection last approx 1 year.
Panleucopaenia viral disease passed on by faeco-oral route so most most commonly direct cat to cat contact or contaminated faeces. Protection lasts 3 years.
Calici and herpes virus (flu) viral disease passed on by aerosol route can be carried on clothing. Protection only last a year. Middle aged healthy cats recover well, disease is most severe in very old and very young.
With the modern cat vaccines it is entirely possible to vaccinate against the three groups individually so I will often just vaccinate elderly cats against calici and herpes.
The bars to vaccination are active infectious disease or immunosuppressive drug treatment. Kidney disease does not affect the efficacy of vaccinations.

[StillMedusa]

Thank you Lonecat I shall investigate whether I can get her the cat flu singly. I certainly don't want her to be at risk, but I feel she is at very little risk of anything (she doesn't share a litter tray even as the other two don't use it).
I need to take her for a manicure (she may be old and frail but cutting her nails is not something I attempt!) so I'll ask then!