How many of you do boosters for your cats ?

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I expect a number of strong responses to this question. How many do yearly boosters after the initial kitten jabs?

Not had the cats vaccinated since they were small. They are farm cats which never see any other cats. Any that stray into their territory get chased off pretty quickly

I don’t have a cat but my sister’s cat was diagnosed with a sarcoma cancer and died and this was due to the booster. It’s not terribly common as I understand it but boosters aren’t necessarily a good thing. She had to have her pts.

I have an old dog who was several times been thought to be on his last legs and the vet told us not to bother with his boosters unless we wanted him to go to a kennel (we didn’t). He got worked up about them, hates the vets and doesn’t go far due to arthritis. The vet told us that older animals have built an immunity so it’s not 100% cover but still good protection. I assume this would be the same with cats.

Mine lapsed when there was a cat vaccine shortage a couple of years ago and I’ve not bothered since.

they don’t go to batteries, always a cat sitter, and are indoor cats.

i really need to look properly but I think there’s a growing theory that most vaccines will last more than a year- humans don’t get vaccinated yearly after all.

no insurance. I have a savings account I pay the premium into for emergencies.

I do. It’s part of the plan I’m on and it includes a health check and flea/worm treatments. They are London cats that go outside.

Yes. My cat gets two annual jabs.
A 4 in 1, and another jab for FIV.

Our vet clinic travels and makes home visits over one week of the year - to vaccinate horses, dogs and cats.
We phone to register, and there is a discount too.

Yes every year (unless his congenital illness has him too sick to get them, which was the case one year. He had them as soon as he was well enough).

Mines never had any. Never had his kitten jabs either... He's about to turn 17.

Yep, always vax annually - outdoor cats plus they stay at a cattery when we go away. Less efficient with fleaing and worming. Vet says to do it monthly which my totally unqualified opinion feels is too much, so I do it approx quarterly.

All our rescues had the initial vaccine then no others. All lived into late teens.

Not vaccinated since a kitten. He is 17 the vet doesn't even mention about having them. Neutered, microchiped and flea treatment. At one time didn't go to the vets for10 years. Very healthy All my other cats were the same and lived very long lives. All outside cats

I have a dog & the only reason I continue with his boosters is because they can invalidate his pet insurance if I don’t . If I didn’t have pet insured then i wouldn’t after initial jabs

I do it for the 2 younger ones but not the oldest. She's ancient and frail now, but still clinging on. I think the trauma of a vet's visit will finish her off.

Yes I do. Outdoor cat. I got the Vax for life deal at £99 and he gets an annual check up and vaccinations under that deal. Bargain!

No insurance on the other hand and even though he's had an eye removed he has still cost us far less than the monthly premiums plus excess would have been.

Not making anything up. Looking after the health of your pets is the absolute minimum. If you don’t prioritise that then I bet you don’t neuter either.

All yearly boosters do is look after the health of vets' and insurers' profit margins. They are not necessary for the pets, and overloading them with medications can be worse for their health.

We do do an annual MOT including boosters for our cats. To be honest though this is just through habit. The only exception to this was one previous cat of ours who had a lump develop at the injection site when he was about 17. I raised a concern with the vet and he told us not to continue - he lasted to 20 quite happily without them.
We only flea and worm treat as a cure rather than as a preventative. Despite the cats all going outside and being hunters we have had no fleas since 2019. Not buying any flea treatment for 6 years has saved a significant amount of money 😁.

I do them even though my garden is cat proofed. I think it would invalidate my pet insurance not to have them wouldn't it - or is that just if they get something that could have been vaccinated for?

However one of the cats does have a tendency to get checked in to the vets regularly so I wonder whether there is some risk of picking something up there?

The only way my cat would pick up cat flu or anything else is at the vet as she’s an indoor cat. I still do boosters but think it’s unnecessary for that reason. They don’t go to catteries we have a sitter.

No, we don't, except DH got two of them done by mistake. It's a long story and I was furious.

Er no. Vaccinations prevent cats contracting serious illnesses.

OP's question wasn't "should cats be vaccinated?" (yes), it was "do they need annual boosters?" (no).

I did this for my three. Means they get an annual check up as well 😊

Vet tells me most people don't get yearly boosters.
Previously we got them for 2 young cats & not for the old (age 12+) cat. Old Cat didn't get out much.

Current cats are on an annual programme which includes prescription flea meds, which was only way we could get the fleas under control. And the annual jabs.

I don't have strong opinions about whether other people vaccinate their pets.

Even the BVA guidelines suggest a minimum of 3 years between boosters for dogs so not vaccinating annually does not make some* *irresponsible.

Yes up until last year, she’s nearly 19 and the vet said there’s no need anymore. She doesn’t go outside or come into contact with other animals. But yes every year before that, I worked in an animal shelter.