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?

Always. Cattery won’t take him without and it’s a condition of his insurance. Even if this wasn’t the case I’d still get them done.

As a teenager, we had a cat who stopped getting her boosters (on the vet's advice) because she had a barely-controlled very serious skin condition that was aggravated by just about anything. She was a cat who liked to be out and about so perhaps it's not a surprise that she eventually caught FeLV and died at only 12. This wasn't my decision and I don't really know the ins-and-outs of it but nowadays my pets always receive all relevant boosters. To me, it's basic animal welfare. Plus the vet fees, if they catch one of those diseases, would far outweigh the cost of the vaccinations.

My vet recommends boosters every three years for indoor cats so we do that. Insurers can’t use non-compliance with an unrelated policy term to repudiate a claim, so you’re only invalidating cover for conditions which the vaccine would have protected againsf

Cat sitter here. I won’t take on a clients unless the cat is either fully vaccinated or has had a recent health check with a vet. Ditto flea and worm treatments (vet strength, not the awful stuff you buy over the counter at pet shops or supermarkets which is completely ineffective.) I visit multiple cats every day can’t risk transmission between households.

In thirty plus years of owning around a dozen cats including 5 at once, all were chipped and neutered but never vaccinated, they pretty much lived to at least 16 years of age and pretty much were extremely healthy each one.
They were fed pure meat or cat food that had minimum 90% meat in it, which I believe helped with their longevity.

Yes. My current cat, previous cat, previous cat, previous cat. All vaccinated. It's protection. Plus cattery requires to see her vax card every time she stays. Plus they've all been indoor /outdoor cats.

I am aware that the price of boosters has crept over the years. I think £60 currently where I go. Luckily I paid £90 for vaccinations for life at Easipet Care in 2017 so I pay nothing each year.

I have 3 house cats, all vaccinated, mainly because it would invalidate their insurance otherwise and also they all had vac 4 life so its all paid for anyway

I’ve always vaccinated my cats and I’ve owned cats for over 40 years. However, my oldest cat (she was 14 at the time) had a really bad neurological reaction to her last set of jabs. I was advised by my vet to only give her one of the jabs (can’t remember which one), once every 3 years. She also doesn’t have the spot on flea or wormer now and I have to contact my vet if she gets fleas and they will provide something else. She doesn’t go out much now (she’s almost 17 now) so I’m not too worried and my two other cats continue to have all their jabs/flea/worm treatments each year.

Yep, same

Have had cats all my life and all have lived to good old age. My first was a pedigree, but since then all have been rescues or farm cats. All have been free roaming - my current rescue is a true hunter who also loves his home comforts!

Moved abroad in my thirties and took my second cat with me. Initially always had annual boosters but was told by my excellent Australian vet that, in fact, cats do build up an immunity after several years of vaccinations and that post 7/8 years old they really don't need them annually any longer. Since then have only done boosters if they may need to go to cattery as understandably this is a requirement. They have all however had an annual vet check, are regularly wormed and treated for fleas/ticks and insured.

We are on a pet plan with our vets which covers boosters, flea and worming treatments and a check up every six months. We make a monthly payment. I think it's important to keep on top of these things, they can't tell us what's wrong and we choose to keep them as pets so that's part of the responsibility.

Eveey year

We have 2 cats. The 17 year old is chipped and neutered but we no longer vaccinate him or insure him (did up until about 3 years ago). If anything happened, he’s lived a long life and we’d put to sleep rather than put him through any invasive treatment.

The 4 year old cat was probably one of the last to get the Vaccinate4Life from Vets4Pets before ours stopped doing it so he’s chipped, neutered, insured and vaccinated.

We don’t flea or worm preventatively though, never have. Litter tray is checked every time we scoop it and we’ve never had fleas in 17 years of cat ownership (luck I know) but we would just treat if they catch them.

We also have a pet care plan with the vets that covers boosters, six monthly check ups, worming and flea treatments. We also get discounted vet treatment for anything else we need. It's not expensive, I think we pay £13 per month per cat.
I think, if there are cats outside that are not getting the boosters, it's even more important to keep my pets safe and healthy.

I paid the £100 for lifetime boosters so yes I get them every year

Mine is 12 this year and should have had her jabs last November. She doesn’t go to catteries (too stressful) so I have catsitters instead. She does go out but not far and hates other cats so unlikely to be in close proximity to them. She is insured, chipped and neutered but I have also stopped doing the flea/worm treatment on a monthly basis, partly because she doesn’t hunt and also because of environmental concerns, and instead will do it if needed.

I am of the opinion that despite having insurance, I would not put her through invasive and/or extensive treatments because she can’t consent and for me it’s about quality of life (plus being over 10, it’s now 20% excess and then a co-pay so I’m kind of wondering why I bother paying nearly £35/month. She has a heart murmur and the vet talked about treatment (expensive) but I think she would find the process extremely stressful and to what end? It’s not causing her any problems at the moment.

We rescued our cat 6 years ago and she was about 8 at the time. She isn’t insured and our neighbour feeds her when we go away. I take her for her “annual” injections about every 17 months, basically the point at which the text messages from the vet tell me that, unless I get the booster within the next few days, I have to start the whole process again. I do wonder if it is worth it as she hates the whole experience. However, it does mean the vet gives her a once over and I like the reassurance of knowing that there’s nothing wrong with her. She’s a very independent cat and, whilst she enjoys being stroked along her back, she doesn’t tolerate any other form of petting and definitely can’t be picked up (apart from once a year to put her in the cat carrier) so I worry that, unless she was so ill that her behaviour changed significantly, we might not notice she was ill.

I don't vaccinate my two boys - haven't for years, one gets stress related cystitis if so much as a leaf blows across the garden, so a trip to the vets is medical needs only. The other one had a seizure last time I took him for flea stuff and had to be rushed off into the back.

They're both old now, 18 & 16, although the 16 year old can still hunt exceptionally well.

My vets are really pragmatic about my 18 year old and have let me forward load the meds for the cystitis etc.

Flea treatment I take the 16 year old, hope he doesn't have a seizure and then buy 12 months of flea stuff and split it between them (only zap them once every 2-3 months too).

They are fab and healthy for their age and my neighbours look after them when I am away.

We don’t, but that’s on the vets advice.

Our vet has taken full responsibility for all of her vet fees because of the absolute cock up in spaying my cat (her mother) which led to this cat being born and needing hand reared and her mother and two other kittens dying. The vet doesn’t do boosters for her own cats so we’ve been happy to follow that with ours

I dont. Vet charges a fortune for it. She's insured for now but I think price will jump a lot soon as she hits 10. She's a very well looked after cat (neutered, chipped). Annual boosters never used to be a 'thing' and I think its overkill for a mog tbh.

I have a dog and never once has she had a yearly booster. Wasn't until the last few years I realised she had to have them after puppy injections. Shes 14 never been unwell at vets and walks miles and miles regularly. She's extremely fit for her age.

Yes, annually and 'flead and wormed regularly as per the schedule.

My cat isn’t insured and I don’t keep up with the injections, I vaguely remember her having them as a kitten though. She’s fit as a fiddle at the age of 13. I last took her the vets a few years ago about her teeth- it would work out more expensive to insure, I think ive taken her the vet about four times in her entire life. I keep on top of fleas and worms though as she loves to go out. She’s also been neutered a chipped etc.

I do. I have the healthy pet club subscription as well as pet insurance and it comes 2 check ups a year, annual boosters, flea and worm treatments and a few discounts on stuff.

She's 12 now and although she isnt keen on the car ride, she really likes getting to the vet. She has a wander round the room then gets into the scales 🤣 she knows the drill.

Always. I got my 11 year old rescue cat Elsa almost 2 years ago. She had her vaccinations done at the shelter and her booster last month. I had to give her a mild sedative beforehand as she freaks out! That[s easy as she loves fresh cream cheese.