Vaccinating older cats

[jaspercat2002]

I have two 13 year old cats that we have always had vaccinated yearly - both in good health but slowing down a bit. The last few times they have had their booster both (but one in particular) have been under the weather for a while afterwards and this seems to have got worse year on year.

They barely go outside now and don't come into contact with other cats so I am wondering whether its reasonable to decide not putting them through it is worth the risks. So much conflicting advice comes up in a google search. What have other people done?

I would still like them to have an annual health check even if we decide not to immunise - is any vet likely to do this or will they insist on vaccinations?

I didn't vaccinate my old cats from the age of 10. They didn't go out much and hated going to the vets, so I decided to risk it. They were fine, didn't catch anything. My colleague doesn't take her cats for their booster either, I think they're about 8.

Have you read what the vet Burns (maker of Burns cat food) says about vaccination ? He doesn't think boosters are necessary. Sorry, am on iPhone so can't link at present.

It is possible to alternate the vaccines so that one year they get a full booster and then next a 'half' booster as the panleucopaenia lasts 2 years.
Like older people older cats are much more vulnerable to flu and much more likely to be really ill with, so personally I feel older cats need their boosters more than fit healthy middle aged cats. We know that flu protection is 15 months at the most and the viruses can be easily carried on people's clothes.
The brand Purevax is an unadjuvented vaccine so has very few of the sleepy achy post vaccination cats that the other brands get so it could be worth searching this out.

Lone

I take it it's OK to just switch vaccines on that annual booster basis and you wouldn't have to start again with a course?

Yup it's fine to switch brands for boosters. In fact if you check the certificate of any cat over 8 they have almost certainly had more than 1 brand over the years.

Likely so. Thanks for that.

I haven't had ours done for a couple of years because she hates going anywhere in the car and especially to the vets. She gets really distressed, foaming at the mouth, vomiting and pooing. But what you said about flu makes me think maybe I should take her. She's nearly sixteen. It's a dilemma.

When Seniorboy came to me at 13, his vaccination history was so approximate/undocumented - in fact pretty well unknown since he was a kit - that I started again. He was fine with the new course and subsequent boosters.

He's always hated going to the vet (part of the reason for his non-attendance when he was with my Mom) but I just haul him up there and he's now used to it. Not his favourite thing but he now realizes that going to the vet doesn't mean anything more than that and he still gets to come home again. I treat it very matter of factly - no love words or cajoling or anything, just a sort of 'This is a job to be done so let's do it' sort of attitude.

Is your girl generally a nervous cat?

PS - I also like to have the vet having given him an annual MOT and, in the case of my own boy, done his bloods/urine etc. Not every cat will need the latter but having the vet see him and check him over is good in my book - sometimes a second pair of eyes can pick up things which you may not have noticed yourself, however well you think you know them.

Most of the vets I've been with have more or less thrown in a quick MOT with the cost of the vaccination/booster.

A good practice should include a full clinical examination with the vaccination. I may look like I am rubbing your cats head, but I am checking muscle tone, eyes, ears and lymph nodes. Running my hands over your cat not stroking checking for hyperaesthesia and any lumps and bumps. I would say around 25% of chronic renal failure and hyperthyroid cases that I have I pick up at vaccination.

Thank you all - thats really helpful. I will ask our vet about Purevax and the half booster.

Hmm, think we should maybe just bite the bullet and take ours as well.

cozietosie - yes she probably is quite nervous on the scale of things. She doesn't really go outside very much, or for very long if she does. I think it's going in the car she dislikes rather than any association with going to the vets.

I think that might be as well, OnaPromise. Not a whole lot you can do about car-hating (although some posters have had good results from leaving the cat carrier around and open in their living room during ordinary days so that their cats can become more accustomed to it) but from my experience, I'd definitely advise to treat it as a clinical exercise - no love words etc - and a rug or blanket draped over so that they feel a little more protected and safe.

A good taste treat and lots of love when you get home of course.

Best of luck.

Interested in this thread as I have a 13 year old rescue cat reserved (not yet homed with me as waiting for house move). Rescue centre advised not vaccinating as they say there is a high risk with elderly cats not surviving. They say older cats will have built up their own immunity. I am sorting out insurance but am in a quandary about vaccinations. Any advice much appreciated.

Rolly

You'll see Lonecat's view on the matter above. Personally, I would get them done although you might seek your vet's view on 'starting off' at that age as opposed to giving a booster.

As I said above, I started again with Seniorboy at the same age and he was fine. Admittedly, that's only a sample of one cat.

Check your potential insurance provider as well. I would be surprised if your insurance remained valid in the event of non vaccination. (It's not impossible but insurance companies being what they are......)

I would be very dubious of a rescue that is not vaccinating. IME regardless of age it is standard for rescue cats to be fully vaccinated when they are rehomed. When I adopted my last cat even though I was a vet and would vaccinate her straight away she wasn't allowed to leave until she was vaccinated.

Cozie, Lone, the vaccination history is unknown for him. I will get him checked by a vet. I would like an MOT health check done as you mentioned and I'll get some advice about vaccinations. I was worried when they said older cats don't survive vaccinations. Many thanks for your advice. He won't be joining me till end Nov beginning of Dec but I'll keep you updated.

Rolly in my career I have had a single vaccine anaphylaxis to vaccination and as a result of that had an extensive discussion with the vaccine company. The very rare deaths due to anaphylaxis at vaccination are almost exclusively in young cats and the vast majority of these cats are found to have a pre-existing cardiomyopathy. So actually it is incredibly rare to have a post vaccination problem with older cats. It is enormously common to find other disease at the vaccination consult that may lead to further investigations.

That's reassuring, Lone. For myself, I've always had my boys vaccinated and they've never had a serious adverse reaction. And as you said, the vaccination consult has on the rare occasion identified a problem in other ways. (The Lodger had a potential dental problem for example which required pre-emptive action.)

I was also a bit quizzical about the rescue not vaccinating. I'm imagining - say - that the rescue might be a smaller one which had one forceful volunteer who had picked up the wrong end of some stick. It's still surprising though. You would expect a rescue to have agreed procedures in this regard.

PS - sorry. In our case, it was on the 'rare occasion' because my cats are kept under a close eye and see the vet so regularly that a check up is not an uncommon occasion for them. The Lodger was a young cat on first attendance at my current vet.

Many thanks for your advice. That is very reassuring. I am looking forward to having him home. I expect the rescue told me about problems with older cats being vaccinated because maybe they had had experience of it happening once before. I will get him all checked and vaccinated. I will post a photo of him (only seem able to do one the wrong way round!)

Is that him on your profile page?

Yes, wrong way round - can't get the pic right. He's a sweet cat.

Lovely cat. And although perspective is a bit difficult to judge - a big boy?

He is large, quite rangy and long legged. A little on the slim side but I am researching good quality food and will feed him up. He will be the only cat in the house so will be absolutely doted on!

Onapromise, my friend's cat is absolutely phobic about going into her carrier. Exhibits the same kind of behaviour you describe, except it's any type of cage-specific rather than car-specific. Her vet prescribed a mild sedative that could be crushed up in the cat's food before putting her in the carrier and driving her to the vet. My friend says it doesn't completely eliminate her distress, but it helps a fair bit. Your vet may be willing to do the same thing, especially if they see how much distress she's in the first time you take her in. It's worth asking.