Vaccinations "pointless/a con/water"?

[justfoundout2014]

I have reserved a rescue cat today and am very, very excited. Two friends came round this evening and, of course, we talked cats. One friend has three and the other two. They were adamant that vaccinations are a complete con, that no cat ever dies from diseases they catch out, that they are probably just water etc etc. Both have dogs as well, which they do vaccinate. I have known these people for ages and both are animal-mad, so I was totally taken aback by their views.

I have had cats all my life and it never occurred to me not to vaccinate them. My parents always had them and used to cut corners in a lot of ways (untrained dogs etc) but all pets were vaccinated.

Have we been wasting our money ?

Cost was a factor they both mentioned, but I don't think they are that expensive. One friend also mentioned she will let her new cat have a litter before neutering, which also struck me as an odd decision.

All my cats are chipped, neutered and vaccinated. We had a rescue cat when I was younger who had feline leukaemia, she died at a very young age (5) and it was very upsetting. To me it's not worth risking for the price as its only once a year so not really that dear.

Good god what utter tosh. Are they creationists as well by any chance? Or maybe they believe that all MPs are really lizards - all that has as much basis in fact as their views on vaccinations.

And as for the one who wants to let her cat have a litter. Well not only is she stupid she has obviously no concept of animal welfare issues. Please try to persuade her to rethink. Basic arguments below:

THERE IS A CAT OVERPOPULATION CRISIS...

If you let your cat have a litter, and manage to find homes for her kittens, you will use up homes that a litter of kittens sitting in a rescue centre could have had. They may end up being destroyed.

IF A FEMALE CAT MATES EVERY TIME SHE COMES INTO SEASON AND ALL HER KITTENS SURVIVE AND BREED, THERE COULD BE UP TO 21,000 EXTRA CATS IN JUST SEVEN YEARS!

Many female cats in season become lost when they are chased by numerous male cats. They often become disorientated and cannot find their way home. Invariably they become pregnant and have kittens on the streets. This is how colonies of feral cats are formed. These cats struggle to survive, hungry, often sick or injured.

So many unneutered male cats carry the F.I.V. virus that female cats are at risk if they are bitten during mating. Feline sex can be very violent, particularly when several males are fighting over one female. F.I.V. and leukaemia virus can be passed to female cats under these circumstances.

Really all it should take to make anyone realise they are making a mistake in letting their cat have a litter would be a trip to a rescue centre. There are just too many cats and not enough homes. Thousands are destroyed every week simply because there are not enough homes to go round. Deliberately bringing more cats in to this situation is just unforgiveable.

Well I see cat flu about once a month and as it becomes a chronic condition very often owners end up spending hundreds to control it.
Panleucopaenia is on the rise again it is a disease similar to parvovirus in dogs which also on the rise again use to poor vaccination rates, it is almost always fatal.
Again we are seeing more feline leukaemia which whilst we can manage it for a while it is almost always fatal.
Cat vaccines are some of the most sophisticated vaccines out there using technology that is not even in the human market yet, they provide good protection against these awful diseases.

They don't love cats as much as they say they do. When we had cats they had their vaccinations and annual boosters/health checks. It is what responsible cat owners do. Besides, when we went away we used to put them in a cattery, so they needed to be up to date with their vaccinations anyway.

Yes, that's what I thought, but you know when two people you have known a while and respected suddenly come out with something unexpected...

thecatneuterer your post is absolutely shocking - I knew there was a problem, but those facts and stats are just sickening. Very glad I have got a rescue, though all my pets have been from rescue centres.

New cat is neutered and I will definitely be keeping her boosters up to date.

OP please try to persuade your friend with the new cat of the error of her ways. She may just not realise. People often think that if they can find homes for their kittens then that's not a problem, but the point is that they are taking up homes that could go to kittens/cats in rescues.

In an average week at the moment we are having to take into our care/having dumped on us around 8 mother cats plus and average of 30 kittens a week. And we are asked to take many more but we have to prioritise those in most danger. And we are only a small rescue. I've got five tiny kittens in my spare room at the moment as they were going to be thrown on the street and we literally had no space at all in the rescue to put them. And just on my small street three kittens were dumped in a garden about a month ago and two last week (and I only managed to catch one of them, which was living inside a car, a couple of days ago), and they are having to be fostered by neighbours as again, we have no room.

Do try to talk to her about it.

Personally I couldn't continue to be friends we anyone who deliberately allows their cat to breed, but I do realise I'm a bit extreme

I wish I could find where these dozens of kittens are. I've tried our local ones and they seem to have about 6 cats and no kittens! If only a little ginger tabby would come my way... assuming he didn't get beaten up by the black and white bandit!