Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat vaccine, do they really need it?

21 replies

Belshels · 18/10/2022 10:41

Hi there, our 8 yr old big fluffy girl cat used to be vaccinated annually, but I've avoided it the last 2 years due to cost.
How important is it? She doesn't really hunt, has been going outside a lot in the summer, but now it's getting colder she's in most of the time.
We used to give her advocate and broadline, but again that's stopped due to cost, we also need to take her to the vet to get it (or pay for a prescription from the vet).
Can I just get away with over the counter flea and worm treatments and not have the annual vaccinations?

TIA x

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 18/10/2022 11:55

Does she go to a cattery? They won't let her in without them. That's the only reason my two indoor girls are done.

Northernlurker · 18/10/2022 11:58

She is more vulnerable without the jab. Is she insured? The over the counter stuff is less effective as parasites are building resistance

Pixiedust1234 · 18/10/2022 12:02

There are three different vaccines given. It varies whether its given annually, or once in two years etc. One of them is for the feline equivalent of aids. Its passed from cat to cat via bites mainly. Therefore an infected cat could bite yours and then your cat can pass it on to another. There is no cure. All positive cats have to be indoor cats for life. Why would you willingly risk any beloved pets their version of aids? Get them jabbed for their sake, and for others. Not every cat has an owner.

FionnulaTheCooler · 18/10/2022 12:03

Most vets will do a monthly payment plan to spread the cost, I have one for my cats. It covers annual health check and vaccination and all prescribed flea and worming treatments. I would caution against over the counter treatments, we ended up with fleas on frontline but since getting a prescription spot on from the vet we haven't had an issue.

thelobsterquadrille · 18/10/2022 14:07

If she goes outside she needs to be vaccinated.

If she isn't and she gets one of the diseases she should be vaccinated against, your insurance won't cover you.

DiaryofWimpyMumm · 18/10/2022 16:21

The over the counter flea products don't work so you would need to go to the vet for them anyway.

RewildingAmbridge · 18/10/2022 16:25

This might sound counterintuitive if money is tight but ask if they do vaccination for life. We paid £95 one off and that covers annual vaccination and two health checks a year, for the life of the cat. Even if you put it on a 0% credit card and pay it off. It just means it's not an ongoing expense.
We accidentally missed a month with cat's advocate this year and he ended up with fleas. Cost a fortune in extra washing and indorex to get rid of them. With the advocate we now pay £10 for a twelve month prescription from the vet then use an online vet for the treatment it's much much cheaper

Yarnosaur · 18/10/2022 16:34

Advantage is the only non-prescription flea spot-on that actually works, though apparently fleas in some areas are immune already. Drontal tablets for worming are cheap at online vet pharmacies (and don't need a prescription).

Vaccines are up to you, IME most cats who don't fight or get into scraps will be fine without, but you just can't know what might happen, so vaccinating against untreatable transmittable diseases seems sensible.

Floralnomad · 18/10/2022 20:51

Most vets do a plan for less than £15 per month where you get annual vaccinations , flea and worm stuff plus some other benefits , it’s really worthwhile and spreads the cost .

NewBootsAndRanty · 18/10/2022 20:52

Floralnomad · 18/10/2022 20:51

Most vets do a plan for less than £15 per month where you get annual vaccinations , flea and worm stuff plus some other benefits , it’s really worthwhile and spreads the cost .

This.

PickledWilly · 18/10/2022 20:54

We did the Pets @ home Vax 4 Life with our two cats and would really recommend. £95 paid once for each and they get annual vax and health checks free for life.
Flea treatment I just order Advocate from Pet Drugs Online. Much cheaper

Lookingforrecommendations · 18/10/2022 20:54

My two cats are both 16 and in great health, in fact one is practically feral and still spends most of the day hunting, think they had their first vaccines and that was it.

Cleebope2 · 18/10/2022 20:59

we skipped a year and somehow our 8 year old got a virus which is now in her system and she gets really sick with it twice a year. We have spent a fortune on medication and can’t get rid of it. I really regret skipping on the vaccinations. She is indoor mostly but still got it from another cat or perhaps from our daughter who kisses her a lot.

OnTheBoardwalk · 18/10/2022 21:00

I haven’t with previous cats but I would now on some sort of pet payment plan.

I think of the benefits of jabs have for us, when I get over my old lady and get another cat, ok then two rescue cats, I'll def get them jabbed

think it helps get them used to going to vets and coming home. My cat very rarely went to the vet and was proper stressed each time

Theraffarian · 18/10/2022 21:08

Another vote for the £99 lifetime plan at Vets4Pets , previously we hadn’t vaccinated our other cats and had no problems . However they didn’t go to a cattery and we didn’t use to have many neighbouring cats . Now the situation has changed somewhat and £99 is a small price to pay . Vets4Pets isn’t our main vet , we just use for vaccinations and occasionally to pick up worming tablets etc . Use advantage spot on for fleas to prevent the nasties as I’m hugely allergic and occasionally spray the house with VIP flea too.

tsmainsqueeze · 18/10/2022 21:17

Pixiedust1234 · 18/10/2022 12:02

There are three different vaccines given. It varies whether its given annually, or once in two years etc. One of them is for the feline equivalent of aids. Its passed from cat to cat via bites mainly. Therefore an infected cat could bite yours and then your cat can pass it on to another. There is no cure. All positive cats have to be indoor cats for life. Why would you willingly risk any beloved pets their version of aids? Get them jabbed for their sake, and for others. Not every cat has an owner.

The feline equivalent to aids i think you mean is fiv ,there is no vaccine for this there is a vaccine for felv - leukemia.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 18/10/2022 21:42

Ours is only ever in our garden/immediate neighbours’ gardens, but she has had a swipe from visiting cats a couple of times so I wouldn’t skip it! I think we pay around £50 for annual health check and jabs, which once had to go on a credit card when DP was made redundant and money was really tight.

LynetteScavo · 18/10/2022 22:42

I think if you miss a year of vaccinations it's more expensive as you have to give them a booster as well, or something.

For various reasons we stopped vaccinated one of our cats when she was 13. I've read online its about that age that they might not need to be vaccinated anymore as they have build up enough resistance.

I buy Advantage online. Cheaper than from the vets and the only thing that I've found to work.

Original poster
Belshels · 18/10/2022 23:06

Such brilliant info thank you to everyone!!

She doesn't go to a cattery, but does go outside a bit. She has never been in fights as far as we know, but just last week I noticed a scratch above her eye.

She is insured, but we let the annual booster go 2 years ago, now we have to pay more for 2 jabs

I have been toying with the idea of Advantage and Drontal (spot on version), as I've been there with fleas from previous cat, when she was on Frontline, and it didn't work. We have been using Advocate and Broadline on her for the last few years. I admit though that I only used them every 2/3 months, so the 6 packs lasted ages. But you need a check up to get them (or a prescription from vet if you buy online)

You're right though, it isn't worth the risk, especially from reading some of your experiences, thank you they were very useful to know about. I will definitely get on the phone tomorrow and see what plans / vaccination for life plans etc there are available at the vets round here, also Pets at Home and Vets4Pets. That would be the best solution and put my mind at rest.
Also a very good point about getting them used to a vet, as it's a bit of an issue with my cat.
Very interesting too about the immunity they can build up when they are older.
So thanks everyone for advice, much appreciated 🫶🏼xx

OP posts:
Paranoidandroidmarvin · 20/10/2022 19:22

When I got my boy at the age of about 8. He had never been vaccinated. I do get him done now. But he wasn’t before.

Original poster
Belshels · 20/10/2022 21:34

Good to know, thanks

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread