How can I get my cat neutered without him having to get shots?
none asked:
My cat is blind and indoor only, so I don’t see a need for rabies vaccines or others. I’ve had 3 cats who have developed cancerous tumors at injection sites and don’t want that for him, but the vets will not do it no matter how much I explain. If humans have a choice then why don’t we for our pets? Or do we?
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My cat is blind and indoor only, so I don’t see a need for rabies vaccines or others. I’ve had 3 cats who have developed cancerous tumors at injection sites and don’t want that for him, but the vets will not do it no matter how much I explain. If humans have a choice then why don’t we for our pets? Or do we?
December 24th, 2009 at 9:17 am
There’s NO way I’m going to believe you had ALL 3 cats developed cancer at injection sites. Today, the vets, aware of this possibility, give the injections in a different area each year to prevent exactly this. If your cat harmed someone without having had rabies shots, you would truly regret not having them vaccinated. Peachie
December 24th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Rabies shot is required by law in most places. Your cat would most likely be required to get the rabies vaccinations is so get the PUREVAX rabies made by merial. It a non-adjuvanted vaccine so there is a lesser chance of developing v.a.c. Spork
December 27th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Where I live, inside or not, you are required by law to get them
their shots. I would worry for the cats health in general. Lisa P
December 28th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
you need to get the shots no matter what. all animals need shots to keep them well. but if u are not going to get them i would say lots of wet cat food and you can go buy kitty vitamins Katie
December 31st, 2009 at 8:37 am
Your vet knows things you don’t.
State law requires a rabies vaccine, though a vet can refuse to give it to a sick cat. Bats get indoors, your cat can also get outdoors by accident should the plumber come or something happen like you get robbed when you’re not at home.
The distemper shot is absolutely important. The distemper virus stays alive in environments for up to 4 years after a cat dies from it. That means someone who had a cat with distemper can bring it into your house via their shoes, winter coat, clothing of any sort. Your cat can get it from that and once he gets it, the cat will die. My vet treated a cat like that - indoors only, no shots–and from time of exposure to death was 10 days.
If you want to reduce the possibility of injection site sarcoma, do NOT use the 3 year rabies vaccine, that’s the one with the suspension fluid that is suspect for causing cancer. Use the 1 year.
The distemper vaccine isn’t one known for doing the sarcomas. It’s one of the reasons vets inject that in the scruff yet, but use a hind leg for the rabies vaccine. Legs can be amputated if necessary, the excision of a sarcoma on the neck is much harder. You CAN ask for the distemper to be broken into 2 parts, given a week apart (easier on the cat) or have it done in the hind leg as well. Elaine M
January 1st, 2010 at 4:31 am
The only vaccines I know that caused cancerous tumors were the FELV or FIV ones. But the normal ones and rabies have caused no problems.
Your cat NEEDS shots - if he ever got out or bit someone, you would be required to show proof of shots. And if he got out or a bat got in the house, he could easily contract rabies and then he would have to be put down because he had no protection against the fatal disease.
You also need to get him neutered. So get him the basic 3 in 1 shots, rabies and have him neutered. Ocimom
January 1st, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Here in Australia we don’t have rabies, so there are no legally required vaccinations. I personally don’t get my own cat vaccinated either due to the bad reaction he had to them when he was younger. My vet agrees that since he’s indoor only, and due to the severity of his reaction in the past, he’s better off not having them, so long as he’s kept at home (which he is).
If rabies vaccinations are legally required, your vet has the responsibility to make sure your cat has this vaccine if it’s in his care. He probably would get into legal trouble if he didn’t. As for the other vaccines, he may be more flexible on that (like my vet) or perhaps he’s worried that if your cat picks up a disease from their surgery (since they are likely to have animals in there carrying these diseases) he may worry about a law suit if your cat falls ill and dies from it.
Either way, it IS your decision whether the cat has the vaccines that are not required by law. If this vet won’t treat the cat without them, try a different one. As far as I understand, in the USA it is accepted that vaccinating once every three years is adequate anyway and reduces the risk of cancer. I understand your reluctance to vaccinate and think that it is a viable choice for an owner to make. Many people have been convinced in the past that annual vaccinations are the only responsible thing and the only way to avoid sickness in cats, but this has been proven to be untrue.
Stick to your guns, but accept that if the vaccine is a legal requirement, you’re probably unlikely to find a vet not willing to at least give the cat this shot. MJF