There has been much discussion about vaccinations in recent years. Some of the discussion is legitimate and there may be some concerns associated with the issue, others may be bordering on conspiracy theory. In either case, most of the discussion is going to surround having children vaccinated but sometimes, the feelings spill over into the vaccination of animals as well. It is important for you to understand the truth as well as the consequences surrounding vaccinating your cat.
It might come as a surprise to you that this problem is not uncommon. In fact, there are many people who have this question and they often bring it to their veterinarian. The basic question is going to be if they should have their cat vaccinated or not. Without a doubt, the answer to this question is going to be a big YES. That being said, there are also some things you should know about the process.
There are two basic vaccines that are typical given to cats, the rabies vaccine and a trivalent caccine. The trivalent vaccine helps to keep the cat free of problems, such as feline herpes, calicivirus and feline leukemia. These problems can be quite serious and if it weren’t for the vaccines, many problems would likely be seen, some of which would be fatal.
Some people question giving the cat a vaccination against rabies, especially if they are going to keep the cat inside all of the time. It might come as a surprise to you that there are many more cases of feline rabies than those that affect dogs in the united states. Vaccinating the cat from this virus does more than protect the feline. It also protects other animals in the home from being infected by them and it even can safeguard you and your family.
The other vaccine can help to prevent a wide range of health problems, all of which are best avoided. Those issues are obviously going to be hard on the cat and if they are infected, they are potentially fatal. That isn’t even to mention the burden of health care costs for the cat if they do happen to get sick. They could be prevented with a vaccine.
If you are looking for an opinion of whether your cat should be vaccinated or not, my answer is a yes. Of course, it is always best if you talk to the vet for more information. I can guarantee you, however, you are going to get the same answer.