Is it wrong to not take my cats to the vet regularly?

**AstarB1** · 03-13-2008, 09:11 PM

Just wanted some input from you cat-owners out there.

I have three exclusively indoor cats with no known health issues. I also have a dog who is outside lots (he goes outside to do his business and he goes for daily walks with us).

When we got each of our cats, we took them to the vet to get vaccinations and to get spayed/neutered, same for our dog. Now, once a year, we take the dog back to the vet for shots, but not the cats. Our reasoning is that the dog needs up to date vaccinations because he's exposed to wildlife while he's in our backyard, plus other dogs.

Is this thinking totally wrong? Are we bad cat-owners?

**Cricket1** · 03-13-2008, 09:18 PM

I have a friend that doesn't take her cats to the vet. When we had cats we did take ours to the vet. My mom (who grew up on a farm) thought we were crazy! LOL. She saw no need to take our indoor cats to the vet and thought that they were way too pampered!

Sorry--don't have an answer for you. To each her own, I guess! I don't think you're a bad cat owner!

**IntlMom** · 03-13-2008, 09:30 PM

Same here. We get them spayed and neutered, and then current on shots, but that's it! If you;re a bad cat owner, then I;m guilty with you!

**Persimmon Lace** · 03-13-2008, 09:31 PM

No you're not a bad pet owner. My cat is an inside cat but he wants so bad to be outside and has slipped that we give him the feline leukemia and a rabies shot every year. He's so obsessed with the outside, he so doesn't know how good he has it in the house! And when he does slip out he goes right under the screen porch

It's not like there's anything interesting under there!

**AmyMCGS** · 03-13-2008, 10:20 PM

We have two indoor cats and do the same thing-- shots and flea treatments as scheduled (indoor cats can get fleas through screened-in porches, trust me!) but otherwise don't take them in unless they're sick.

**happimommi** · 03-14-2008, 12:15 AM

Our cat is indoors and we don't take him to the vet. I have friends that spent over $700 to take thier 3 cats to the vet and in order to do this, they didn't pay thier mortgage. Scary!!

**katkat** · 03-14-2008, 12:51 AM

I don't think you are a bad cat owner, but let me tell you a couple of things that made me think---Many years ago, we would get the distemper type shots for our cats, but skipped the Rabies shots b/c they were all indoors. Once my Vet suggested the Rabies shots & I told him my rationale for not getting them. He told me about a client of his who found a dead bat in the house after arriving home. Their cat had not been vaccinated for Rabies & they had to have it quarintined for about 6 months b/c there was no way of telling if the cat had been bitten-----bat bites are tiny. I was a convert after that & have always gotten them.

A couple of years ago, my son had let one of his 2 cats lapse on the Rabies shot. He awoke to find a live bat rumbling around on the floor of his bedroom & the cat sniffing all around. Without thinking it out, he caught the bat under a basket & released it instead of killing it, so it could not be tested. It ended up with his calling the Health Dept. & his cat had to be put down. He was heartbroken.

It doesn't mean you're a bad owner, but better safe than sorry. Think about it for your own safety too.

Blessings, katkat

**Neeley** · 03-14-2008, 02:12 AM

It is a law here that all pets are to be vaccinated. The animal control workers go door to door (and we are a city with over 220,000 residents) checking for rabies certificates.

We have one indoor kitty and one that ventures outside daily for a few hours. I take ours in once a year for their shots and check-ups just like I do for our dogs. They both get the feline lukemeia vaccination, flea preventative, etc...They get taken in when they are sick, both have been "fixed" and one of them goes in for a bath every now and then.

We work with our next door neighbor to get the few "neighborhood cats" vaccinated. We have between 2-5 that live on our street and don't really belong to anyone but both families enjoy them.

**wanderlusting** · 03-14-2008, 04:38 AM

I don't think you're a bad kitty owner. But I would still get them checked out once a year because the vet can notice any health issue early

**Its_Donna** · 03-14-2008, 05:15 AM

I take my 2 dogs and 1 cat to the Vet once a year for their annual physical which includes vaccinations and labs. It costs me approx. $350-400 for all 3 of them. It's just something I have always done.

**COUNTRYBUMPKIN** · 03-14-2008, 05:18 AM

I have three indoor cat's and the only vet visit's have been to have them either, spayed, tested for disease (stray's I took in) and to get rid of any worms/parasites. One is currently under a vet's treatment for an eye injury that she received before I took her in as a stray. She may have to have her eye removed as a result, but the vet and I are doing everything possible in hopes that the eyeball just dry's up and remains infection free. I will not let my cat's get any vaccines and the vet respects my decision. I consider myself a good cat owner because not are my cat's getting lot's of love and attention, but they are also getting purified water, holistic food's (some raw too), lot's of exercise and regular holistic grooming by their mom.
There is alot of good information on caring for your cats and dogs at
www.shirleyswellnesscafe.com

**M55FF** · 03-14-2008, 05:21 AM

if you are willing to risk losing them at any time to distemper, watching them get so sick you have to call the shelter to have them put down, then you will be ok not vaccinating them.
I have seen a cat with distemper and it was very sad... it too was an indoor cat.

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-14-2008, 07:24 AM

I have not taken mine in a while and sometimes I feel guilty but then I remember that I haven't been either ! LOL

It's a choice you have to make for yourself and you can't let others tell you if your right or not. As long as you take good care of them and you don't neglect any obvious problems.

**jamie79** · 03-14-2008, 07:39 AM

I have 4 indoor only cats and they go to the vet once a yr. I think its the responsible thing to do when you own pets. JMHO

**YankeeMom** · 03-14-2008, 07:53 AM

All six of mine are indoor animals (3 dogs & 3 cats). The dogs only go out (supervised) to go potty. They all get all their vaccinations every year. Rabies are every 2 yrs now.

We take them to the vet on our military installation. It's much cheaper. Shoot, their flea stuff costs way more than any of their shots.