# Vaccinate cats before bringing home new puppy?



## wulfin (May 23, 2010)

I'm bringing a new puppy home next weekend and while I know I have to take it to the vet within 48 hours of getting him, what I'm not sure on is my two cats.

They are both indoor cats and have not received any vaccinations for the last 6 years as they are both strictly indoor cats.

With bringing the puppy into the picture, is there a need to vaccinate against anything that may be tracked in? I'm thinking probably I should, but just want to be sure before I spend the money on something that they may not need!


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## KellyJ (Mar 1, 2010)

wulfin said:


> I'm bringing a new puppy home next weekend and while I know I have to take it to the vet within 48 hours of getting him, what I'm not sure on is my two cats.
> 
> They are both indoor cats and have not received any vaccinations for the last 6 years as they are both strictly indoor cats.
> 
> With bringing the puppy into the picture, is there a need to vaccinate against anything that may be tracked in? I'm thinking probably I should, but just want to be sure before I spend the money on something that they may not need!


I would vaccinate your cats. Mine is strictly indoor and I've never skimped on vaccinating him. You never know when they will try to get out... mine is fourteen years old and he'll go months with no interest in the outside world, then one day he'll sneak up on you and try to bolt past you. It's really not that much money, esp. since you only need to do it once a year. And in most cases they need check-ups once a year anyway. Plus, around here at least, it's against the law to not vaccinate against at least rabies.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Re-vaccination (past the kitten shots) in cats is kind of a hot topic. Repeat vaccinations have been very definitively linked to vaccine-site cancers in cats, and it's not rare. Personally I don't vaccinate my cats more than a couple times (usually kitten shots and a booster a year later). Vaccines given after 6 months of age should confer lifetime immunity if everything worked properly. Read up on the risks and benefits. It probably won't hurt them to get a booster after 6 years.

It is a good idea to keep them legal on rabies vaccine, though, especially if you have a lot of guests. Ask your vet about PureVax, it's less likely to cause cancer, though any injection can do it (even injectable de-wormers).


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## agility collie mom (Jan 26, 2008)

Parasites that can be shared by cats and dogs are: fleas, ticks, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms. Protozoa that can be shared are giardia and coccidia. Here is a link with a description: http://www.web-dvm.net/intestinalparasites.html The only virus that I know that can be shared by cats and dogs is rabies. I hope that this is the answer that you were looking for.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

If your cats have had their kitten shots and one-year booster, I wouldn't worry much about vaccination. A lot of vets, like mine, don't like vaccinating cats every year, and prefer to give minimal shots to strictly indoor cats anyway. I agree with Willowy, though; a booster after six years shouldn't hurt them at all... that's not over-vaccination.

I would, however, treat the cats with some kind of flea protection and a dewormer/prevention just in case. It's more likely that a pup could track in parasites than give your cats a virus.


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## grab (Sep 26, 2009)

I do not vaccinate my indoor cats beyond their one year booster. All of my cats have lived into their 20s and no one has been ill. I've also never had a cat escape outdoors


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

wulfin said:


> I'm bringing a new puppy home next weekend and while I know I have to take it to the vet within 48 hours of getting him, what I'm not sure on is my two cats.
> 
> They are both indoor cats and have not received any vaccinations for the last 6 years as they are both strictly indoor cats.
> 
> With bringing the puppy into the picture, is there a need to vaccinate against anything that may be tracked in? I'm thinking probably I should, but just want to be sure before I spend the money on something that they may not need!


No. No need at all. I just lost the last of 5 cats, all of whom lived to be in their 20s, the last one went to The Bridge just shy of her 28th b'day. NO VACCINATIONS other than the kitten vacs. I found that the cats I vaccinated all died, and died young, so I just quit vaccinating cats. Two of three dogs came as young puppies, and no problems at all due to the cats.


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## wulfin (May 23, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!! When I made the appointment to take the puppy to the vet, I mentioned the same with the cats and he agreed that they don't need to be vaccinated as long as they don't have outdoor contact. So that makes it much easier (I know I had heard so many conflicting thoughts for vaccinating cats, but wasn't sure if it was still a "hot topic" or not!).

Cheers all!


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