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Hi Cynthia,

Keep them both indoors and it should be fine. They contract rabies when bit by another infected or carrier animal. Keep them isolated from all other animals if you can't get their shots for another month. Hope that helps.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

i adopted a tabby mother cat with a 1 week old kitten at the shelter she didn't get her rabies shot b/c afraid where she is nursing the kitten will it affect her kitten and i take her back the end of april for her shot.

-- Contributed by: cynthia

Hi, Rosemarie,

I understand your concerns and of course there are some studies that have shown that yearly shots are not always a good idea. Since every area is a bit different, this is something you really should run past your veterinarian. If you don't feel he is being honest, you can always get a second, third or even fourth opinion over the telephone.

For example, if your cat never goes outdoors and you don't bring stray cats in the house, you may be able to skip some of the vaccines for communicable diseases. Some will depend upon the age of your cats and their health history as well.

Here are some questions to ask your vet:

If my cat never goes outdoors and doesn't come into contact with other cats, what shots are mandatory and what can safely be skipped?
Can we space the shots out more than a year? What are your thoughts on studies on this topic?

Again, don't be afraid to get more than one opinion. Sometimes you will even get differing answers among vets. This is when a third or even fourth opinion can come in handy. Good luck. This is a tough topic but one that is important and can save you money and your cats needless anxiety.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I am trying to find information regarding vaccinations for indoor cats. I have 4 cats who are all indoor; none have been out of the house since I got them. They are all healthy and from the same litter; curent age 3.5. Do they require annual vaccinations if they are not exposed to other cats?? The information I find on this questions is not very substantial. I would rather not give them shots if they REALLY DON"T need them. Thanks!

-- Contributed by: Rosemarie

I just adopted a 10 week old, long haired kitten. His eyes were so crusted shut I had to soak them with a warm wet towel, just to open them. He also has a runny nose. I have some antibiotics to give him but don't know how. I have a needle, can you tell me PLEASE! THANKS A BUNCHES!

-- Contributed by: Stephanie

Hi Judy,

Let me make sure I understand you correctly. Your new cat has only had one set of shots so far? If this is the case, then your own vet may want to give one more set to ensure immunity for a year.

Shots are given in a series because it takes time to teach the immune system to recognize and develop a quick defense to the diseases introduced through the vaccines. Think of each booster as practice, and the immune system becomes better at defending the body each time.

Since your kitten is older it wouldn't need as many boosters to develop initial immunities because its mother's antibodies should have cleared its system by now. Your vet may tell you one shot at 30 weeks is sufficient, or he/she may want to administer one more to make sure your cat is covered. I'd let the vet make that call, but insist the original shot is included in the count.

As for the rabies vaccination, that shot is only given once a year, so if you have sufficient records from the other vet, there is no reason to vaccinate again until it expires.

Thank you for your question, and I hope you find this advice helpful.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I got a rescued young cat today whose vaccination record shows no boosters. At 30 weeks, in July, she had Panluekopedia, Calicivirus, Rhinotracheitis, Pneumonitis and Rabies - all one week after she was spayed. She will be an indoor only cat, but her housemate is an inside dog who goes on frequent walks. Is she suffiently covered? The vet who did the work indicates she's good to go for one year. My vet is booster happy and may want to start all over, which seems to me over vaccination.

-- Contributed by: judy
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