I live in an apartment and I have one cat, Nellie. Nellie never goes outside, so do I still need to vaccinate her? If so, which ones?

Janet

Dear Janet,

Yes, Nellie still needs vaccines. Which ones? I usually default to the guidelines set by the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

The AAFP is an organization of veterinarians that are committed to evaluating and setting standards for veterinary care for cats (www.aafponline.com). In 2006, they released a recommended vaccine protocol for cats.

The AAFP recommends that inside cats, like Nellie, receive a rabies vaccine and an FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis-calicivirus-panleuk openia) vaccine.

It is important to discuss which types of vaccines to use. Vaccines can be “adjuvanted” or “non-adjuvanted.” An adjuvant is a compound that is added to vaccines to increase the immune system’s response which stimulates more antibodies. In theory, adjuvants are a good idea.

However, it was discovered that cats might develop tumors at the site of adjuvanted vaccines, especially the rabies and leukemia (not recommended for inside cats) vaccines. These tumors are called vaccine-associated sarcomas.

Furthermore, the World Health Organization listed the adjuvants in feline vaccines as highly carcinogenic (likely to cause cancer). Given this information, I think most cat owners would agree that it is better to use non-adjuvanted vaccines whenever possible.

I would like to make a couple of points. The non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine only lasts ONE year, not three. So, even though the state of Texas only requires animals to be vaccinated every three years, the one-year, non-adjuvanted cat rabies does not qualify for that three-year rule. Cats must be re-vaccinated every year to remain legal.

Second, cats that go outside should also receive a leukemia vaccine annually. Leukemia vaccines are also available in a non-adjuvanted form. Vaccines for other diseases like FIV and FIP are available, but their use should be discussed in depth with your veterinarian before use as the AAFP does not recommend them at this time.

Lastly, the non-adjuvanted vaccines are currently only made by Merial and are slightly more expensive. Expect to pay between $15 and $25 per vaccine if your veterinarian uses non-adjuvanted vaccines.

Best wishes for the best of health,
Dr. Bammel and Andie