do indoor cats need shots?

Do Indoor Cats Need Shots?

Indoor cats may be susceptible to more than you think.  They’re not exposed to anywhere near the things that outdoor cats are, but they still need regular medical care, and yes, indoor cats need shots.

In this post, we’ll cover:

    • 5 Reasons Why Indoor Cats Need Shots
    • Vaccines Recommended for Indoor Cats
    • Cat Vaccination Schedule
    • Veterinary Care for Indoor Cats
    • Cat Pet Insurance
    • Indoor Cat Health
watch my video: do indoor cats need vaccinations?

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do indoor cats need shots?Do Indoor Cats Need Shots?

Yes, even indoor cats need shots. While indoor cats may have less exposure to potential diseases compared to outdoor cats, they aren’t entirely risk-free.

5 Reasons Indoor Cats Need Shots:

1.  Accidental Escapes: Indoor cats can get outside, exposing them to diseases from other animals.

2.  Contagious Diseases: Some diseases, like feline herpesvirus or calicivirus, can be brought home on your clothing or shoes.  These can spread through the air or on surfaces.

3.  Legal Requirements: Many places require proof of vaccination for travel, or even emergencies.

4.  Boarding Requirements:  Most boarding facilities will require your cat to be vaccinated prior to being boarded.  For more information, read my post, Cat Boarding: Take the Stress Out of Boarding Your Cat (includes video).

5.  Rabies Prevention: In some areas, rabies vaccination is legally required for all cats, regardless of whether they’re an indoor cat or an outdoor cat.  If your indoor cat catches a mouse, or if a bird or a bat gets into the house, and that animal is infected with rabies, the result could be fatal for your cat.

For more information about the need for a rabies shot for indoor cats, read this article from PetMd.com, What You Need to Know About Rabies Vaccines.

vaccine recommendations for indoor catsVaccines Recommended for Indoor Cats

According to The American Association of Feline Practitioners, the following core vaccines are recommended for indoor cats:

Rabies Vaccine
FVRCP Vaccine
Feline Panleukopenia (FPV)
FVRCP Vaccine
Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus/Herpesvirus 1 (FVR/FHV-1)
Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
FeLV Vaccine (Core for Kittens)

For more information about shots recommended for indoor cats and kittens, read PetMd.com’s post, What Vaccinations Do Cats Need?

Discuss your cat’s specific needs with your veterinarian to tailor a vaccination schedule based on your cat’s lifestyle and local laws.

cat vaccination schedule for indoor catsCat Vaccination Schedule

Your veterinarian will determine a proper vaccination schedule for your cat based on various factors such as your cat’s age, lifestyle, etc.  But here is a basic cat vaccination schedule, according to PetMd.com:

Kittens (up to 1 year of age)

  • 68 weeks:
    • FVRCP (core)
    • FeLV (core)
  • 1012 weeks:
    • FVRCP (core; first or second shot)
    • FeLV (core; first or second shot)
  • 1416 weeks:
    • FVRCP (core; only if first shot given at 10-12 weeks)
    • Rabies
    • FeLV (core; only if first shot given at 10-12 weeks)
  • 1 year after initial series:
    • FVRCP booster
    • Rabies booster

Adult and Senior Cats (over 1 year old)

  • Every year:
    • FELV (optional non-core vaccine)
  • Every 13 years:
    • FVRCP (every three years for indoor cats, and every year for indoor/outdoor, outdoor-only, very young, or senior cats)
    • Rabies (1-year or 3-year vaccine depending on state laws)
You can get more information about feline vaccinations at Wikipedia.com.

do indoor cats need shots?Veterinary Care for Indoor Cats

It’s important that your indoor cat visit the vet once a year.  The physical exam covers several important things like monitoring your cat’s weight, checking their blood pressure, heart rate and temperature.

Your veterinarian will look at your cat’s mouth and teeth and look inside their ears.  These are all ways that any developing illness or condition can be detected early, which may prevent serious illness in the future.

Consider Getting Cat Pet Insurance

For more about this, read my article (includes video), Is Cat Insurance Worth the Cost?

My recommendation for pet health insurance is Lemonade Pet Insurance.  You can read my full review of Lemonade here, or get a free quote here.

do indoor cats need shots?

indoor cat healthFor More Information About Your Cat’s Health

For more information regarding your cat’s health, read my post, Indoor Cat Health: What Vaccinations and Care Do They Need? (includes video).

In that post, we cover:

  • Do Indoor Cats Need Vaccinations?
  • How Often to Take Your Cat to the Vet
  • Senior Cat Health Questions
  • Monitoring Your Cat’s Weight
  • Early Detection of Cat Health Problems
  • Protecting Cats from Fleas, Ticks and Heartworm
  • Cat Health Insurance
  • The Complete Cat Health Care Guide

people loving animalsI Donate to Animal Charities

Thank you for visiting my website. I hope this post helps you to be knowledgeable when talking with your vet about what vaccinations your indoor cat needs.
I donate 10% of my earnings from this website to animal charities.  You can see a list of the charities I donate to here.  If you like this website, please share it with your friends.  Thank you!  Debra

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