3 Reasons To Make Sure That Your Indoor Cat Is Vaccinated

Pet vaccinations are absolutely vital for the health and longevity of every type of pet, but there is a large number of people who seem to think that if their cats never leave the house then there is no need to have them vaccinated. Unfortunately, this can be a very big mistake that can lead to many serious issues in the future. Listed below are three reasons to make sure that your indoor cat is vaccinated.

Escape

One of the biggest reasons to vaccinate an indoor cat is that no matter how hard you try to prevent your cat from escaping, it will always be a possibility. It is not all that difficult for a cat to escape your house, especially if you are distracted while bringing groceries or large items into your home.

Even if your cat only escapes for an hour or two, that is still sufficient time for him or her to come into contact with a stray or wild animal and catch a fatal or serious illness. In addition, your cat may be quickly caught by an animal control officer and sent to a shelter where he or she can be exposed to even more feline diseases from all of the strays or outdoor cats that are in the shelter as well.

Adoption

Another reason to have your indoor cat vaccinated is in order to protect him or her in the event that you decide to adopt a stray or adopt from your local shelter. Unfortunately, many shelters will not vaccinate the cat before you adopt him or her, so there is a chance that the new cat could have an illness that can be passed on to your current indoor cat. This can be devastating to an older cat and could potentially be fatal. 

Dormant Diseases

Finally, you should vaccinate your cat annually in order to protect him or her from any dormant diseases that he or she caught before you adopted him or her. This is very important as there are a number of diseases that your cat may have caught when he or she was a kitten, stray, or simply in the shelter that will never go away.

In that situation, a vaccine will not cure or eliminate the disease, but it can help keep some of the symptoms from manifesting and causing your cat discomfort or pain. An example of this illness would be the feline herpesvirus that can cause eye and respiratory issues if the vaccinations are not maintained.

Contact your vet today in order to discuss which vaccinations your indoor cat needs and the benefits that they can provide. Vaccinations are vital for an indoor cat because it can protect him or her should he or she escape, if you adopt another cat, and from any dormant diseases he or she may have.

For more information, contact Marcum Road Animal Hospital or a similar location.