Keeping your indoor cat safe and healthy requires understanding the role of vaccinations. While indoor cats have a much lower chance of acquiring certain diseases compared to cats living outside, vaccinations are still an important part of their health.

What are Vaccines?

Vaccines are a vital part of preventive healthcare for humans and animals. They work by training the cat’s immune system to identify and fight off specific pathogens. This helps the body recognize the agents of the virus and other pathogens before they can cause illness.

For cats, feline vaccinations are categorized into two main types: core and non-core vaccines.

Core Vaccines

These are essential for all cats of all lifestyles. Core vaccines protect cats from highly dangerous diseases such as feline herpesvirus, calicivirus, panleukopenia, and rabies. These vaccines are required by law for all cats in Dubai.

Non-Core Vaccines

These are recommended based on a cat’s specific environment or risk factors, such as exposure to other cats or travel to certain regions. You may or may not have these vaccines for your cat, but having them will help in certain situations.

How Do Vaccines Work?

When a vaccine is administered, it introduces a harmless form of the pathogen. This can be a weakened virus, an inactivated bacterium, or a piece of the organism’s genetic material. When this sample is introduced to the body, the cat’s immune system will recognize the foreign agent. 

As a result, the body produces antibodies in response, providing protection when the real thing comes. When a pathogen does come, the body rapidly produces these antibodies as an immune response. While immunity is not 100%, the effects will be drastically reduced in severity.

Is It Necessary to Vaccinate Indoor Cats?

The short answer is yes, vaccinations are still necessary for indoor cats. While it’s true that indoor cats face fewer risks than their outdoor counterparts, they are not entirely immune to infectious diseases.

Protection When Roaming

Cats love to roam and escape their homes. While it’s possible to keep them fully inside the house, there might be some times that cats will slip out of the home and go outside. This behavior is completely normal for cats but can be dangerous if they are not vaccinated.

Even the most cautious cat owner can’t entirely eliminate the possibility of their indoor cat escaping. An open door or a moment of distraction is all it takes for a cat to go outside. In these scenarios, your unvaccinated indoor cat might come across infected animals or contaminated surfaces. 

When these situations happen, they’ll be vulnerable to the virus, which can be difficult to treat as there aren’t any specific treatments for viral diseases.

Indirect Exposure to Pathogens

Even if your cat never leaves the house, pathogens can still find their way inside. Viruses and bacteria can be carried into your home on your shoes, clothing, visitors, or other pets. Vaccines safeguard against these unexpected exposures, ensuring that your cat’s immune system is prepared to respond.

Legal and Public Health Requirements

In many areas, such as Dubai, vaccinating your cat is a legal requirement, regardless of whether they live indoors or outdoors. These laws are designed to protect both animals and humans from the risk of rabies and other viral diseases.

It’s still necessary to vaccinate your indoor cat. Failing to vaccinate your cat could lead to fines, legal issues, and problems within the community. Many pet-friendly establishments also require you to vaccinate your cats before you’re allowed to bring them inside.

Herd Immunity

Vaccinating indoor cats contributes to herd immunity. This helps prevent the outbreak of contagious diseases within cats. By keeping your indoor cat vaccinated, you’re helping to reduce the overall spread of preventable illnesses.

This is super helpful in multi-cat households or neighborhoods with a huge number of unvaccinated stray cats. Additionally, some organizations are also helping by rescuing stray cats and vaccinating them to protect the community.

Unexpected Situations

Unexpected events might occur, requiring you to take your indoor cat out of your home. Emergencies and routine checkups may force you to bring your cat to veterinary clinics.

Additionally, you might enlist boarding services to house your cat while on vacation. However, these facilities deem it necessary to vaccinate your indoor cat in order to protect other cats living in the facility.

Long-Term Health Benefits

Vaccines not only protect against immediate threats but also reduce the long-term health risks associated with certain diseases. For example, feline herpesvirus and calicivirus can lead to chronic respiratory issues, while panleukopenia can be fatal without protection. 

These vaccinations are necessary for your indoor cat, as they provide long-term benefits that can maintain your best friend’s health.

What Vaccines are Necessary for Indoor Cats?

There are lots of vaccines available for your indoor cat. However, it’s important to take note of the core and non-core vaccines available for cats:

Core Vaccines

Core vaccines are an essential part of a cat’s health, regardless of whether they live indoors or outdoors. Here’s a closer look at the primary core vaccines that are necessary for your indoor cat:

Feline Herpesvirus

Feline herpesvirus is one of the main causes of cat flu, a highly contagious respiratory infection. This disease causes symptoms such as sneezing, nasal discharge, and conjunctivitis. Once infected, a cat may carry the virus for life, with periodic flare-ups triggered by stress or illness.

There is no definite cure for feline herpesvirus, which means vaccinating against it will be better for your cat’s overall health and protection.

Feline Calicivirus

Feline calicivirus is another common cause of upper respiratory infections in cats. It can also lead to oral ulcers and eye infections. In severe cases, systemic infections affect multiple organs. Vaccination protects cats from severe forms of the disease and reduces the likelihood of transmission. 

Feline Panleukopenia Virus

Otherwise known as feline distemper, the feline panleukopenia virus affects the gastrointestinal system, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. It is especially dangerous for kittens. The vaccine is highly effective in preventing this life-threatening and contagious illness.

Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that can damage the nervous, posing a significant public health risk. Because of the severity of this disease, pets with rabies are usually euthanized when the disease has taken its course. Vaccination against rabies is required by law in many regions, even for indoor cats, as it protects both pets and humans. 

Non-Core Vaccines

Non-core vaccines are recommended based on a cat’s individual circumstances, including lifestyle, geographic location, and potential exposure to specific pathogens. These vaccines are not required for all cats but may be beneficial in certain situations.

Feline Leukemia Virus

The feline leukemia virus spreads through urine, saliva, and feces. This disease often progresses to more concerning issues, making vaccination a crucial part of cat health. This is a core vaccine for cats under 1 year of age and a non-core vaccine for adult cats.

Chlamydia felis

This bacterium causes conjunctivitis, flu, and respiratory issues in cats. When infection occurs, cats will experience ocular discharge, inflammation, pain, and other related symptoms. Vaccination is usually recommended for cats in shelters, catteries, or multi-cat households where the risk of exposure is higher. 

Bordetella bronchiseptica

While Bordetella bronchiseptica is more well-known as a cause of kennel cough in dogs, the bacterium also causes respiratory problems in cats. Cats will experience symptoms like fever, heavy nasal discharge, and coughing. 

Generally, you’d want to have your cat vaccinated against Bordetella bronchiseptica when you frequently leave them at boarding facilities and daycare.

How Often Should Indoor Cats Be Vaccinated?

The frequency of vaccinations for indoor cats is designed to provide long-term protection while minimizing unnecessary treatments. It depends on several factors, including your cat’s age, health, lifestyle, and other factors.

Vaccination Schedule for Cats

Kittens are especially vulnerable to infectious diseases because their immune systems are still developing. They receive some immunity from their mother’s milk, but this protection fades after a few weeks, making early vaccinations critical.

When it comes to your cat’s vaccination schedule, our vets will generally handle all the dates and details. To give you an idea, here’s a general vaccination schedule for your indoor cat:

Initial Vaccinations

A single dose of FVRCP provides the vaccines for feline herpesvirus, calicivirus, and panleukopenia virus. Your cat should receive this vaccine at the age of 6 to 8 weeks. Regarding rabies, we recommend having your indoor cat vaccinated against it when it is 14 to 16 weeks of age.

Since the feline leukemia virus is a core vaccine for cats younger than 1 year, we’ll also start the process at 6 to 8 weeks of age. If you also want to include non-core vaccines, this will also generally start at 6 to 8 weeks of age but may vary.

Booster Shots

After the initial vaccination, your cats will need booster shots for FVRCP and FeLV every 3 to 4 weeks, continuing until they reach 16 weeks of age. Once cats reach the age of 1, FeLV becomes a non-core vaccine.

Now that your cat has been fully vaccinated, additional booster shots will be required to maintain the immunity these vaccines provide. Additional booster shots for FVRCP and rabies will be given annually or every 1 to 3 years, depending on your cat’s condition.

Conclusion

While indoor cats may face fewer risks than outdoor cats, they are not entirely immune to infectious diseases. Core vaccines provide protection against some of the most serious and contagious diseases. 

Non-core vaccines, while not necessary for every cat, may be recommended based on specific risk factors. It’s all about choosing how to protect your cat, and we’ll help you get started.