Letting my cats go outside for a bit/concerned about vaccinations

[AnnaH]

Hello,

I have two sibling kitties who were once feral in my neighborhood and have been living with me indoors for 2 1/2 years now. They are likely 3 years old.

They both still cry to go out, even though I have built a catio. They miss feeling the ground and climbing trees.

I decided to try putting a harness and leash on Jinxie (the runt) and she surprised me by letting me put it on her (which I didn’t think she would let me)! She did really well! We walked on my back patio and she climbed the stairs. She was soooo happy!

Next, I tried it with Junior and it went awful! He freaked out
and was thrashing around and slipped out of it. It triggered his trauma from when he got TNR’d. He ran off but stayed in the immediate block. He had the best time ever for 5 1/2 hours. He came back home.

I decided it’s best to buy him a collar and a gps tag for him.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a tag?

My main concerns and questions are:

When Junior got trapped neutered and released he got all the first round of all the typical vaccines. He has not had any vaccinations since then. (2021).

Jinxie only got the rabies vaccination in September 2021.

As much as I hate to vaccinate, I want to protect them from getting sick while out in the neighborhood. There’s alot of ferals in the alley.


The other factor is I have a 3rd indoor/outdoor cat (their father) who doesn’t have updated vaccinations because he got very very ill the time we gave him a rabies shot in 2020.

Which vaccinations do you think are necessary for them?

My vet said rabies and FVRCP are the ones recommended.

I haven’t heard of feline distemper being common in my area.

Can I at least let them go out once in a while for now before getting any vaccinations?

Thank you for your guidance!!!

@Dr. Christina @Dr. Jeff @Dr. Jean Hofve

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Anna!

Can I at least let them go out once in a while for now before getting any vaccinations?

By law they all need their rabies vaccinations. Especially if they are going out.

You're right tho, that the risk from feline distemper is super low especially if they were ever vaccinated for it.

Whenever the kitties are going to be vaccinated (for anything), it is critical that they are well balanced prior to the vaccine.

If possible, communicate with your vet homeopath about their balance.

You can start to asses this by using BEAM and the EWS.

Optimize Your Pet's Quality Of Life Using BEAM

4 simple symptoms - behavior, energy, appetite, and mood - could help you track and increase your pet's health

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How to Use Clues From Your Animal Companions to Promote Optimal Health - Holistic Actions!

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