# 3 Year Rabies Vaccine for Cats?



## MollyWoppy

Windy the cat has to go for her yearly check up/vaccinations tomorrow. (Gosh, I can't believe I've been a cat owner for a whole year now!)

She got a yearly rabies vaccine last year, and since I've become a more edumacated cat owner, I've been lightly pondering why they would only gave her a yearly vaccine and not the 3 year one like dogs get.

So, looked it up and there is a feline 3 year vaccine available, but there seems to be a lot of people advising against it. It has something to do with the 3 year one uses some adjuvant that is suspected to cause sarcoma (cancer) and the yearly one doesn't.

I'm going to ask the vet his opinion of course, but was wondering what you guys reckon and which vaccine you give your cats?


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## RawFedDogs

I don't know the answer. I don't vaccinate my cats. I would assume that cat rabies vaccinations are like dogs and regardless of what the vet and vac company tell you, they are good for at least 7.5 years and probably for life.


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## monkeys23

My cat gets both her rabies and the distemper, etc. combo every three years. I like vets that do the updated every three years for everything vaccination schedule.

She was very, very sick with upper respritory disease when I took her from my parent's barn. It took multiple rounds of antibiotics before she was even healthy enough to come into heat the first time and get spayed. She was two years old. She had a relapse after her spay and had two more rounds of antibiotics. Another mild relapse after her first dental. She will always have some asthma because of the damage that was done to her respritory system and has to use Feline Pine because of that. Other than gross teeth she's in tip top health now and fully aware of how lucky she is. She entered a second kittenhood when she got healthy and hasn't left it. She is six now. 
Suffice to say you don't want to f around with that respritory crap in cats, make sure you fully vaccinate!! I know people here are really anti-vaccination, but I'm sorry seeing a cat that sick is revolting because of how it ravages them and SO easily preventable by vaccinating.

If your cat hunts be sure to worm regularly too. The two house cats at my parent's are constantly wormy from hunting and eating what they catch. Profender is awesome! Way easier than putting a Drontal feline pill down their throats! Also if they've been wormed recently Revolution will keep them clear of everything, even ear mites. Which is nice because the two house cats at my parent's constantly have ear mites and it sucks holding them down to put drops in.

If Missy lives past 10, which she should, I'll probably start titering her instead of vaccinating every three years.

Missy's mom Barn Kitty actually died at 11 this last Christmas. She was spayed after the litter Missy was in... various siblings have carried on the barn cat line. Barn Kitty was ravaged by upper respritory disease her whole life and she died from it finally. Being treated with injectable antbiotics a couple times extended her life over the years, but she was so miserable from being sick her whole life. And she was the sweetest, most loving cat I've ever met. She didn't deserve that misery caused by not vaccinating.


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## Maxy24

They used to do them every three years like the dogs. However they recently (well maybe not super recently, last year was the first time they mentioned it to us but we hadn't been in 4 years) came out with the non-adjuvant vaccine. Injection site sarcomas happen in cats a lot more than in dogs so most of the cat owners I know would much rather give this vaccine once a year than give the less safe one every three years.
I remember when the vet recommended it to us I asked if it was a three year vaccine and he said no, they hadn't yet done the testing necessary for it to be made a three year vaccine. So chances are it will eventually be a three year and lasts just as long as the other one.


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## MollyWoppy

Thanks you guys. You decided me, I will just get the yearly rabies vaccine, I like this cat a bit much to risk anything happening to her health.
I have to keep her vaccinations and records totally up to date as there is a good chance that within their lifetimes, both my dog and my cat will be exported back to NZ. NZ is a rabies free country so they are extremely vigilant about admitting animals into the country. It will likely cost me upwards of 10K, 6 months waiting here with periodic testing, then a minimum 30 days quarantine once they get to NZ. I just can't take the risk of there being any problems that will prohibit them from entering the country. 

I'm also going to check out the heartworm a bit more. Last year, my vet said that heartworm in cats is very rare and as she isn't outside full time, she would more than likely be safe. However, I was looking at the mozzies hanging round her ears tonight, thinking maybe its a good idea to re-visit that question again. 

Thanks for your help, appreciate it.


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