Vaccinating Cats

We used to think vaccinating was like praying—the more the better, but now we know this is not true. Cats develop a fatal cancer called a fibrosarcoma especially if vaccinated for several diseases at the same time. Vaccines for feline leukemia and rabies cause the greatest problem. In addition to causing cancer, vaccines cause other more subtle illnesses. For example, many veterinarians believe there is a correlation with being vaccinated and developing the following feline diseases:

• allergies,
• autoimmune disease,
• epilepsy,
• loss of the ability to smell (anosmia), and
• hyperthyroid disease.

To help prevent unnecessary vaccine-induced illness, limit the number of vaccines your cat receives.

Diseases for which cats must be vaccinated:
Rabies

Diseases for which most cats should be vaccinated:
Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpes)
Calici virus
Panleukopenia (Feline parvovirus)

Vaccines to use infrequently, if at all:
Bordetella (Kennel cough)
FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus)
FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus)
FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis)

Core and Noncore Vaccines
Another way to look at cat vaccines is to divide them into core and noncore groups. Core vaccines are for diseases that cause serious illness and may be fatal: Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpes), Calici virus, Panleukopenia (Feline parvovirus), and Rabies. These vaccines should be used in most cats. Noncore vaccines protect against diseases that are not normally serious, infect only a limited number of cats, or are not highly effective. Examples of noncore vaccines, which should not be used routinely, are FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus), FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis), and Bordetella (Kennel cough).