Dr. Allen, DVM:
Does my indoor cat really need vaccines?
“My kitty never goes outside, does she really need all these vaccines?!” is a frequent question we receive during appointments and vaccine clinics. The short answer is yes!
The longer answer, which is further explained below, is ‘yes’ to core vaccinations, and ‘maybe’ to other vaccines, known as non-core, depending on your pet’s specific lifestyle, age, and vaccination history.
Our vaccination recommendations are generally based on the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) guidelines for dogs and cats, respectively. AAHA and AAFP work together to develop the cat vaccination guidelines.
Canine Vaccinations:
Core vaccines for dogs are the distemper/adenovirus/parvovirus/parainfluenza combination vaccine (known as DA2PP or DHPP for short) and rabies vaccines. These viruses are all very serious, and some can even lead to death in our dogs. Rabies can also affect humans, which is why it is a legal requirement to vaccinate your dog for rabies. Our pets can potentially be exposed to these various viruses even by going to places like the vet or groomer (still indoor environments!). The exposure risk for a particular virus also depends on how the virus in-question is transmitted. Additionally, some of these viruses are ‘hardy’ in the environment meaning they can live for a long time on surfaces - some can even be carried into your home on clothes and shoes!
Non-core vaccinations in dogs that can be just as important depending on your pet’s lifestyle include the bordetella (or kennel cough) vaccine, leptospirosis vaccine (leptospirosis is also a disease that can affect humans), canine influenza vaccine, etc. We tend to recommend the bordetella and leptospirosis vaccines regularly, as if they were core vaccines. Other non-core vaccinations, such as canine influenza, may be recommended if your pet frequently attends daycare, boarding, grooming, or you live in an area of the country that has a higher case rate for canine influenza. It is important to discuss with your veterinarian if these lifestyle vaccines are necessary and/or recommended for your pet.
Feline Vaccinations:
Core vaccinations for our cats are the feline viral rhinotracheitis/calicivirus/panleukopenia combination vaccine (known as FVRCP for short), rabies, and feline leukemia virus vaccine* (*the feline leukemia virus vaccine is considered core for cats younger than 1 year of age and non-core in cats older than 1 year of age, depending on lifestyle). The feline leukemia virus vaccine may be recommended in your cat older than 1 year of age if they are indoor-outdoor (or completely outdoor), are indoor-only but have an interest in escaping when a door is left open for a second too long, or other lifestyle circumstances such as you (the owner) frequently foster kittens or shelter cats, etc. There are a few other non-core vaccines for cats, but these non-core vaccines are much less common than the other non-core vaccines for dogs.
Additional Information:
The great news is – when on time for your pet’s vaccinations—some of them can actually become every three years instead of annually or requiring additional boosters. For example, in adult dogs that received their appropriate puppy boosters (which are generally complete at 16 weeks or 4 months of age) and receive a DA2PP or DHPP vaccine at 1 year and 4 months of age (1 year after completing puppy vaccinations), this vaccine can then become a 3-year vaccine at that time if you remain on schedule for your pet’s vaccinations. The same concept applies for cats and their FVRCP core vaccine, as well as sometimes for rabies vaccines (but this depends on the location of the pet and rabies licensing laws in your jurisdiction).
In Summary:
Certain vaccines are still very important for indoor-only dogs and cats to stay up-to-date on. The best way to ensure your pet is protected is to maintain a relationship with your family veterinarian and have your pets seen at least annually for an examination and lifestyle discussion. Recommendations will vary depending on your pet’s age, vaccine history, lifestyle, and where you live. If you are traveling with your pet, it is also important to check in with your veterinarian well in advance of travel to see if they have additional recommendations based on your travel destination (they may also recommend your pet is seen by a local vet at your destination as soon as possible).
Links to AAHA/AAFP vaccination guidelines: