Responsible cat owners will make sure that their cat vaccinations are up-to-date, even if their cats are indoor cats. Annual cat vaccinations play a major role in disease prevention. General guidelines for core cat vaccinations are for diseases that are widespread, cause significant illness and/or death from the disease and vaccination results in good protection. Core cat vaccinations include:

Rabies Vaccine - This vaccination is usually required by state and local laws and can be given annually or every 2-5 years depending on the type of vaccine.

Feline Calicivirus Virus Vaccine - This vaccinates against a respiratory virus along with feline rhinotracheitis that accounts for 95% of the upper respiratory infections in cats.

Feline Panleukopenia Virus Vaccine - This vaccine is also known as the feline distemper vaccine.

Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis Vaccine - This vaccine can be given in combination with the feline calicivirus virus and feline panleukopenia virus vaccines.

Other non-core cat vaccinations that you may want to consider getting include vaccinations for: feline leukemia virus (a virus that can cause infections, immunosuppresion, cancer and tumors); feline infectious peritonitis; feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV attacks the cats body much like HIV attacks humans); feline bordetella (kennel cough); feline herpes virus 1 virus (a common virus that can cause a type of cat flu); and feline chlamydophilosis (bacterial infection that causes conjunctivitis in cats).

Whether you should vaccinate with non-core cat vaccinations depends upon a number of things; including, age, breed, and the health of your cat. The potential exposure of your cat to another animal that has the disease will also need to be considered (whether your cat is an indoor versus outdoor cat, for example). How common the disease is in the geographical area where you live or may visit should also be considered when making a decision on what vaccines your cat needs. Cat owners should discuss these issues with their veterinarian to decide exactly which of the cat vaccinations are necessary for their particular pet and housing situation.

It is recommended that cat vaccinations be received in the hip rather than in the scruff of the neck. There is a small risk that a vaccinated cat could develop vaccine associated sarcoma, a rare type of cancer located at the injection site of the vaccines. Adverse reactions to vaccinations are extremely rare, and the benefits of cat vaccinations far outweigh the risks involved not only to your cat but to the cat population as a whole.