Conference misery::feline_v1

        I have my cat vaccinated for leukemia even though she is kept entirely 
indoors.  I unknowingly may be in contact with the leukemia virus and bring it 
home.  Some vets require this vaccination if the cat has to stay over night 
for a procedure.

    Mine are all indoor cats and I do have them vaccinated for leukemia as
    well as everything else needed.  They do make trips to the vet's
    office/waiting room and I also have 2 going to shows now.
    
    Pat
    

    Mine have also been vaccinated - they just venture out the front with
    us when we pick up the mail or paper - I feel better knowing they are
    protected - just in case.
    
    Giudi

    I do not vaccinate any of my cats for Leukemia or recommend it to my
    kitten buyers.  If the cat is strictly indoors, and isn't exposed to
    any other cats in an intimate manner, then I feel that the leukemia
    vaccine is unnecessary.  Feline Leukemia is not an airborne virus, and
    is passed by prolonged, intimate contact with an infected cat.  It
    cannot be passed at a cat show, or in a vet's waiting area.  If proper
    sanitation controls are being used, a vet shouldn't have to require it
    of cats that are being boarded at his/her office.  Leukemia virus is a
    very fragile virus and is killed by Nolvasan, Roccal-D, and bleach
    water.
    
    Of course, this is for you to decide for yourself.
    
    Jo

I do not vaccinate my indoor-only, never shown, cats.  I probably would if
the vaccine was a killed virus vaccine and if the virus was more quickly
contracted.  My vet supports me in my decision because:

	1) my cats never go outside except to see their vet.  We are
	   on time for visits and all cats are transported in their own
	   carrier.  I never take a cat out of a carrier except in an
	   examining room.

	2) Any cat that enters my home is tested PRIOR to entry and does
	   not enter if positive.  I love my furballs enough that I
	   will no longer risk exposure for them by taking in strays in
	   an attempt to find them homes.  I do however, work hard to
	   find homes for cats that my vet takes in.

	3) My cats are all diagnosed as healthy and with no cronic conditions
	   which may challenge the immune system of the animal.  This is
	   extremely important...if I had a cat with cronic problems, I would
	   probably vaccinate all.

Feline Leukemia is a terrible disease...however, it isn't contracted by short
term exposure to the same air as an afflicted cat.  Prolonged exposure to
a cat with an active case of the disease is the way cats get the disease.  If
you screen all cats that come into your home and keep your cats inside, and
away from the neighborhood cats which may carry the disease, you don't risk
your cat's health by not vaccinating.  I am a very cautious person when it
comes to live-virus vaccines.  I just am not fully convinced that they are
safe yet.  In another 20 years or so, I will probably change my mind, but
right now, I have reservations.

    I have my indoor only cats vaccinated against leukemia.  Partly this
    is because I lost a cat to this disease some years ago (before the
    present ones came to live with me), so I have a real terror of
    it, but also because there is always the possibility of one getting
    outside somehow and getting exposed.  They get rabies shots and wear
    collars with name tags, under the same reasoning.
    

    
    
    	I choose to not have my two indoor only Siamese vaccinated.  They
    	never get near another cat and I do not let them out, so I just
    	figure there is no need.  I'm glad to hear others feel this way,
    	because I was thinking maybe I should.  I prefer to not give them
    	any unnecessary shots if at all possible.  Not because of the
    	money, but because of some of the side effects.
    
    	Just my opinion.
    
    	-dee
    
    

      But, then again, you just never know.  A few years ago, this dreadful
    disease swept through my house taking 3 of the 6 cats that I had at the
    time.  They were housecats too.   Still do not know how the disease got
    into the house,  no one was a carrier, I had had all 6 for a long time.
    But it got there, and took its toll.  I never want to live through that
    again, so all mine are vaccinated.  
    And I have 10 now!
    
    Denise

     Both our cats are vaccinated against Feline Leukaemia. 
    When we go on holiday we put them in a Cattery, and they insist
    that all "guests" are up to date on their vaccinations.
    
    Tim

    To my knowledge the FLV vaccine is NOT NOT NOT a modified live
    virus.  In fact, I'm not even sure it is a killed virus.  I believe,
    and I'll have to look this up, that its protein from the virus.
    
    Most of my cats ARE vaccinated against FLV INCLUDING Bonnie and
    CC - two of my breeders.  There is a new vaccine out that is
    available from ReVival that is specifically for breeders and supposedly
    eliminates the problems that have been associated with FLV vaccines
    for breeders in the past.  SInce I'm hoping CC is pregnant and know
    for a fact that Bonnie is we'll find out.  Actually, Bonnie had been
    vaccinated with the regular FLV vaccine and her kittens are certainly
    healthy and happy and beautiful (Tiffany & Sunny).
    
    Where vaccines are concerned, I usually look at the risk to the cat
    from the vaccine itself.  If the risk is very low then I would rather
    be safe than sorry.  
    
    Of course, some of my cats go out on leashes so there IS a remote
    possiblity of them coming in contact with other cats.  Since I am
    there to supervise I don't worry about it.
    
    Nancy DC
    

    David's mom's indoor only cats are vaccinated for everything.  She
    takes very good care of these critters, and is very carful about not
    letting them out, as they have no front claws, and she lives on a busy
    street.  In fact, she built them a very nice screened in porch - that
    humans can use provided we give enough notice.  ;^)
    
    Anyway, the cats occasionally do sneak out, and one can never be
    sure what they'll come in contact with.
    
    Michele & Nippa 

    
    
         Thank you all very much for your responses, I have a couple of
      friends who were undecided on this.  I will pass along the reasons
      discussed.
      I really appreciate it.
    
    Thank you
    Diana