Cat Chat Feline Forum

My cat is due her vaccinations this month and I have been told that there is a national shortage of cat vaccinations. The vaccine company has issued a three month period after the cats due date in which they will still be covered for until the vaccines come back into stock. Has any one else heard about this as I can't find anything later than February 2022 on this topic. Thanks for your help.

Not heard anything about that. Tilly got her annual booster early last month without any problem. She would have told me if there was any possibility of putting the vet visit off!

Oh OK - thanks for that. This is what the vet told me. I live in Greater London. Maybe I should try another vet.

Last year my vets were refusing to vaccinate before 14 months due to the shortage, and at the start of this year one of my cats went over the 15 months due to having to wait until stocks came in and her not liking to being picked up so difficult to box. She should have started the course again, but as she never goes in a cattery and is such a problem to get to the vets they agreed there was no need to put her through the added stress of having to have another jab in a months time (the chances of it happening were rather remote anyway), the booster, even late would give her a good dose of protection. A week or so ago one of my other cats had his booster and there was no problem, he was at about the 13 month mark and there was no mention of waiting another month.

I know there has been problems with supply, i guess all vaccinations use the same little vials and a lot of what was being produced over the last couple of years was going for Covid Vaccines not ones for pet cats, I heard that even the places producing Covid vaccines were having problems getting them at one point, now there is just the back log of orders to fill.

My parents knew their vet very well, both were medical professionals, and even though they were different professions when they got talking shop there were a lot of similarities. He told them that the vaccines were actually good for 18 months or more normally, but the 12 month limit was the manufacturer's way of protecting themselves from any law suit if a cat did get ill in the last few months as the vaccine was wearing off a bit.

I don't think you would have a problem with waiting until your own vet got supplies back in, or you could ring around and see if any others have stock and are willing to vaccinate a cat not registered with them.

Lucy's were delayed this year so we could do them at the same time as her bloods, the vet nurse said there is a 3 month period before they would need to be started again. I know years ago a vet said there with the dual vaccination, one offered protection for 18 months, one for 12, so they went with 12 months.

Back in the Covid year of 2020, Tilly went 13 months without a booster (why her vaccination due date is now July, not June) as our Vets were only doing urgent work. Getting a booster at 12 months did not count as urgent!
I usually only take her in when the annual reminder comes through the post. I assume that had there been a shortage of vaccines in West Oxfordshire, the reminder would have been delayed.

The only reason I knew my cat was due was when I had a card through post from vet asking me to book her in.

I always take mine after 14 months. Apparently the cat flu one is only required every 5 years now. No shortage reported by my vets (Surrey).

Ruth B wrote: ↑Wed Aug 03, 2022 9:52 am the 12 month limit was the manufacturer's way of protecting themselves from any law suit if a cat did get ill in the last few months as the vaccine was wearing off a bit.

I don't think you would have a problem with waiting until your own vet got supplies back in, or you could ring around and see if any others have stock and are willing to vaccinate a cat not registered with them.

I was always told they were valid for more than 12 months but it was vets' way of making sure cats get an annual check-up.

Good luck with that, even for a cat that needs end of life help they still want it to be registered with them. Also if you did find one you would need a vaccination certificate from your own vet with details of date and brand used.

Yes, same problem in my part of Norfolk. Rufus's vet's are also saying he's covered up to three months late. However, at the moment there's no vaccination slots even up till December. Colleague of mine managed to get a vaccination for her cat just a few weeks ago. So guess it's just down to supply arriving.
My main concern is insurance where the t&c is that they have to be vaccinated. My mum's old dog missed his vaccination by a few weeks due to dad dying and the insurance company wouldn't pay out for a condition that was unrelated because he'd missed his jab by a few weeks.
Otherwise, I think Rufus is pretty safe as he's so antisocial!

Wow, insurance companies (and catteries) need to get with the times - the annual booster protocol is not even necessarily recommended, for cats at least. That said insurance companies will wiggle out of anything and it's a massive factor in our decision not to insure our animals.

The WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) are the global authority on best veterinary practice and vaccine protocol.
GUIDELINES FOR THE VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS (wsava.org)
https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/20 ... s-2015.pdf
"Revaccination of Adult Cats. Cats that have responded to vaccination with MLV core vaccines maintain a solid immunity (immunological memory) against FPV for many years in the absence of any repeat vaccination"...
I am appalled that so many vets are ignoring these recommendations, and simply lining their pockets with yearly boosters. Dr Ronald Schultz, who is a leading world immunologist authority on vaccines, and was the WSAVA key advisor, has been warning about the dangers of over vaccination, and advocating no boosters and life-time uptake, when vaccinated at the appropriate age ~ for over 40 YEARS!
Have a Google search on the serious side effects of over vaccination. I lost one to VAS. Never again!