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Get the Rabies Shot

November 7 by Carrie

Does My Cat Need a Rabies Shot

Rabies is a serious disease.

Because once the virus symptoms start, the disease is nearly always fatal in animals and there is no cure.

That is why prevention methods like the vaccine are essential.

And this is why most states and local governments in the U.S. require the vaccination of adult cats.

What is the Cat Rabies Vaccine

The feline vaccination introduces microorganisms into your kitty that will help her develop antibodies that help the body fight off the rabies virus.

The vaccine is administered by injection. After the initial shot, booster shots are given at regular intervals, usually yearly or every three years.

How is Rabies Transmitted?

Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal into another mammal — human or otherwise.

Infected animals are typically wild animals, such as bats, skunks, foxes or raccoons, or exposed domestic pets, such as wild dogs or feral cats.

It is rare, although not impossible, for there to be cases of non-bite exposure. It may happen through a scratch, abrasion or open wound that is contaminated with infected saliva.

Is the Feline Rabies Shot Important?

Cats are highly susceptible to this virus.

Their small lungs are less efficient at fighting virus particles. The virus can quickly travel from the lungs to the brain through their bloodstream.

The rabies virus is severe, it is predominantly fatal for unvaccinated pets.

And many communities require euthanasia for unvaccinated animals that have been exposed to a potentially rabid animal. That’s right, if your unvaccinated pet is bitten by a rabid animal, he will need to be put down.

There is No Easy Way to Diagnose Rabies in a Living Animal

It isn’t possible to successfully diagnose rabies in a living animal.

The test for diagnosing this virus requires two samples of brain tissue that can only be gotten during a postmortem procedure when the animal is dead.

Does My Indoor Cat Need the Rabies Shot

First, vaccinating cats over a certain age for rabies is a law in many areas.

Even if your cat never goes outdoors, it is possible they can be exposed.

Exposure can happen during the one time they escape out of your window. Or they could get out of their cage while you are taking them to the vet.

Or an infected bat may sneak into your home somehow. Your cat will chase it and try to catch it.

While these are all improbable situations, they can happen.

To ensure your kitty will never be at risk, you could get her vaccinated.

Plus, a vaccination protects your cat in case she happens to bite someone else. If she bites a child in the vet’s waiting room, you will want to be able to prove that your cat is not carrying the virus.

How Often Do Cats Need to Get a Rabies Vaccine?

In other words — how long does a vaccine last?

There are different brands of rabies vaccines for cats.

Traditionally, domestic pets were recommended to be vaccinated against rabies once each year.

While annual booster shots are still common, newer inoculations can reliably provide immunity for up to three years.

If your vet offers both options, it will be up to you to decide if you want the one-year or three-year shot. The three-year shot is more expensive.

The benefit of the annual shot is you will be bringing in your pet once a year and your vet will have a chance to briefly exam her each time. You can ask questions and your vet may notice something.

Situations When You Won’t Give the Renewal

If your cat has a significant health issue and you live someplace where vaccination for cats is mandatory, talk with your vet about receiving a waiver.

Only healthy cats should receive a shot.

What About Kittens?

A kitten will get her first shot somewhere between two and six months of age.

If you are obtaining your kitten from a shelter, she may have it before you even leave with her to go home.

And then you will bring her in in 12 months to get her first booster shot.

Cost of Feline Rabies Shot

How much does a cat rabies vaccine cost? Rabies vaccines are not cheap.

The cost will vary depending on the specific one used by your veterinarian.

The two major differences between vaccines are whether they contain an adjuvant or not and how many years they protect for.

Some vaccines contain materials called adjuvants, which act to initially boost the immune response to the vaccine. Adjuvants are added to purposely cause some inflammation at the inoculation site in order to announce the immune system to its presence.

Adjuvanted vaccines are less expensive than non-adjuvanted vaccines. And three-year shots are more expensive than one-year shots.

It is generally accepted that a non-adjuvanted vaccine is preferred over an adjuvanted one for most cats. But it will be more expensive.

Side Effects of the Feline Rabies Shot

A reaction to this vaccine is very uncommon.

In rare situations when side effects happen, they might include swelling at the shot site, slight fever, lethargy or decreased appetite.

These side effects usually disappear within a few days.

In extremely rare situations (one in one thousand), a cat may show an allergic reaction. This could include hives, itching, swelling around the face or lethargic movements.

SUMMARY:
Cats that go outside are at risk for contracting rabies. They definitely need to receive the initial shot and every required booster too.

Even strictly indoor cats have a slight risk of being exposed too. Plus, if your indoor cat bites someone, you will want to be able to prove that he is vaccinated.

Many states and municipalities mandate that cats over a certain age must be vaccinated.

We recommend you have your pet vaccinated initially. After that, you should get them the booster shot at regular intervals unless they have an existing health problem or you really can’t afford the cost.

We know it can be inconvenient and nobody likes to spend money, but not doing it can be too risky for most pet owners.

NOTE: Any content in this article is not to be considered professional or veterinarian or medical advice. This article is strictly for general information only. We are not suggesting any advice for you and your pet. Be sure to consult with a professional veterinarian before deciding on any medical treatment option.

Young kitty is ready for his rabies vaccine shot

Feline Ringworm – What it is and how to not get it.

Filed Under: Product Reviews Tagged With: Rabies shot

Dr Elseys Ultra Cat Litter

September 15 by Carrie

Dr Elsey’s Precious Ultra Cat Litter Review

SUMMARY: Precious Cat’s Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Cat Litter is a solid-performing, medium-priced litter that can work well in many single and multiple-cat households.

This product may not be the top-performing litter on the market, but it can be the right choice for a lot of households. Especially homes with multiple cats.

Review of Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Cat – Key Points:

  • Dr Elsey’s Ultra Cat Litter is a medium-grain granule clay litter product.
  • It’s hard clumping which makes it easier to scoop out urine waste.
  • When the litter is applied deep enough, it will prevent urine from reaching the bottom of the box.
  • It’s unscented. No added perfumes or cover-up scents. Hypo-allergenic.
  • It claims to be 99.9% dust-free.
  • It’s designed to work fine in mechanical litter boxes.
  • It’s mid-priced.

What’s the Price of Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Cat Litter

The general retail price at most big pet retailers is about $19 for the 40-pound bag.

The 18-pound bag and the 20-pound box are often between $10 and $12 respectfully. The box being a little more expensive than the bag.

I don’t like using litter from a box because when the box is empty and it’s time to recycle the box, you need to take the box outside before you open it up and flatten it, because pieces of clay get between all of the folds of the cardboard, and when you open those folds, pieces of clay fall out everywhere.

A Good Litter for Multiple-Cat Owners

If you have just one cat and one litterbox, you may be able to splurge on a better, more natural, more expensive litter.

But if you have multiple cats, with two, three or four litterboxes, using a high-priced litter can really add up in expense.

This product can be an excellent choice if you are filling up several boxes every few weeks.

Do You Have a Kitty That is Urinating Outside the Box?

If you have a cat who is not using the box consistently and is urinating in areas around your home, you may be interested in using Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Litter.

The Cat Attract Litter worked wonders for my cat who had this issue, but Cat Attract is expensive.

So once my cat started to use the litter box again, I began to mix the less-expensive Ultra in with the more-expensive Cat Attract. Eventually, I could stop using the Cat Attract all together.

Odor Control

If your cat covers up his business, and doesn’t urinate on the side of the box, odor control seems to be pretty good.

If she likes to leave her accomplishment uncovered and on display, well, then there isn’t much odor control happening.

What About Tracking?

It’s unreasonable to expect that no litter will get accidentally carried out of the box at all. Some granules will stick in your kitty’s paws and get tracked out.

The manufacturer states that this product has low tracking. But tracking is going to happen. It’s hard to compare tracking from one brand to the next, but my cats appear able to track it just fine.

Is It Dusty?

Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Clumping Kitty Litter

This brand is not nearly as dusty as cheap clay litters are.

That being said, when you are digging around in there looking for hidden treasure with your scooper, you may notice a hint of dust being raised.

And flat surfaces around your box will accumulate a layer of dust faster than most other surfaces around your apartment or home.

Anything Else?

If your cat likes to pee along the inside edge of the box, you will probably have litter that will stick to the side of the box.

Or if you don’t keep enough product in the box and your cat pees a lot at one time, you will probably have to scrape the bottom with a flat, strong scooper to get the stuck-on litter off the bottom. It will stick.

Will My Cat Like This Kitty Litter?

Probably. But cats are complicated. Cats are individuals. They can have their own likes and dislikes.

If this type of product sounds good to you, you could try mixing a small amount in with your current litter and gradually increase its percentage over the course of a couple of weeks.

If your cat lets you know that she isn’t too fond of this new litter, you can always stop.

REMEMBER:
Cat feces are dirty and may contain parasites too. Always wash your hands really well after handling used cat litter.

Pregnant women, nursing women, children or anyone with a weakened immune system should avoid handling used cat litter. Let someone else do it.

Try to place your box in a well-ventilated area to avoid breathing it in.

Don’t put any of it in your mouth. Seek medical help in case anyone ingests it.

Dr. Elsey's Ultra Cat Litter Bag

See our list of the most common feline diseases.

Filed Under: Product Reviews Tagged With: Cat litter reviews

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