*Disclosure: Post is sponsored by Merial, a world-leading animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health and well-being of pets, but all opinions are my own.
If you are a regular follower of my blog chances are you are aware that I have a “mini zoo” at home which consists of five cats, a dog who thinks he’s a cat, and a fish that fears the cats.
I love our pets. They are very much a part of our family. I do whatever I can to keep them happy and healthy. They are well loved (spoiled!) and I’d like to think they all have a good life.
Having pets means having veterinarian expenses. Your pet needs to visit a vet on a regular basis to ensure that they are healthy. They also need specific vaccinations, including the rabies vaccination. I’m not sure of the laws in all areas, but where I live it’s mandatory for your pet to have a rabies vaccination. You cannot get a license for your dog without proof that your dog is up to date on their rabies vaccination. We can’t even take our dog to the groomer without a current rabies vaccination on record.
All of our cats are strictly indoor cats. We live in a condo complex and there are too many cars racing around, driving like homicidal maniacs. We don’t want to take a chance of one of our cats getting killed by a car, or go missing. For their health and safety we keep them indoors. They do go outside on our balcony (we live on the top floor), but that is about how far they go.
I think a misconception that many cat owners might have is that if their cats are strictly indoor cats they don’t need a rabies vaccination. That is FALSE! Indoor cats can be exposed to rabies, too! What if your cat slips outside and is exposed? Rabies can be transmitted be infected animals such as foxes, raccoons, coyotes and bats. Or, what if you cat was exposed to a rabid bat in your house?
We have our cats vaccinated because when they are out on the balcony they can come in contact with other animals.
Still not convinced? Check out these startling facts. They might just change the way you view rabies.
In 2013, nearly 500 domestic animals within the United States contracted the rabies virus, and cats accounted for more than half of these cases.1 U.S. households own more than 85.8 million cats, making them a more plentiful pet than dogs.2 Given the population of cats within the United States, vaccination is the responsible action to protect the life of your cat. Even indoor cats can be exposed to rabies infection.
Rabies is a viral disease that causes severe inflammation in the brain and spinal cord of mammals. Rabies can be transmitted from rabid animals to other mammals, including humans, through bites. There is no cure or treatment for rabies and infection is fatal. Rabies is a preventable viral disease which occurs in more than 150 countries and territories around the world, including the United States.3 The costs associated with rabies are estimated to be more than $300 million in the United States alone.4
I feel very strongly about the health and well-being of both my pets and my family. That is why I have partnered with the company Merial to shine light on the importance of getting all cats vaccinated against rabies, whether they are outdoor cats or indoor cats.
Merial is the creator of PUREVAX® Feline Rabies vaccines.
Merial created the PUREVAX Pure Protection program to educate cat owners about rabies.
According to information found on the PUREVAX® Feline Rabies vaccines brochure;
PUREVAX Feline Rabies vaccines are highly effective and proven in cats, including kittens as young as 12 weeks of age.
The PUREVAX Feline Rabies vaccines are the only rabies vaccines that protect without the need for adjuvants, a vaccine additive that may present potential risks to feline patients, such as injection site reactions and chronic inflammation.5,6
Today, September 28, 2015 is World Rabies Day. I appreciate that there is a special day created to educate pet owners about rabies and to encourage them to get their pets vaccinated right away.
Launched by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control in 2007, World Rabies Day is a global health observance to raise awareness about rabies and increase prevention efforts. Hundreds of thousands of people and organizations participate in this global event on a local, regional and national level.
I have never heard of World Rabies Day until now. I wish we had heard about it sooner. Years ago when I was younger we had cats who were indoor/outdoor cats and we never had them vaccinated. The dogs were, but not the cats. I guess we can consider ourselves very lucky that our cats never contracted rabies.
If you would like to learn more please visit RabiesAlliance.org/World-Rabies-Day.
Merial would like to encourage all cat owners to ensure that their cats are currently vaccinated against rabies infection (if overdue, now is the perfect time to make an appointment to see the vet).
To help educate pet owners, Merial has created the Feline Defense game. This interactive game is designed to take a fun approach to educating cat owners about the dangers of rabies. You can find the game at PurvaxPureProtection.com.
It would be wonderful if you could help spread the word about the importance of getting your cat vaccinated against rabies – including indoor cats. Please share this important information with family, friends and neighbors. In addition, if you share on social media such as Twitter®, Instagram® and Facebook®, please use the hashtag #VaxYourCat.
For more information you can visit VaccinateYourPet.net.
Do you own pets? Are you a cat owner? Is your cat vaccinated against rabies?
Kimberly
*Merial partnered with bloggers like me for its PUREVAX Pure Protection program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. Merial believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words.
- Dyer JL, Yager P, Orciari L, et al. Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2103. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2014;245(10):1111-1123. http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/full/10.2460/javma.245.10.1111. Accessed September 21, 2015.
- APPA Staff. 2015-2016 APPA national pet owners survey statistics: Pet ownership & annual expenses. Pet industry market size & ownership statistics. http://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp. Accessed September 21, 2015.
- World Health Organization. Rabies. Media Centre. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs099/en/. Updated September 2015. Accessed September 21, 2015.
- National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. The burden of rabies. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsRabies/index.html. Updated September 23, 2013. Accessed September 21, 2015.
- Greene CE, Schultz RD. Immunoprophylaxis. In: Greene CE, ed. Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat. 4th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:1163-1205.
- Day MJ, Schoon HA, Magnol JP, et al. A kinetic study of histopathological changes in the subcutis of cats injected with non-adjuvanted and adjuvanted multi-component vaccines. Vaccine. 2007;25:4073-4084.