This is an article in relation to the new FIV vaccine that was just released.

I'm all for vaccines, don't get me wrong, but I think there is a limit.

Cats get too many damn vaccines now. They only need Rabies and Distemper by law. (indoor cats in my opinion should only be vaccinated every 3 years) The chance of getting felv or fiv is ultra low due to that the disease is highly unstable in the enviorment. If you have an outdoor kitty (and why do you? thats another article for me to write) and your kitty is PRONE to fights or hangs out with other cats, OK I can see why you would want to over vaccinate.

There is some vaccine frenzy lately. The chance of a cat developing a fibrosarcoma (very UGLY cancer- and I have seen MANY- in the area a FELV vaccine was given) is more likely to happen than contracting the disease itself.

Did you know that FIV is ONLY contracted through a bite? Did you know that vaccinating your cat with the FIV vaccine he/she will show POSITIVE for FIV? There is a test out there to determine if its the antibody or antigen showing up, but thats a different article for me to write.

What I am saying is this:
If you must let your cat outside(dumb idea) make sure it gets tested every year for flev/fiv. Go ahead and vaccinate your cat for the diseases if it is in a high risk area. DON'T go giving you cats vaccines it does not need. (ie. giardia) If you have an indoor kitty, follow state law for vaccinating it.

This is NOT medical advice, it's an opinion. I think having the FELV and FIV vaccines now are a great medical feat, BUT they need to be looked at again and again, so we do not get the ugly side effects of a fibrosarcoma