A little over a year ago I wrote about something bad that happened to Floki after a vet visit. You can read about it here. Something similar happened yesterday morning.
Rose made an appointment for a nail trim and for them to check his ears and clean them. Unfortunately, his rabies vaccine was out of date and they wouldn’t see him unless we also had him vaccinated. Personally, I think it is ridiculous for an inside-only cat to be required to get a rabies vaccine but I understand it is a big money-making scheme for both the vet and the government so nothing will change there.
I brought him in for his 8 a.m. appointment and, since I was the first one there, they saw us right away. The vet tech took him to the other room for his nail trim and then brought him back. He was very nervous and seemed like he wanted to get back into his carrier. The very instrument that brought him there in the first place.
When the vet arrived she checked him out thoroughly and gave him his vaccinations. I thought it was just a rabies shot but it seems it was also a distemper shot as well. I don’t know if that was required or if she just included it without asking. After that, it was time to put on his flea treatment. That did not go well.
Suddenly, he lost his fear and respect for the new people and behaved like he did for Rose and me whenever we have to do something to him. He ended up on the floor and the vet said we should give him a minute to calm down. It looked like he wanted to get into his carrier so I suggested putting him in the carrier and treating him while he was in it. As soon as I made the suggestion, Floki made his way in through the top hole and the problem was solved.
When we got home he seemed okay at first but then he started walking like he was drunk, just like he did the last time he had a problem after his vet visit. Soon he was hiding under the bed in the spare bedroom, just like last time.
He came out yesterday evening for a little while. He even slept on our bed. I thought he was okay but then back under the bed he went. This morning he was out just long enough to eat breakfast and then back under the bed again.
Rose put a blanket next to the bed last night and I put food and water there for him. Today we found the food gone and Chris lying on the blanket. Perhaps he was there keeping Floki company. Or maybe he came for the food and then got tired.
Last time we thought the problem was either caused but the cleaning of his ears, which was unlikely considering how long it lasted, or it was a result of the flea medication. Since then his brand of flea medication has changed and he has not had another episode until today. This time we suspect it might still be the flea medication or it could be the vaccine, which is certainly plausible since vaccines are not 100% safe. That is why I hesitate to vaccinate our cats unless I have to.
It is now a little after 3:30 on Sunday and Floki is still under the bed. I think he hides under the bed when he doesn’t feel well so that is a bit concerning but I do feel good that he did eat something this morning. Hopefully, he will be back to normal soon.
Bad Cat Chris 
Awwww…. Feel better soon, fren. xoxo
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Thanks.
We sure hope Floki will feel better soon! Purrs from us.
Thank you. I think he is ok but still under the bed.
It could be a reaction to the vaccine. I had a cat that had a bad reaction like that, didn’t feel good, wouldn’t eat. The vet told me to bring him in and they gave him a shot of something like benadryl (can’t remember exactly, it was a long time ago) and it helped. I hope Foki feels better soon but if he doesn’t, you may want to contact the vet (though I know you probably don’t want to do that).
They usually call and check up after a visit but that was Saturday so I will call them if they don’t call me.
Don’t even get me started on the damn jabs… Poor kitty.
You’d be preaching to the choir.
Poor kitty. It sounds like you need a new vet. I only get rabies shots because of the law and I skip the distemper and anything else they push. I am lucky the cardiologist and internist see my Emmy because she is overdue on rabies, but they know that could kill her with all her health issues. I can’t take her to the local vet though because of the rabies shot. I will add him to my prayer list.
Thank you. I heard the label on the vaccine says to give it only to healthy animals but not sure every vet follows that.
Like Ellen I have a cat who has some health issues and the vet herself recommended skipping the rabies vaccine Before he got sick he was indoor/outdoor so she suggested getting a titer done, since he had been getting rabies shots regularly. (That did require a blood draw) His titer revealed he had a safe level of immunity so no shot was needed .
More vets should do titers but I think the local law doesn’t account for them.
I don’t know what flea meds they gave but I do know there is an issue with Revolution Plus. I hope all is better by now.
I think that is it.
Could part of it be stress from the visit?
Maybe partly but I don’t think the wobble is stress.
I agree with you about over-vaccinating! Poor Floki; what a traumatic experience for him.
Yes, he tends to get stressed out easy too.
Could be the vaccine OR could be the flea treatment – hard to tell – cats can have bad reactions to both of those things. When we took Teddy to the vet for the first time after we adopted him, they gave him TWO vaccinations and he had a very bad reaction. Slept constantly and wouldn’t eat and it went on for two weeks. Since then they’ve noted on is chart ONLY ONE VACCINATION at a time. It’s never happened again. Perhaps that’s what happened to poor Floki. Hope he’s better today………..
Hugs, Pam
I need to consider that next time. I didn’t even know he was getting a destemper shot until it was over.
Aww, look at Chris trying to comfort his brother!
He’s a good boy sometimes.
Poor Floki Poki…he is just not himself.
He’s having a reaction to the vaccine and you should let the vet know. They can pretreat him before the vaccine. Also distemper is not a required vaccine only Rabies. If you take him for nail trims the vet can require it. He could also be running a temp and the vaccine site is painful. Vet should have waited on the flea med because his little system was already compromised. Last are you doing 3 year vaccines this is also something your vet should be offering. Hope he feels better and is back to purring soon.
All three was too much. I will remember that for next time. I paid more for the three year. I read somewhere that the vaccine is the same, you just pay more for the license. Not sure if it’s true but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Floki is an indoor cat. Just let them no you no longer want FVRCP or FELV. I’m not sure about your area but the cat license is not required. The vet should tag Floki’s record that he is an “at risk” cat for vaccine reactions. I hope he’s feeling better. Email me any time your not sure about something. 28 years in the field was an educational experience. Purrs
They told us they could not examine him without the vacination.
Rabies is the only required vaccine. I would find a new vet. This is all about money for them. Took one of my cat’s to the vet for a wellness exam only for meds. Vet never pushed me on his vaccines not even his rabies he knows he is an indoor only cat. Hope Floki’s feeling better and he get’s to have some Turkey next week. Purrs
I should look for another vet but it is hard to find one that is exceptional. Plus, we have a surgery scheduled for Chris in a month. I don’t want to start over with another vet right now.
So sorry to hear this! I feel like it was the vaccine. I’ve had kitties in the past who become very fatigued and withdrawn after receiving them. But, I also suspect a lack of compassion from the vet/staff, or an overly stimulating environment in the back room where they do treatments. Have you thought about changing vets? Hugs to Floki
I am convinced that our last vet caused the death of our Puck for lack of a timely treatment when we dropped him off for a bladder blockage. They dragged their feet working up a treatment plan and I believe they did not implement that plan right away. Compared to that, our vet is not bad.
So sorry, that is so heartbreaking. I hope Floki is feeling much better!
He is coming around today. Thank you.
that poor baby!!!!!!! I bet it was the combination of the 3 things (if I am right there were 3 things right?) Years ago I made the mistake of requesting that Cody have all 3 of the vaccines he was due for AT ONCE…….I was a complete idiot (our Vet thought he would be ok too), well…he wasn’t. He vomited and was so lethargic I was terrified. I learned a valuable lesson, one vaccine at a time and nothing else with it!!!! Hope Floki is doing much better!!
I need to remember that.