Pet sitting service
12/02/2025
The brutal reality of not vaccinating cats 💉 😿 RIP to those we have lost 💔
https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/neutering-and-vaccinations/vaccinations
❗ Content warning, this post is important but very upsetting ❗
Our team have experienced the most harrowing few weeks - they have asked that this information is shared in the hope that lessons are learned and lives saved in future 💙
The following cats came into our care recently and these are their stories:
• Ginola the kitten and his litter mates
The litter came from a multi-cat household and all his littermates had to be put to sleep due a severe case of Calici-virus. We fought for weeks to save Ginola's life and amazingly, 8 weeks on we are making progress.
• Octavia and her 3 kittens
This mum and kittens were from another multi-cat household. They were diagnosed with Giradia and thankfully successfully treated. Octavia is now up for adoption.
• Gryla and her 6 kittens
Another mum and kittens from a multi-cat household who were again diagnosed with Giardia. We spent weeks trying to treat them and only 2 kittens have survived, to date. Treatment is still ongoing.
• Gilda and her 4 kittens
Stray mum Gilda gave birth in a sink in a vulnerable adult's home. It was evident from day one mum had gastro issues and was unresponsive to vet treatment. We lost the whole family to Feline Parvo virus.
• Sheba and her 6 kittens
Another stray cat who gave birth in someone's home! There was no evidence of ill health for the first few days then a sudden, dramatic decline in all the kittens. They tested positive for Feline Parvo virus and despite our efforts we were unable to save them. Sheba the mum initially responded well to treatment but within a week went irretrievably downhill.
According to the PDSA Paw Report 2024 there are 10.8 million cats in the UK and only 65% of cats have regular booster vaccinations. This means we have lost 'herd immunity' amongst the domestic cat population and we have become a breeding ground for preventable infectious diseases that kill. The Report also found: "The most common reasons owners gave for not having cats vaccinated were it’s too expensive (19%), their cat doesn’t go outside (16%) or doesn’t come into contact with other animals (11%) - these reasons were also the top findings in 2023."
Today, we urge you to please check if your pet is up to date with their vaccines and if not, get them booked in at the vet. Vaccinations can save lives and not just that of your pet. If you have any queries about vaccinations please contact your vet.
Info on vaccinations here: https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/neutering-and-vaccinations/vaccinations
