Q: I have an indoor cat who is 14 1/2 and a dog (Australian Shepherd) who is 11 1/2. Since Smokey, the cat, never goes outside, what immunizations does he need, or not need? Does the fact that Mackinaw, the dog, goes outside quite a bit and plays with the cat make a difference?

Also, Mackinaw has taken to “exploring” when he is let outside and occasionally does not return for up to an hour. A year ago, on New Year’s Eve night, he was out all night. He did the same thing last night. I am concerned about this behavior and have not been able to get him to “tell” me if he is running to something or away from us. What advice can you offer?

A: Thanks for the question. If your cat Smokey was well vaccinated as a kitten and boostered as an adult, he should need minimal vaccinations at this point. As a strictly indoor cat, he is not at significant risk of exposure to respiratory viruses or other infectious diseases. He should get a booster vaccine if you are planning on introducing a new cat into your house, or boarding or grooming him regularly. Rabies vaccination is required by state law and should be boostered as recommended by your local veterinarian.

As far as Mackinaw is concerned, his “exploration” could get him into trouble. There are numerous dangers for dogs running off-leash — some minor (like getting too much food from the neighbor!) and some serious (like automobile trauma or poisoning). It is difficult to say why he is behaving this way; he may just be enjoying his time outdoors or it may be related to aging. As dogs age they can develop disorientation and wander away from their homes. For his safety, you should keep him confined to your home grounds.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 30th, 2009 at 9:24 am and is filed under Ask a Vet, Dr Donna Spector, Pet Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.