Rabies Shot Side Effects in Cats

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Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by GrievingCatMom (Saugerties, NY) on 12/11/2022

Well last Monday my cat went to the vet for her yearly checkup and they said she was due for her rabies shot. So they gave her a 3 year shot. Two days later she was walking and her legs just gave out on her for a few seconds. She got up and was fine. It happened again the next day. By Sunday she was laying on the couch and she was growling if you went to touch her. She couldn't walk. So I brought her to the emergency vet. They did an X-ray and said she had a broken pelvis! I was in shock because I know she didn't get hurt. I told them she was just vaccinated and been acting strange ever since and they immediately dismissed me saying no it's rare for something like that to happen and she had a broken pelvis. They were going to send the x-ray for a radiologist review and I would probably hear something that night or the next day.

They said she would heal but she would have to stay in cage for six weeks so she doesn't walk around. So Monday I brought in the CD of the x-ray to my local vet so he looked at it and said yes she has a broken pelvis. Gave me some pain pills for her.

Monday night the radiologist calls me and said no, her pelvis is perfectly fine and she has no injuries. So then I mentioned to her that she just got vaccinated for rabies and she's been acting strange ever since and the radiologist said yes it could very well be from the shot.

So Tuesday morning I call my local vet and tell him I spoke to the radiologist and she doesn't have a broken pelvis but yet she is in extreme pain and cannot walk. They have me bring her in to take blood and they were going to give her some fluids and a steroid shot. My vet said there's absolutely no way it could be from the vaccine. It's got to be a coincidence. But I was not buying it. This cat was healthy as can be before she got the shot.

So when I brought her home she seemed to be a little bit better and had some mobility. But Wednesday morning it all started going downhill fast. By Friday she was completely paralyzed, drooling from the mouth, hadn't eaten or drink in two days. She was literally like a ragdoll in my hands. I was helping her in the litter box and trying to hold her up since she was dead weight. It was torture for her. She was at the point where she couldn't even lift her head and was in such pain so Friday night we brought her in so she could peacefully pass.

The vet said she was acting like she had rabies since it was all neurological and she had such a rapid decline. She admitted that it could very well have been from the shot.

I know damn well it was the shot. It's so “rare” because all the vets never want to admit it or report it because that's how they make their revenue.

I wish there were something we could have done. I will NEVER vaccinate again. Rest In Peace our beloved TK.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Sean (Cashmere, WA) on 11/01/2021

My healthy cat died 30 minutes after a rabies booster and B12 supplement today.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Shannon (Massachusetts) on 05/18/2018

So sorry for your loss. The same thing just happened with my 11 year old cat, I ended up having to put him down less than 48 hours after the rabies vaccine and they tried to tell me it was a reaction to rat poison...I know the odds of that are slim and that I brought in a healthy and happy cat in for his vaccines and now I'm mourning the loss of my boy. These vaccines are clearly dangerous and I'm so sad I didn't know beforehand.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Tina (Bernville) on 04/03/2018

Seizure and death after rabies vaccination

My cat Mayhem went in for his routine check-up and rabies vac yesterday. I had his sister Mischief as well. They asked if I wanted 1 or 3 and said 3. Put them in the carrying case; paid; and headed for home. They are 12 years old, 13 in Dec. About 2 miles from vet they both started vomiting. I pulled into the church parking lot and checked on them. Mischief was crouched down and Mayhem was having a seizure. I had to put a blanket between his stomach and his back legs because he was convulsing so bad that his paws were hitting the sides of his body and pulling out hair. I shut the crate and made a dash for the vet. Got there, took him out of the crate and covered him in the towel to take him inside. In the towel he defecated and peed and in my mind I knew that was it. When they go, that is the last thing they do in this condition. I still gave him to the vet and they tried to do what they could but it was too late. My previous Mayhem was gone. It is now about 12 hours later and I am like in disbelief that my baby boy is gone. His sister has vomited a few times today and I am keeping a close watch on her. Mayhem had a heart murmur and IBD and I suspect that due to the IBD he had an allergic reaction. He has had the vaccine since he was supposed to get it and never reacted like this. I will not take Mischief in for anymore shots. Distemper or anything. I am done with vaccinated her. I have two 4-year old cats that go in next week for their shots and wellness visit and am seriously thinking about not taking them. I know they recommend all these immunizations but I am really nervous now about them doing more harm them good. I am so incredibly sad right now over the loss of my boy.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Holly (Windham, Maine) on 03/20/2018

I had 2 perfectly healthy sister kitty's just under a year old. Brought them to vet recently to get spayed and have 1st rabies vaccine. They were confused and lethargic the day they came home, not much appetite or thirst since, they didn't seem to use the litter box much and they seemed to stay hidden and not want to come out unusual for them.on day 6 they didn't move much, fur was messy and looked unclean and I noticed labored breathing. Brought them to the vet the next morning and on the way they urinated in crate with a little blood. Vet new they were serious and he did X-rays and found blood in their chests!! About an hr later they both died!! He claimed he had no idea and suggested rat poison!? I don't own any such thing and I know in my gut it was something at the vet!! Most likely vaccine reaction!!! Makes me so angry!!!!


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Alice (Pa) on 09/03/2017

I want to report a death from the rabies vaccine I wrote her post on the 29th reporting side effects, but I lost him yesterday the 2nd of September. The emergency vet insists that it wasn't the vaccine that he must likely had cancer, but we had no signs and no warnings. So my theory is the vaccine either triggered a dormant or slow-moving cancer and made it rapidly spread.

EC: We are so sorry for your loss, Alice.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Michaela (Liveprool, Ny) on 07/30/2017

My 7-year-old cat had an infection that was easily resolved with antibiotics. He apparently had a scratch and it became infected. He was predominantly an inside cat, however, followed me everywhere (inside and outside). I took him to our vet on Thursday (7/27/2017), they shaved him and cleaned out the area. He was given injections of antibiotics, pain meds, and rabies meds. He wasn't gone from the house more than an hour. When my husband returned home, I quickly opened his cat carrier ...he ambled out of it and slowly, but awkwardly walked into the living room towards the couch. By the time he reached the couch, he couldn't jump up. I picked him up and realized that his hind legs were not moving. I was devastated! I called our vet, but didn't receive a response back. By the morning, it was apparent that his hind legs were paralyzed. I stayed up with him all night to ensure that he was comfortable. We rushed him back to the vet ... only to be met with a lack of compassion and a blame game. Needless to say, we rushed him to Cornell University Vet Center. An MRI would have cost over $3,000 ... sadly, I didn't have the money. We were forced to put our Max to sleep. I am SO devastated at my loss. He was like a child to me.

Has anyone had any experience (I'm hoping not) with their cat becoming paralyzed after receiving a Rabie injection. Thank you for your support.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Brian Wagner (Southington, Ct) on 05/24/2017

My 8 year old domestic short hair had a similar problem. Three days after the vaccine he lost the use of his back legs, had trouble breathing, vomited and tried to hide himself to die. This new vaccine killed him.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Mom2twinz2 (Hot Springs, Ar) on 01/04/2017

Rabies Vaccine killed my cat

Went in for unusual bleeding/bruising in belly dec 5. Blood count ok. Told to come back dec 10 for re-check and to update rabies. Day after Christmas, dec 26, she's falling over, peeing in the floor, can't focus. Took her to vet. They did blood count, her hematocrit had dropped from normal 40's to 12.9!!! WTF! A week in ICU, a blood transfusion, up to 19 hct then back to 11.1 hct. Time to bring my baby home. She died in my arms tonight after fighting for her life for two nights at home. And she struggled for a couple of hours, fighting deaths door. She was my daughter's baby for 11 years, and my best friend and constant companion for the last 2 plus years.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Nina (Ct) on 11/30/2016

My longhaired black cat experienced paralysis days after receiving a rabies vaccine. First the one back leg then both - then the front paws which became stiff and it progressed to his ability to swallow within days. I lost him on December 30 last year. He was such a beautiful boy - I will never allow a vet to vaccinate my animals again!


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Lori Johnson (Olympia Washington) on 07/11/2016

I too was forced to give my cat the rabies vaccine. Our state requires it. He is a white cat, which white cats are more sensitive to things than non-white cats. Both him and his white sister had reactions to kittens shots so I was reluctant to allow them to give him a rabies shot. 2 weeks after the shot he was lethargic and two days after that he stopped eating. Took him to the vet and all his blood work was way off. He went unconscious and was twitching. It was the most horrible thing to witness. He had to be put to sleep. I will never allow his sister to ever get a rabies shot. They can lock me up and fine me, it won't happen. Yes I know it's a rare occurrence but that doesn't matter one bit when you lose your baby.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Kim (Miami, Fl) on 03/26/2016

I took my healthy 12 year-old cat in to get the rabies vaccine December 2015 so that I could travel with her to Hawaii. Less than a week later, she was indicating pain in the right hip area where the vet had administered the shot. It was hard for her to get up and move around without being in pain. Steroids helped the pain a lot. X-rays showed nothing wrong. In the next few weeks and soon months, she lost use of her tail, and was no longer able to use her back right leg. She would often pee on herself while going to the bathroom and not be able to clean herself properly so we gave her lots of baths. By 3 months she was extremely lethargic and had to be carried around everywhere. After her worst day, Makita passed away peaceful in her sleep (March 2016). I regret getting her the shot to be with me in Hawaii. She had many more lives to live. The vet never revealed potential side effects. I am devastated.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Alice (Goodyear, Az) on 10/13/2013

My 7 month old kitten died last week after receiving his rabies booster. Immediately after the injection he started vomiting. The vet administered the anti injection but the kitten continued declining. They tried cpr 3 times but he did not recover and died.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Jp (Escondido, Ca. Usa) on 08/30/2011

large cat started haveing lose stools with blood & musis other than that happy & fine took to vet had him checked out vet said he was healthy & ok than they gave him a rabies shot about two days after that he started down hill within 20 days he could not eat or drink with in that peroid. I took him to see another vet I was told that it was too late he could not be a hero today. Cat could not eat drink or breath. Swollen limpnods and thyroid, throut, water sounding lungs could not even hear cat breathing-had to put him down to stop the pain.


Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Posted by Ravenquille (High In The Mountains, Pa) on 08/17/2011

I had one of my cats die in a few days after getting his first Rabies shot. After that, I no longer vaccinate, or use any traditional medications for my cats ( I use diet and naturopathic, natural measures only ). Any kind of vaccine is dangerous to both man and beast; it is always best to avoid them altogether.



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