Jane   you can read about it here

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/feline_distemper.html

it can be good between 1 and 3 years depending on the vet office's protocol
is when they call you in   but studies have show that the shots last 3 years
or longer

ouch   for 30 dollars I get all their shots at low cost vaccination clinics
if you are in the usa  call 1-800-248-spay

Sounds like a ploy  but are you sure it is just from the distemper shot and
not the combo of the others

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Jane, your post gets me so pissed off (at your veterinary office). My cats
are never in contact with any other animals and never accidentally get out
of the house. I stopped getting them vaccinated. Period. This is how
veterinarians make money. And there are risks to the cat too.

Last year, we took a family vacation, and I boarded Alex (now of blessed
memory). Big mistake. Apparently, he had had the rabies vaccination within
the three-year time frame but not the distemper. The veterinary office we
were using at the time required the distemper vaccination before boarding
the animal. Because of Alex's other medical problems, he had been seen at
the vet frequently. In fact, he had been seen three times in the preceding
two-month timeframe. I told the receptionist that I would go along with the
distemper vaccination because I knew it was required but that I did not want
to pay for a whole new exam ($46) since the cat had already been seen three
times in the past two months. She told me I would need to discuss it with
the director of the vet hospital.

Okay, so the director phoned me, and I told him I was willing to let him
vaccinate Alex for distemper, but that I didn't want him to have another
exam. The director said "How about a mini-exam?" I said "How much will that
cost?" He said "$36." I said "Forget it." He said "Okay fine. No exam. But
then I can't give the cat the vaccination." I said "That's fine by me since
I never wanted to have him vaccinated in the first place." He said "Fine,
but don't come crying to me when he catches distemper from one of the other
cats at the boarding facility." I said "Aren't the other cats vaccinated?"
He said "Umm...well, yes, but nothing is for sure." To make a long story
short, Alex was fine.

Now, listen to this: Here's the real scam:  I subsequently found out that
the distemper vaccination doesn't start protecting the cat until several
weeks after it's received. So, even if Alex had received the vaccination, it
wouldn't have protected him against distemper while he was being boarded.

If your cats really don't have contact with other animals and never get out,
if I were you, I would screw the vaccinations.

I understand that you don't know me, but I have had several elderly cats in
the past few years and spend several hundred dollars every month on their
medical care. They have exams and blood work every six months and numerous
medications. One of the younger cats recently had a dental (nearly $500). I
also spent $600 in the veterinary emergency clinic in December when one of
my cats crashed due to heart disease. I tell you this only to demonstrate
that I am not a neglectful cat owner, and I don't hesitate to spend money on
my cats. But mandatory vaccinations for indoor cats who never get out and
are not in contact with any other animals are in my opinion a ripoff and a
scam, not to mention pose an unnecessary risk that the cat will develop
fibroscarcoma at the injection site or other complications.

That's my opinion.
Best regards,
---Cindy S.

IMO, I would not go back for the supposed booster. If your cat is
strictly indoors and an only animal, the chances of him getting
distemper are next-to-nothing. I too stopped vaccinating my cats (one
due to severe reactions, the other because he's had some serious
medical problems). I had a titer panel done on my older one and it
showed that,even though he hasn't been vaccinated in 3+ years, he
still has immunity to all the major diseases from his core set of
vaccines.

Thanks everyone.  I'm going to pass on the "booster".  I also think
these shots are a rip off but wanted to check to be sure.

Jane,

I would get another opinion from a vet. When kittens first get the
distemper vaccine, they get one shot, then a follow-up a certain amount
of time later (I forget -- a few weeks I think.) After that, their
resistance to the virus is bolstered for about 3 years. It may be even
longer, but our vet suggests 3 years on distemper instead of the 1 year
in past times.

Anyway, of all the vaccines, I'd make sure he gets a good start with
distemper prevention. They can pick up that virus about anywhere, not
just from contact with other cats. I've heard it's in dirt and almost
every surface. It lives a long time.

The vet thinks the pregnant stray we picked up a few years ago had
distemper while pregnant. We are lucky, she survived. The kittens were
born with various neurological problems but most did pretty well.

Good luck, and I would talk this all over with a vet you trust.

Rhonda