Neighbor's outside kitties - Don't Touch???

[ThingsGottaChange]

Just how dangerous is it to have contact with an outside kitty if you have your own inside kitties? We have three indoor cats and because we are on SS we haven't gotten them to a vet since their first shots as kittens. They are all very healthy.

Our neighbor has three outside cats that hang out in our yard sometimes. One of these guys is an unneutered male that is the most gorgeous (all black), lovable thing you ever saw. And, I am a total sucker for cats. I did ask the neighbor today (he's just a kid) which cat's were his and if he was feeding them. He is feeding them but, said his ex-roommate left a couple of them when he moved out. He did say the black cat was raised inside and probably had shots at one time. They all seem healthy and happy. The only one I've been close to is the black guy.

My dilemma, of course, is having contact with strange cats and then having contact with my own. Is it really that dangerous, as far as transferring ickies, etc? I would love this guy to come visit me when I'm sitting on the deck this summer but, worry about our own cat's health.

Any advice/experiences is much appreciated! Next time I see "blackie" I'll get a pic and you'll see why it's hard not to visit with him!

Thanks, all!

*cross posted in The Lounge

[demnan]

1. One thing you can easily pass on is fleas

I did that when petting "Pretty Boy" in front of my cousin's home and was shocked to find I brought fleas back to my indoor (at that time) only cats.

[ThingsGottaChange]

2. Yeah, the fleas would suck

Such a dilemma! I guess I'll play it by ear. He did leave me a bird "gift" in front of the door the other morning.:puke: Do you think he likes me?!?!? ;-) I'm sure he can spot a cat sucker a mile away!!

[demnan]

4. I wonder if you could adopt him

he seems to have bonded with you already. He really needs to be altered. Unnuetered male cats do not live long outside as they tend to wander.

[badgerpup]

3. I'm on a fixed income as well...

:hi:
...so I give my kitties their shots myself.
All except the rabies...that the vet has to give, because it's a live virus.

Got my supplies at a local ranch supply store, then they quit carrying the Focus Five (which has the leukemia vaccine as well as the panleukepenia, rhinotracheitis, chlamydia, and psittaci) :yoiks:

Went online and found it for $8.50 per dose (included the syringe as well) at Shop.com.
Thought that was pretty reasonable...:thumbsup:

http://www.shop.com/Pet+Supplies-a-cat+vaccine-st.shtml

They also carry the serum without the leukemia vaccine. You'll want to have them tested before giving them the one with it.
I'll cop to being obsessive about this...lost an absolutely amazing cat to leukemia when he was only four years old, and that was one too many.

Do check with your vet before proceeding...
...but depending on how long ago your kitties had their shots, they may need a shot, then a booster one month later. Then they'll be good for the next year, and will only need one dose yearly.

For their rabies shots, they'll need a booster after they're a year old, and then they'll only need it every three years.

[Eurobabe]

5. I had a vet tell me that you can bring in "ickies"

on your shoes, from other infected animals. But this is when he was trying to convince me to immunize my cats for all kinds of bizarre things. :shrug: