Our doctor has recommended vaccinating our cat, Freda, with the new FIV vaccine. However, she doesn’t go outside and is our only cat. We try to follow the advice in your column and not overvaccinate her. Is this new vaccine really necessary?

I’m not a big fan of vaccinating every pet with every vaccine on an annual basis. As I discuss in “The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cat” (Prima, $24.99), most pets do not need the entire complement of vaccines each year. Immunity from vaccination can last longer than a year.

A holistic approach to determine what your pet needs is the use of vaccine titers. These simple, inexpensive blood tests measure the level of antibodies in your pet’s body. When they are low, then you can consider the use of vaccines. This approach allows your pet’s body to tell you what she needs, and then you give her only what she needs.

I’m somewhat surprised to see that an FIV vaccine is available. The incidence of the disease is extremely low in most practices. Indoor cats such as Freda are very unlikely to contract the disease, as transmission of the virus requires a bite from an infected cat.

The cats most likely to become infected are outdoor cats involved in fights.

I do not think Freda would need or benefit from an FIV vaccine, and there is always the chance of diseases and complications that can occur as a result of vaccination. For owners who might consider this new vaccine, make sure your cats test negative for the FIV virus before immunization.

” Dr. Shawn P. Messonnier is a veterinarian and pet care advocate.