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My older cat is acting weird after vaccines. Is this normal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Manx | Male | neutered | 13 years and 2 months old | 14.5 lbs

My cat is 13 and received his vaccinations last week. One was a rabies I'm not sure what the other one was. He has been sleeping and licking his lips a lot since then. He is strictly an indoor cat and is eating and using the litter box. He's just acting different and I'm worried.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on July 5th, 2017

Vaccines can make cats very sleepy and dull for a while after, especially an older cat. This should pass in a few days. However if Milo seems very poorly or doesn't improve I would visit the vet in case something else is going unrelated to the vaccines.

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    Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

    Veterinary Technician

    Published on

    It is possible he may be feeling a bit nauseated from the vaccines, and they can cause some pain at the site of the injection for a few days that may be causing the behavioral change. However, if Milo doesn't perk back up and return to normal, or shows other signs of illness such as swelling at the injection site, major pain, refusal to eat, etc, then seeking veterinary care ASAP is best.

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