How often should my cat get vaccinated for common cat diseases?

Excellent question. The main vaccination(s) they need are: 1) FVRCP- a combo upper respiratory vaccine. 2) And if they go outdoors they should get the FeLV (leukemia) vaccination, which is an infection that is spread through drinking water. 3) Then of course the Rabies vaccine, if it is required in your state. The FVRCP and Rabies vaccine can be given once a year for the first year, then once every 3 years. The FeLV vaccine is given yearly.

Kittens should be vaccinated every 3-4 weeks from age 6-16 weeks. Then they should be boostered at 1 year old, and then every 3 years after that. Rabies vaccination is also recommended, so you should contact your vet on how frequently is should be done based on the region you live in.

Yes, I would recommend giving this vaccine on a regular basis, even though Gracie does not go outside. These are highly contagious and serious viruses that can be transmitted easily - even if Gracie is laying by an open window and a stray cat is outside. Depending upon the vaccine manufacturer's labeling claims, this vaccine may be given every 1 or 3 years. Since she does not go outside, feline leukemia vaccines (FeLV) are likely unnecessary unless she has a housemate cat that does go outside, or you plan to introduce a feline leukemia positive cat to your household.

Great question! Feline core vaccines include FVRCP (feline distemper combo) and a Rabies vaccine. If Quinn is an outdoor cat, the FeLV vaccine (feline leukemia) should be considered. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Did Misty receive her full protocol of kitten vaccinations? Starting at 8-10 weeks, she should have received a feline distemper vaccine every 3-4 weeks for a full set of three vaccinations. If she did not receive those, then she would need to restart a vaccine protocol appropriate for her age as directed by her regular veterinarian. If she received her vaccines as a kitten, then she would receive a booster every 1-3 years as directed by your regular veterinarian.

I have attached the most recent recommendations from the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) below. https://www.catvets.com/guidelines/practice-guidelines/feline-vaccination Their general recommendation is to repeat the FVRCP vaccination every 3-4 weeks until a kitten reaches 16 weeks of age, then booster it 1 year later, then every 3 years after that. Unfortunately, we do not have enough data to give better recommendations than that. Injection site sarcomas have dramatically decreased over the last 15 years since we have made some changes to our vaccinations and vaccination schedules. The kidney issues are more likely due to chronic mild dehydration. There is some concern that the FVRCP vaccinations are grown on renal cell cultures, but I am unaware of any good research in that area. As far as FeLV vaccination, the AAFP generally does not recommend continuing to vaccinate indoor only cats who do not have a risk of exposure with FeLV vaccination. And Rabies vaccination is dictated by local or state laws, so if you live in an area that legally requires Rabies every year, you should comply with that. The bottom line is that we try to protect all cats from as many infectious diseases as possible, but try to use the most recent research and the lifestyle of the cat to help determine which vaccines to give and how frequently to give them. I hope that was helpful and answers your questions. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi there, if Gabriella is an adult cat, she world need the rabies and fvrcp combo given once, then boostered after 12mths. That second dose would likely be good for 3yrs. If she is a kitten, we recommend boosting the fvrcp every 2-4wks until she's 16wks old. The risk for felv increases if she's ever in contact with other cats eg. If neighbors cats come into your yard, or she goes to a boarding facility. If that is the case, she should get the felv (leukemia) vaccine. After the initial 2 doses, felv should be boosted annually. I hope this helps - I can offer a consult if you would like more specific recommendations.