Should my 2-year-old indoor cat get yearly FVRCP vaccinations?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is great that you decided to get your cat fixed! To be considered fully vaccinated, she will need at least a rabies vaccine, FRCP vaccine, and I recommend an FeLV vaccine for outdoor cats. These are all potentially deadly or extremely common viruses that cats can get from each other or wildlife such as raccoons. Although your cat is indoor only, there is a risk that she may run away and be exposed. I recommend having her microchipped and wear a collar in case this happens so that the two of you can be reunited. She should also be on monthly flea control, even f she is only indoors to prevent flea infestations.

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.

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.

I would recommend a feline upper respiratory vaccine (FVRCP) and a rabies vaccine. If she has any outdoor exposure, I would also consider the Feline Leukemia vaccine (FeLV). You may be able to purchase the FVRCP and FeLV from a feed store but you will need a licensed veterinarian to give the Rabies.

Hello, thank you for your question about Priscilla. In general most veterinarians do not recommend the feline leukemia vaccine unless the cat goes outside. I would still recommend still getting the FVRCP (or feline 3 in 1 vaccine) for Priscila; these viruses/diseases can be life threatening. Additionally, having Priscila dewormed is also still recommended, as cats can get a GI parasite infection through contact with mosquitoes and other insects. Hope this helps!

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.