Companion Animal Welfare

Companion Cat: Vaccination Schedules and Welfare

Appropriate vaccination protects cats from serious preventable diseases while minimising the risk of vaccine-related adverse effects.

Key Facts

Core vaccines for cats include feline panleucopenia, herpesvirus, calicivirus, and rabies (where required)
Vaccination schedules have evolved toward less frequent boosters based on duration of immunity research
Feline injection site sarcoma, though rare, is associated with certain vaccine adjuvants
Titre testing can assess antibody levels and may reduce unnecessary revaccination in some cats
Indoor-only cats have lower disease exposure risk and may require different vaccination schedules

Welfare Considerations

Vaccination prevents serious welfare harm from potentially fatal infectious diseases. The welfare calculation weighs this substantial benefit against the small risks of adverse reactions and injection site sarcoma. Evidence-based schedules that use appropriate vaccination intervals and select low-adjuvant vaccines minimise risks while maintaining protection. Over-vaccination carries a small but real welfare risk that modern protocols seek to reduce.

What You Can Do

Follow evidence-based vaccination guidelines from your veterinary practice
Discuss indoor versus outdoor vaccination needs for your specific cat
Monitor your cat for any swelling at injection sites and report to your vet
Consider titre testing to assess immunity before automatic booster vaccination
Keep vaccination records and certificates for boarding, travel, and veterinary purposes