Companion Animal Welfare

Cat Vaccination Schedules and Preventive Welfare

Appropriate vaccination protects cats from serious diseases, and vaccine schedules have evolved to minimise unnecessary jabs while maintaining protection.

Key Facts

Core vaccines for cats include cat flu, enteritis and leukaemia (FeLV)
Over-vaccination risks include injection site sarcoma associated with adjuvanted vaccines
Titre testing can demonstrate continuing immunity avoiding unnecessary boosters
WSAVA guidelines recommend triennial core vaccination after initial kitten course in low-risk cats
Non-adjuvanted vaccines have lower sarcoma risk and are preferred for cats

Welfare Considerations

Vaccination protects cats from diseases causing significant suffering, but responsible scheduling that avoids unnecessary jabs is important. Non-adjuvanted vaccines and titre testing to guide booster decisions represent the current best practice for balancing protection and vaccination risk.

What You Can Do

Discuss optimal vaccination schedules for your cat with your vet based on lifestyle and risk
Ask about non-adjuvanted vaccine options for your cat's vaccination programme
Consider titre testing to check immunity before automatic annual boosters