Companion Animals

Cat Feline Rabies Prevention Welfare

Rabies prevention in cats through vaccination is essential for both individual welfare and public health in regions where the disease is endemic.

Key Facts

Rabies causes invariably fatal progressive encephalitis in unvaccinated cats that contract the disease
Cats dying from rabies experience neurological deterioration including agitation and paralysis over days
Vaccination is effective and provides multi-year protection in vaccinated cats
Pre-exposure vaccination of cats reduces risk of human exposure through cat bites
Mass vaccination campaigns in community cat populations have eliminated dog-mediated rabies in some countries

Welfare Considerations

Unvaccinated cats in rabies-endemic regions that contract the disease die from painful neurological deterioration over days. Vaccination is the only effective prevention and provides complete protection from this invariably fatal disease.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate cats against rabies if you live in or travel to endemic regions
Support mass vaccination campaigns for community cats in rabies-endemic countries
Donate to international rabies elimination programs working to eliminate dog-mediated rabies globally