Vaccines for Cats

Similar to human healthcare, vaccination has always been one of the most cost-efficient means of disease prevention and in improving animal health. Vaccines help to prevent infectious, debilitating, and life-threatening diseases in our pets, and contribute to public health by protecting us from some zoonotic diseases (diseases that spread between humans and animals).

Types of Vaccines

Vaccines can be split into two categories, core and non-core vaccines.

Core vaccines are defined as vaccines which all cats, regardless of circumstance or geographical location, should receive. Core vaccines protect animals from severe, life-threatening diseases known to be present in Singapore, including feline parvovirus, feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline herpesvirus (FHV).

Non-core vaccines are used to protect cats from diseases when factors such as geographical location, lifestyle, or environment, put them at risk. While all cats should be vaccinated with core vaccines, non-core vaccines should be considered under specific circumstances. Your veterinarian will assess your pet’s risk factors and environment to customise a vaccination programme to suit their needs. This includes vaccines for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and rabies.

Timing and Frequency of Vaccinations

Kitten vaccination series: The initial core vaccination should be given at 6 - 8 weeks of age. Subsequent boosters should be given every 2 - 4 weeks until 16 weeks of age or older.

First adult booster: The booster vaccine is routinely given at 52 weeks of age or within 1 year following the last dose of the kitten vaccination. This vaccine is crucial as it is protective for kittens that did not respond to any of the vaccines in the kitten vaccination schedule.

Subsequent vaccines for adult cats: The Singapore Vaccination Guidelines for cats has the following recommendations:

In Singapore, core vaccines are currently registered for annual booster intervals after the initial vaccinations. However, there has been increasing evidence that certain vaccine products may offer a longer duration of immunity. A veterinarian may recommend off-label booster intervals following an assessment of your pet and after discussing the pet’s lifestyle and risks with the client.

Alternatively, your veterinarian may suggest a serological testing to assess the immunity (antibody titre) level of your pet to better advise if the booster intervals may be extended, while taking into consideration the pet’s lifestyle, environment, and discussing the risks with the owners.