Table 1.
American Association of Feline Practitioners and Academy of Feline Medicine Feline Vaccine Panel recommended guidelines for vaccination of cats
| Primary vaccination | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antigen | Vaccine types | Cats <12 weeks old | Cats ≥ 12 weeks old | Booster vaccination | Comments |
| Feline parvovirus * | MLV vaccine for parenteral administration MLV vaccine for topical administration Adjuvanted inactivated-virus vaccine for parenteral administration | If ≥ 6 weeks old, vaccinate at initial visit and every 3 to 4 weeks until ≥ 12 weeks old † | Administer 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart | 1 year after primary vaccination, then no more frequently than every 3 years | Highly recommended for all cats; in most cats, protection derived following administration of booster vaccination 1 year after primary vaccination is sustained for at least 3 years and probably 5 to 6 years or more; MLV vaccines should not be administered to pregnant queens or kittens <4 weeks old |
| Feline herpesvirus-1 and feline calicivirus | Combined MLV vaccine for parenteral administration Combined adjuvanted inactivated-virus vaccine for parenteral administration | If ≥ 6 weeks old, vaccinate at initial visit and every 3 to 4 weeks until ≥ 12 weeks old † | Administer 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart | 1 year after primary vaccination, then every 3 years | Highly recommended for all cats; MLV vaccines should not be administered to pregnant queens |
| Feline herpesvirus-1 and feline calicivirus | Combined MLV vaccine for topical administration | If ≥ 6 weeks old, vaccinate at initial visit and every 3 to 4 weeks until ≥ 12 weeks old § | Administer 1 dose | 1 year after primary vaccination, then every 3 years | Highly recommended for all cats; may be used as an alternative to the parenteral product; may be preferable to parenterally administered vaccines in cats reared in or entering environments in which viral upper respiratory tract disease is endemic (eg, some catteries, boarding facilities, shelters); MLV vaccine should not be administered to pregnant queens |
| Rabies | Adjuvented inactivated-virus vaccine for parenteral administration every year ‡ | Not eligible for vaccination | Administer 1 dose | 1 year after primary vaccination, then every year § | Rabies vaccination is highly recommended for all cats. Rabies vaccination of cats is required by law in some regions of the country, and veterinarians should comply with state and local statutes regarding type of vaccine to be used and vaccination interval |
| Rabies | Adjuvanted inactivated-virus vaccine for parenteral administration every 3 years ‡ | Not eligible for vaccination | Administer 1 dose | 1 year after primary vaccination, then every 3 years § | Rabies vaccination is highly recommended for all cats. Rabies vaccination of cats is required by law in some regions of the country, and veterinarians should comply with state and local statutes regarding type of vaccine to be used and vaccination interval |
| Rabies | Canarypox virus-vectored recombinant vaccine for parenteral administration | Administer 1 dose to cats as young as 8 weeks old | Administer 1 dose | 1 year after primary vaccination, then every year | Rabies vaccination is highly recommended for all cats. The recombinant rabies virus vaccine can be used as an alternative to products approved for annual use; this product does not contain an adjuvant |
| Feline leukemia virus | Adjuvanted and non-adjuvanted inactivated-virus vaccines for parenteral administration | Administer 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart to cats as young as 8 weeks old ¶ | Administer 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart ¶ | Annually | Recommended for cats that are not restricted to a closed, indoor, FeLV-negative environment; most important for cats <16 weeks old; not recommended for cats ≥ 16 weeks old with minimal to no risk of exposure to FeLV-infected cats |
| Chlamydia psittaci | Modified-live vaccine for parenteral administration Adjuvanted inactivated vaccine for parenteral administration | If ≥9 weeks old, administer 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart | Administer 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart | Annually | Not recommended for routine use; can be considered for use in cats in multiple-cat environments where C. psittaci infections associated with clinical disease have been documented |
| Feline infectious peritonitis virus | MLV vaccine for topical administration | Not approved for cats <16 weeks old | Administer 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart to cats ≥16 weeks old | Annually | Not recommended for routine use; at this time, there is insufficient evidence to support the conclusion that the vaccine induces clinically relevant protection |
| Microsporum canis | Adjuvanted inactivated vaccine for parenteral administration | Not approved for cats <16 weeks old | First dose administered SC to cats ≥16 weeks old; second dose administered SC 12 to 16 days after the first dose; third dose administered SC 26 to 30 days after the second dose | Not stipulated | Not recommended for routine use; vaccination may be considered as one component of a comprehensive control programme in multiple-cat environments in which M. canis infection is endemic or as adjunctive treatment to hasten resolution of clinical signs in individual cats |
| Bordetella bronchiseptica | Modified-live vaccine for topical administrations # | Administer 1 dose (0.2 ml) intranasally to cats ≥4 weeks old | Administer 1 dose (0.2 ml) intranasally | Not stipulated | Not recommended for routine use; vaccination may be considered for cats entering or residing in multiple-cat environments where B. bronchiseptica infections associated with clinical disease have been documented |
| Giardia lamblia | Adjuvanted inactivated vaccine for parenteral administration | Administer the first dose to cats 8 weeks old and a second dose 3 to 4 weeks later | Administer 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart | Annually | Not recommended for routine use; vaccination may be considered as one component of a comprehensive control programme in multiple-cat environments in which G. lamblia infections associated with clinical disease have been documented |
*
Cause of the feline panleukopenia.
†
For kittens that are orphaned or at high risk of exposure, vaccination when as young as 4 weeks old may be indicated.
§
For kittens that are orphaned or at high risk of exposure, vaccination when as young as 10–14 days old may be indicated.
‡
A specific route of administration may be required; see product information for details.
§
Most often, the product approved for use annually is given for initial vaccination, followed 1 year later and every 3 years after that by administration of the product approved for use every 3 years; however, vaccination interval must comply with local and state statutes.
¶
Feline leukaemia virus testing is recommended prior to vaccination; infected cats do not derive any benefit from vaccination.
#
This product is not the same as the B. bronchiseptica vaccine approved for use in dogs; the product approved for use in dogs should not be used in cats.
Parenteral vaccines should be administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly.
MLV=modified-live virus.