Vanguard cat owner's guide
Cat Vaccination Guide
Learn about the contagious and common diseases your cat is at risk of, and the vaccines that can help prevent them. This information is based on the Vanguard (Zoetis) brochure "A Cat Owner's Guide to Vaccines".
Why are vaccines important?
- All cats are at risk of exposure to a variety of diseases, even if they spend most of their time indoors.
- Vaccination helps prevent common infectious diseases, and preventing a disease is more beneficial for your cat than treating it once it occurs.
- Preventive vaccination is one of the easiest and best ways to help your cat enjoy a great quality of life.
What does RCP stand for?
- r
- Feline viral rhinotracheitis (feline herpesvirus)
- c
- Feline calicivirus
- p
- Feline panleukopenia (feline distemper)
Kitten protection through year 1
Newborn kittens take in antibodies from their mother while nursing, which gives them early protection. These antibodies decrease over the first several months of life, so vaccine boosters are needed. The vaccines below increase protection as soon as the mother's antibody levels fall below the protective level.
-
6 to 8 weeks
RCP
-
9 to 12 weeks
RCP and FeLV
-
13 to 16 weeks
RCP and FeLV
Some cats up to 20 weeks.
-
12 months after their last kitten vaccination
RCP and FeLV
The RCP booster can be given anywhere from 6 to 12 months after their last kitten vaccination.
A modified-live (MLV) intranasal FVRC vaccine may be used to provide rapid onset of protection from respiratory disease. An injectable panleukopenia (RCP) vaccine should be given at the same time.
In the brochure, your vet ticks the vaccines they recommend for your cat based on its risk factors. Not every vaccine shown is needed for every cat.
Cat protection: year 2 and beyond
Multiple diseases can attack cats at the same time, increasing the severity of illness or the likelihood of death. Vaccinating for the infections below can help decrease this risk. FIP and chlamydia vaccines may be added based on your vet's recommendation.
A modified-live (MLV) intranasal FVRC vaccine may be used to provide rapid onset of protection from respiratory disease, and is ideal for cats boarding or undergoing stress.
An injectable panleukopenia (RCP) vaccine should be given every 3 years, or as directed by your vet.
| Year | RCP | FeLV |
|---|---|---|
| Year 2 | Not shown | Shown |
| Year 3 | Not shown | Shown |
| Year 4 | Shown | Shown |
| Year 5 | Not shown | Shown |
| Year 6 | Not shown | Shown |
| Year 7 | Shown | Shown |
| Year 8 | Not shown | Shown |
| Year 9 | Not shown | Shown |
| Year 10 | Shown | Shown |
| Year 11 | Not shown | Shown |
| Year 12 | Not shown | Shown |
| And beyond | Continue as advised by your vet | |
Vaccination for FeLV depends on your cat's individual risk factors. Please talk to your vet.
Common cat diseases and the vaccines that help prevent them
How each disease spreads, the signs to watch for, and the complications it can cause.
-
Feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR)
Caused by feline herpesvirus
Vaccine: The "R" in RCP
- Spread by
- Aerosol and droplets.
- Clinical signs
- Runny nose, sneezing, eye infection and eye ulcers, poor appetite, fever, lung infection.
- Complications
- Persistent infection that may come back during times of stress, a source of infection to other cats, ulcers of the eye, irreversible damage to the nasal sinuses.
-
Feline calicivirus
A virus that survives in the environment
Vaccine: The "C" in RCP
- Spread by
- Aerosol, droplets and contaminated surfaces.
- Clinical signs
- Runny nose, eye infection, mouth ulcers, poor appetite, fever, lung infection, lameness.
- Complications
- Persistent infection that may come back during times of stress, a source of infection to other cats, painful mouth ulcers, death.
-
Feline panleukopenia
Also known as feline distemper, caused by a parvovirus
Vaccine: The "P" in RCP
- Spread by
- Mainly contaminated surfaces (it can survive for long periods), direct contact with infected cats, and litter boxes.
- Clinical signs
- Fever, poor appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, abdominal pain, tremors and lack of coordination, brain infection, heart damage.
- Complications
- Severe illness, death.
-
Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)
A virus that suppresses the immune system
Vaccine: FeLV
- Spread by
- Direct contact, sharing food and water bowls, grooming and sharing saliva.
- Clinical signs
- Suppression of the immune system, which results in infections, cancerous tumours and leukaemia.
- Complications
- Cancer, death. Stress or immune suppression may activate a silent infection.
-
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)
Caused by a coronavirus
Vaccine: FIP
- Spread by
- Shed in faeces and spread through shared litter boxes; it may survive in the environment. Stress increases a cat's susceptibility to the disease.
- Clinical signs
- Early infection looks like either an upper respiratory tract infection or diarrhoea. Damage to blood vessels then leads to a "wet" form, with fluid collecting in the abdomen, or a "dry" form, which may damage the eyes or nervous system.
- Complications
- Severe illness and death, a source of infection to other cats in the household.
-
Chlamydophila felis
A bacterial infection
Vaccine: May be part of the RCP combination
- Spread by
- Aerosol and droplets.
- Clinical signs
- Eye infection and lung infection.
- Complications
- May contribute to complications of FVRC (feline viral rhinotracheitis and calicivirus) infections.
Get a personalised vaccination plan
Talk to your vet about your cat's age, lifestyle and risk of exposure, so they can put together a vaccination plan tailored to your cat. The schedules on this page can help you stay on track and make sure your cat is protected.
Always check with your vet
This page is general information only and is not veterinary advice. The schedules shown are the manufacturer's illustrated examples, not a plan for your cat, and the vaccines your vet uses in New Zealand may differ. Not every vaccine is needed for every cat. If you have any questions about your cat's vaccinations, please talk to your vet.
Source
Based on "A Cat Owner's Guide to Vaccines" (Vanguard, Zoetis Services LLC, ©2022, SAB-00823). Information about rabies has been left out, as it does not apply to cats in New Zealand. Vanguard is a trademark of Zoetis Services LLC or a related company.