Kitty Post April 2026

Why Bother Getting My Cat Vaccine Boosters?

Many loving cat parents often wonder, do I really need to get my cat the recommended vaccine booster shots? After all, it costs money and is one more task on a busy person’s to-do list. We get it! But there are several reasons why vaccine boosters are important and can potentially save you a lot of time and money down the road, not to mention possible serious health consequences for your beloved pet.

First off, the two most important vaccines for cats are 1) rabies, and 2) “FVRCP”, often referred to simply as the “cat distemper vaccine.” A third vaccine that you may want to consider is the Feline Leukemia vaccine.

Rabies is a very dangerous viral disease that is essentially 100 percent fatal in any cat or human who is unlucky enough to get infected. Transmission is most commonly through a bite wound from an infected animal but can also happen from a scratch wound. The rabies incubation period can be as long as 12 months for cats and for humans but is generally 2-3 months. Once the virus travels through the bloodstream to the brain, the individual then acquires an active rabies infection. Unfortunately, there is no cure, and death is both certain and very painful. Because rabies is such a serious public health threat, law (Maryland Code, Health-General 18-318) requires that all pet cats and dogs must be kept current on their rabies vaccination schedule – typically once a year. (There is a 3-year rabies vaccine option that carries a somewhat higher risk of side effects for your pet, i.e., injection site sarcoma.)

But what if my cat never goes outside? Responsible pet parents may feel that the rabies vaccine isn’t really necessary in such cases. However, the consequences of this decision can be dire if your unvaccinated cat accidentally escapes outside and gets bitten by an unknown animal, or if your cat bites a visitor inside your home.

In the first example, health regulations require that your cat (or dog) would have to be quarantined for 4 months, kept in a crate, and not allowed contact with any humans or pets. Of course, this would be very distressing for both you and your pet! The health department may monitor this and could even do a home visit. If your vet treats your cat for a bite wound of unknown origin, they are required to report this to the health department which will then follow up with you. If your pet bites you or another human or pet, the timeline is shorter – the cat (or dog) must be quarantined and monitored for 10 days to ensure that it does not come down with rabies symptoms. If your pet received a rabies vaccine in the past but is not current, the health department will consider that legally the same as if it had never received a rabies vaccine.

In contrast, the FVRCP vaccine has benefits specific to cats, because it protects against three viruses that are not transmissible to humans: Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (commonly called feline herpesvirus), Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (also known as feline distemper). The recommended vaccine sequence is two shots as a young kitten, followed by a booster shot one year later and then additional boosters every three years. Feline herpesvirus is an especially common virus; estimates are that 50 percent or more of all pet cats in the U.S. have had this, and it often remains in the body as a “latent” virus that can “flare up” under stress (or seemingly, no particular reason).

In one case, a beloved 2-year-old cat named Frankie suddenly fell ill, with symptoms of sneezing, eye discharge, high fever (105.8!), extreme lethargy, and refusal to eat. Frankie had had the initial recommended series of kitten vaccines as well as an on-time rabies booster but did not receive a 1-year FVRCP booster. Frankie never went outside and had no contact with cats from outside her home – and yet still she got sick. After $900 in vet bills and treatments, Frankie made a full recovery – but very likely this whole episode could have been avoided by following the recommended vaccine schedule.

The Prince George’s SPCA conducts low-cost shot clinics, at a minimum, on the first Sunday of every month. Rabies and Distemper (DHPP and FVRCP) are only $20 each. Appointments are required. Visit www.pgspca.org to see the schedule and make an appointment.