AnimaPulseCat vaccination schedule
The core combination — cat flu and panleukopenia — plus leukaemia and rabies, as practised in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and South Africa. For guidance only.
United Kingdom protocolIndicativeReviewed on 28 August 2026
These schedules are indicative. An indoor cat and a cat that goes out do not carry the same risk, and so may not follow the same protocol: your vet always has the final say.
United Kingdom
| Vaccine | Primary course | First booster | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| RCP (flu + panleukopenia)the combined cat shot: cat flu and panleukopenia — yearly booster | 9 weeks, 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every year |
| FeLVfeline leukaemia, for cats that go outside — yearly booster | 9 weeks, 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every year |
| Rabiestravel only | 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every 3 years |
Ireland
| Vaccine | Primary course | First booster | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat flu + enteritis (RCP)the cat's core shot: cat flu (herpesvirus + calicivirus) and panleukopaenia — « feline enteritis » locally | 8 weeks, 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every year |
| FeLVfeline leukaemia — for cats with outdoor access or living with cats that go out, after testing | 8 weeks, 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every year |
| Rabiesrabies — for travel only: Ireland is rabies-free, no requirement for a resident cat | 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every 3 years |
United States
| Vaccine | Primary course | First booster | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| FVRCPthe core cat combo: rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia — booster at 1 year, then every 3 years | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every 3 years |
| Rabiesrequired by law in most states — ask your vet | 12 weeks | legal requirement, varies by local rules | legal requirement, varies by local rules |
| FeLVfeline leukemia — depends on your cat's lifestyle, ask your vet; yearly booster | 8 weeks, 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every year |
Canada
| Vaccine | Primary course | First booster | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| FVRCPthe core cat combo: rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia — booster at 1 year, then every 3 years | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every 3 years |
| Rabiesrequired by law in several provinces — ask your vet | 12 weeks | legal requirement, varies by local rules | legal requirement, varies by local rules |
| FeLVfeline leukaemia — depends on the cat's lifestyle, ask your vet; yearly booster | 8 weeks, 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every year |
Australia
| Vaccine | Primary course | First booster | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| F3the core cat combo (F3): feline enteritis, herpesvirus and calicivirus — booster at 1 year, then every 3 years | 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every 3 years |
| FeLVfeline leukaemia — depends on the cat's lifestyle, ask your vet; yearly booster | 8 weeks, 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every year |
South Africa
| Vaccine | Primary course | First booster | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| FVRCP (3-in-1)the core cat combo: panleukopenia and cat flu (herpesvirus, calicivirus) — booster at 1 year then every 3 years | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every 3 years |
| Rabiesrequired by national law: first shot at 3 months, booster within 12 months, then at least every 3 years — yearly in endemic areas | 12 weeks | legal requirement, varies by local rules | legal requirement, varies by local rules |
| FeLVfeline leukaemia, for cats that go outdoors — yearly booster | 8 weeks, 12 weeks | 1 year after the primary course | every year |
What the core combination covers
Panleukopenia (feline infectious enteritis) is a viral disease with a very high mortality rate in kittens, and the virus survives a long time in the environment — an indoor cat can meet it on the soles of your shoes.
Cat flu is not one disease but a syndrome: several agents, chiefly feline herpesvirus and calicivirus, which the vaccine covers. It does not always prevent infection outright, but it strongly reduces how severe episodes are. Worth knowing: a vaccinated cat that sneezes is not a vaccine that failed.
You will see the combination written RCP in Britain and Ireland, FVRCP in North America and F3 in Australia — and Irish practice says cat flu for herpes and calicivirus, feline enteritis for panleukopaenia. Same valences, one naming habit per country — AnimaPulse keeps the one your own record uses.
Feline leukaemia (FeLV)
Recommended for cats that go outside or live with cats that do, in every country on this page — after a blood test first, because vaccinating an already-infected cat achieves nothing. In American guidance it is routinely given to all kittens, since a kitten's future lifestyle is rarely known at eight weeks.
Rabies
The clearest difference between these countries. Britain, Ireland and Australia are rabies-free: there it is a travel or export vaccine only. Elsewhere the law decides — locally or nationally: state by state in the United States, by provincial law in Canada — Ontario names cats explicitly — or municipal by-law, and nationwide in South Africa, whose Animal Diseases Act names cats alongside dogs: first shot at three months, then at most every three years, annually in endemic areas. Which is why no date is suggested in those tables: the obligation is real, the deadline is not ours to invent.
Does an indoor cat need vaccinating?
Yes, at least against panleukopenia: the virus travels on shoes, clothes and objects. The risk is lower indoors, but it is not zero — and it is a disease that kills an unprotected animal quickly. For the rest, the conversation with your vet is about the cat's real life: balconies, contact with other cats, boarding, house moves.
Sources — United Kingdom
- WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines 2024
- PDSA — Dog/Cat vaccines (public-facing schedules)
- BSAVA/NOAH practice: triennial DHP after the first booster, annual leptospirosis
Sources — United States
- AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines 2022, updated 2024 (leptospirosis moved to core)
- AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines 2020
- USDA-CVB: conditional licence for the RHDV2 vaccine (Medgene)
Sources — Canada
- AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines 2022, updated 2024
- AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines 2020
- Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) — position on vaccination
- Ontario’s rabies immunisation of dogs and cats regulation (R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 567)
Sources — Australia
- WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines 2024 (core/non-core backbone)
- Australian Veterinary Association — Vaccination of dogs and cats (policy)
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — Australia’s rabies-free status
- RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase — rabbit vaccination (calicivirus; no myxomatosis vaccine available)
Sources — South Africa
- Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984 (DALRRD): compulsory rabies for dogs and cats — 3 months, booster within 12 months, then at most every 3 years; yearly in endemic areas (country declared endemic in 1999)
- WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines 2024 — canine/feline core
- Western Cape Dept of Agriculture RHD FAQ (Elsenburg, 2023): 2022-23 RHDV2 outbreak, Eravac imported (single dose from 30 days)
- Nobivac Rabies label (MSD South Africa): dogs, cats, ferrets — ferret from 3 months, yearly booster
The kitten schedule, off your mind
AnimaPulse sets the panleukopenia and cat-flu dates and reminds you of every booster at D-7 and D-1.
Read next
Missed booster: what actually happens
A few weeks late does not work like expired warranty. What actually happens when a booster is overdue, depending on how long and which vaccine, and when the primary course must be restarted.
Worming a puppy or a kitten
Every two weeks until two months, monthly until six months, then every three months as an adult. The usual worming rhythm, and why it is so tight in young animals.
Microchips, tattoos and databases
Microchipping is compulsory for dogs and cats in much of Europe. What the chip does, what remains of tattoos, what the database is for, and why keeping your details current matters more than the chip itself.
Page updated on 28 August 2026.