AnimaPulseCat vaccination schedule
The core combination — cat flu and panleukopenia — plus leukaemia and rabies, as practised in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia. For guidance only.
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 |
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, and it decides locally: state by state in the United States, by provincial law in Canada — Ontario names cats explicitly — or municipal by-law. 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)
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Page updated on 8 August 2026.