Having your cat vaccinated

Kittens should be given a number of vaccinations at an early age in order to build up good protection. We will show you what vaccinations are recommended for cats, from what age and how often they should be given, and how much they will cost.

In the first weeks of their lives, kittens are very well protected against infections by the antibodies in their mother’s milk. However, from approximately the 8th week, this natural protection starts to steadily decrease. The problem is that this does not always occur at exactly the same time and with the same speed. There is therefore no specific date for vaccinating kittens in order to provide them with maximum protection against viruses and bacteria. A transitional period is necessary, because the problem is also that as long as the natural protection is more or less still present, it is not possible to build up comprehensive new protection by means of vaccination. In order to overcome the problem of diminishing natural protection and the need for new protection by means of vaccinations, the German Standing Committee on Vaccination in Veterinary Medicine (StIKo Vet) recommends vaccination three times a year at relatively short intervals: The first vaccination is given in the 8th week of the pet’s life, followed by two boosters in the 12th and 16th week. The basic immunisation is then completed with a further vaccination in the 15th month.

While some countries regulate the costs of vaccinations, the price will usually vary from practice to practice and will depend on what type of vaccination your pet is given. Additional services such as general health checks and the issuing of an animal health certificate or a pet passport will involve additional costs. It is therefore only possible to calculate a rough average price for cat vaccinations.

For basic immunisation, costs may be around 40 to 60 Euros per vaccination. Because kittens receive three vaccinations and a fourth one at approximately 15 months of age, the total costs may range from 160 to 240 Euros. This also depends on whether a rabies vaccination and/or other vaccinations are required. Here, the costs will increase accordingly.  

Nobody wants to have their cat vaccinated more often than necessary. It is, however, not advisable to leave out a vaccination. Especially when it comes to basic immunisation, insufficient vaccination could result in less than optimal protection. How often a cat needs to be vaccinated after that depends on the individual vaccines. An annual booster may be necessary, but an interval of three years may also be sufficient. Your vet will advise you on this and can write down the scheduled date in the vaccination certificate. Some vets will also send you a postcard or a text message as a reminder.  

If you are worried about over-vaccinating your cat, a so-called titre test can be performed regularly to check its level of antibodies. This test will show how high the level of vaccination protection still is. If this protection is sufficient, a booster vaccination can be avoided for the time being. 

The serum of a vaccine contains weakened or inactivated pathogens of the respective disease. The symptoms may therefore appear in a weakened form. The body then begins to render these unwanted invaders harmless. To do this, antibodies are formed or immune cells are activated. As soon as the pathogen has been successfully eliminated, this information is stored by means of “memory cells”. Should an infection actually occur, the body is able to react very quickly and much more effectively than if this were the initial contact.

Side effects from vaccinations are extremely rare, however they cannot be ruled out. For example, a slight swelling at the injection site may occur. This can easily last for several days. Some cats may appear weak and tired for one to three days and may be less hungry than usual. This will usually go away on its own. It is also possible that symptoms of the diseases will appear in a weakened form, for example a slight fever, sneezing or temporary gastrointestinal problems.

Apart from some minor side effects, in very rare cases an allergic reaction to the vaccine may occur. This can happen after just several minutes or a few hours after the injection. Symptoms include breathing problems and vomiting. The cat must then immediately be brought back to the vet.