Rabies Vaccine for Cats

Rabies is a deadly viral infection that spreads in the saliva of infected animals. When a rabid animal bites another animal (or a person), rabies virus particles in the saliva enter the bitten animal via the bite wound. Over a period of weeks to months, the virus travels through the body, eventually reaching the brain and causing rabies in the bitten animal. Rabies is almost always deadly in people and pets, and it has been a recognized disease since ancient times.

Fortunately, thanks to widespread vaccination, rabies is now relatively uncommon in U.S. cats. In 2021, a total of 216 cats were diagnosed with rabies within the United States. In contrast, thousands of wild animals are diagnosed with confirmed rabies infection in the U.S. every year, and that number is surely an underestimate because most wild animals are never tested for rabies.

What Is the Rabies Vaccine for Cats?

Rabies vaccines are designed to prevent rabies infection. In most parts of the United States, rabies vaccination is required by law for both cats and dogs. This is because rabies is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it can affect both animals and people. Vaccinating dogs and cats helps to prevent rabies in people. 

The first rabies vaccine was developed in 1885 by Louis Pasteur. This vaccine was designed for dogs, and the first vaccination campaigns for dogs began in the early 1900s. Over time, rabies vaccination expanded to cats. Since their development, rabies vaccines have been continually modified to make them safer and more effective. 

Today’s rabies vaccines are considered very safe and very effective. Rabies vaccination is considered a core vaccine for cats, meaning that all cats should receive this vaccine early in life and continue to receive boosters over the course of their lifetime. All veterinarians administer rabies vaccines in their practice, so rabies vaccines are widely available to pet parents.

How Does the Rabies Vaccine for Cats Work?

Rabies vaccines for cats belong to a vaccine category known as “inactive” vaccines. The vaccine contains small amounts of killed (inactivated virus). When your cat’s immune system sees these viral fragments after receiving the vaccine, the immune system recognizes the fragments as foreign. This leads the immune system to develop an immune response against rabies virus, training the immune system to fight rabies exposure quickly. 

A cat who has been vaccinated for rabies has an immune system that is trained to quickly recognize and attack the virus. If your cat is exposed to rabies, through the bite of a wild animal, the rabies vaccine will help your cat attack and destroy the virus before it causes an active infection. 

Rabies Vaccination Schedule for Cats

A kitten’s first rabies vaccine should be given at 12-16 weeks of age. If you adopt your cat as an adult, the first rabies vaccine should be given as soon as possible. 

Your cat will receive their first rabies vaccine booster one year after their initial vaccine. After this initial booster, further vaccine boosters will be given every 1-3 years, depending on the vaccine manufacturer’s instructions and your local legal requirements. Your veterinarian will determine whether your cat should receive a 1-year vs. 3-year rabies vaccine for cats. 

First rabies shot	First booster shot	Additional boosters
12-16 weeks of age	1 year after initial vaccine	Every 1-3 years (varies based on manufacturer and state/local laws)

Possible Side Effects

Rabies vaccine reactions in cats are typically mild. Some cats experience mild discomfort at their vaccine site, and others may develop a slight fever or lethargy. These cats may have reactions like those seen in people receiving an annual flu vaccine. 

In a study of 500,000 cats receiving vaccines, approximately 0.5 percent of vaccinated cats experienced a vaccine reaction that their owners reported to the veterinary hospital. Other cats may also have experienced a reaction, but it was mild enough that the owners did not contact their veterinarian. 

The most common rabies vaccine reactions in cats include: 

• Decreased appetite
• Lethargy
• Fever
• Soreness at vaccination site
• Mild swelling at vaccination site 

Anaphylactic (allergic) reactions may also occur after vaccination. These reactions may be severe and life-threatening. Signs of anaphylaxis in cats include: 

• Facial swelling
• Hives
• Itchiness
• Drooling
• Vomiting
• Difficulty breathing
• Pale gums
• Cold limbs
• Incoordination
• Seizures
• Coma

Anaphylactic reactions typically occur within minutes to hours of vaccination, and they require emergency treatment. Fortunately, anaphylactic reactions are very rare; they are reported to occur in 1-5 of every 10,000 cats receiving vaccines.

Finally, there is another form of uncommon reaction that can occur with vaccines in cats. Feline injection site sarcomas are a type of tumor that can occur after any injection, including vaccines. It is estimated that 0.3-1 in every 10,000 vaccines results in an injection site sarcoma. These tumors typically form months to years after receiving a vaccine.

Signs of injection sarcoma may include:

• A firm lump under the skin at an injection site 
• Swelling, redness, or irritation around the lump
• A lump that is painful when touched

If you are concerned that your cat may have an injection site sarcoma, see your veterinarian. 

Manufacturers of the Rabies Vaccine for Cats

There are several rabies vaccines available for use in cats. These vaccines are all effective against rabies virus, though there are slight differences between vaccines.

Nobivac (Merck Animal Health), Vanguard (Zoetis), Rabvac (Elanco), and Imrab (Boehringer Ingelheim) are conventional rabies vaccines for use in cats. These vaccines are all commonly used by veterinary practices, and they are all available in both 1- and 3-year formulations.

PureVax (Boehringer Ingelheim) differs from the other vaccines, because it is the only feline rabies vaccine that is made without adjuvants. Adjuvants are substances that boost the immune reaction triggered by a vaccine, but they are also thought to play a role in vaccine side effects. In addition to potentially reducing the risk of vaccine reactions, PureVax is also delivered in a smaller injection volume than other, conventional rabies vaccines. While this vaccine offers potential benefits, it is more expensive than other rabies vaccines. Like other rabies vaccines, PureVax is available in both 1- and 3-year formulations. 

Your veterinarian will determine the best rabies vaccine for your cat. Most veterinarians only stock one formulation of rabies vaccine, and that is the formulation that they feel offers the most benefits for their patients and clients. 

Manufacturer	Product Name	Product Name
Boehringer Ingelheim	Imrab (1- and 3-year) Imrab TF (1- and 3-year thimerosal-free)	PureVax (1- and 3-year)
Elanco	Rabvac (1- and 3-year)
Merck Animal Health	Nobivac (1- and 3-year)
Zoetis	Vanguard (1- and 3-year)

Cost of the Rabies Vaccine for Cats

Cat rabies vaccine costs may vary, depending on numerous factors. In general, PureVax is more expensive than other vaccines. Having your cat vaccinated for rabies will likely also include a veterinarian exam, as well as paying for local pet licensing. 

The cost of a thorough veterinary exam, rabies vaccine, and local license (if required) will be approximately $100-$200.

Does Your Cat Need to Be Vaccinated for Rabies?

All cats should be vaccinated for rabies, because all cats are at risk of this deadly infection. Even indoor cats need rabies vaccines; there have been countless reports of indoor cats that escape their home and/or bats and other wildlife entering a home. Rabies isn’t just an inconvenience — infection is fatal for cats. 

Rabies vaccination also protects you, the pet parent. As a veterinarian, I have seen cats who were infected with rabies. In many cases, these cats exposed numerous family members, requiring everyone in the family to receive post-exposure rabies prophylaxis. Fortunately, post-exposure prophylaxis is effective when given quickly. Unfortunately, this treatment is uncomfortable and expensive. And, if your cat develops rabies but dies before being diagnosed, there is a possibility that you could become infected without knowing it. Rabies infection is almost always fatal without post-exposure treatment.  

Finally, rabies vaccination has legal implications. If your cat is bitten by a wild animal, law enforcement may require 4-6 months of quarantine or even euthanasia. If your unvaccinated cat bites someone, law enforcement may also require quarantine (for up to 10 days). In many cases, quarantine must take place outside of your home; this is not only stressful for your cat, but it can also become very expensive for you. (I have seen clients spend thousands of dollars to quarantine their cat at a veterinary hospital after the cat received a bite wound while roaming outdoors!) Keeping your cat up-to-date on rabies vaccines reduces the likelihood of expensive fines, quarantines, and other stressful scenarios that can ensue when you do not follow legal requirements. 

If you have concerns about rabies vaccination, talk to your veterinarian. Work together to create a plan to protect your cat against rabies as safely as possible. 

References

1. Ma, Xiaoyue et al. “Rabies surveillance in the United States during 2021.” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association vol. 261,7 1045-1053. 8 Mar. 2023, doi:10.2460/javma.23.02.0081
2. American Animal Hospital Association. “Adverse Postvaccination Reactions.” Aug. 2020. Retrieved from https://www.aaha.org/resources/2020-aahaaafp-feline-vaccination-guidelines/adverse-postvaccination-reactions/