Do Cats Need Rabies Shots In Pa

Unlike the rabies vaccine for dogs which is required in every state feline vaccines against rabies are not administered as frequently as the canine vaccine.

Do cats need rabies shots in pa. In pa all dogs and cats over 3 months of agemust be vaccinated for rabies. Since rabies is such a serious fatal disease and vaccination is the only way to keep you and your pet safe rabies vaccination is required by law for every pet in the united states. A surprising to me number of cat owners argued that since their cats lived inside and were never allowed outside a rabies vaccination wasn t needed. That meant that starting at the age of 12 weeks a cat would need to receive the vaccine annually to ensure protection from the disease.

Licensed veterinarians a dog cat or ferret is exempt from vaccination against rabies if a licensed veterinarian has examined the animal and has certified in writing that at the time vaccination would endanger the animal s health because of its age infirmity disability illness or other medical considerations. The decision to give your cat a rabies vaccine is an important consideration for every cat owner. Dogs and cats must be vaccinated for rabies between 12 and 16 weeks of age. By pa law dogs and cats shall be vaccinated against rabies within 4 weeks after the date the dog or cat attains 12 weeks of age and maintain a current rabies immunity as prescribed by rabies vaccine manufacturers.

After that rabies vaccines are good for however long the label on the vaccine states. Originally this vaccine was only released as a one year vaccine. On social media recently i followed a heated discussion as to whether indoor only cats need to be vaccinated against rabies. Dogs and cats must receive their next rabies vaccine 12 14 months after the initial one.

If your cat has never had a rabies vaccine before and if your state requires cats to have rabies shots then you must repeat the vaccine within the 12th month after the first shot. For most of the currently marketed rabies vaccines this means 3 years. Do not handle wildlife. Check the laws in your state and in your municipality to determine what laws apply to your pet.

But that s probably not a very satisfying answer. Without a current rabies vaccination your pet may need to be quarantined or even euthanized for biting someone or being bitten by a potentially rabid animal. Unless you allow his rabies protection to lapse then you and your cat are home free for another three years.