Glossary

Rabies vaccine

The injection that protects a cat from rabies, required by law for cats in many places and recommended for all.

Also called: rabies shot, rabies vaccination, rabies certificate

The rabies vaccine trains a cat's immune system to fight the rabies virus, a nervous-system disease that is almost always fatal once signs appear and can pass to people. Because of the risk to humans, many countries, states and cities require cats to be vaccinated. The shot is also one of the core vaccines.

Kittens receive a first rabies shot at an age set by the product and local rules, commonly around twelve to sixteen weeks. A booster follows a year later, and further boosters come at intervals of one or three years, depending on the product and the law where you live. Your vet gives you a certificate, which boarding facilities, groomers and travel authorities often ask to see. Tags and a microchip number are often linked to the record.

Mild soreness or sleepiness after the shot is common. A lump at the injection site that persists or grows should be checked, because in rare cases the vaccine site can develop a tumor. Vets often give shots in a limb so that any lump can be treated more easily. Indoor cats still need the vaccine, since bats can enter homes. If a vaccinated or unvaccinated cat bites a person, call a doctor and your vet, and ask about rules for observing the cat.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

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Related terms

Rabies A viral disease of the nervous system, spread by bites from infected animals, that is almost always fatal once signs appear. Core vaccines The vaccines vets recommend for every cat, as opposed to non-core vaccines chosen according to a cat's lifestyle and risk. FVRCP vaccine The combination cat vaccine that protects against feline herpesvirus, calicivirus and panleukopenia. Vaccine titer A blood test that measures antibodies to a germ, sometimes used to judge whether a cat is protected after vaccination. Microchip A rice-grain-sized implant under a cat's skin that carries a number a scanner can read, linking the cat to its owner's details in a registry.

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