The Catmobile

Before Your Appointment

If your cat is not already up to date on vaccinations, they will receive a one-year rabies vaccination and a FVRCP (“distemper”) vaccination during their appointment.

All cats should be vaccinated for FVRCP (distemper). In order for their body to create a strong protection against these viruses, they will need a series of two FVRCP vaccines given 3-5 weeks apart. You can have the initial FVRCP vaccine given 3 weeks prior to your appointment by your local veterinarian, or at a low cost care vaccine clinic to start their protection and finish the series during the Catmobile visit. Alternately, if the initial vaccine is given the day of your pet's surgery, you should have it boosted in 3-4 weeks with your local veterinarian, or through a low cost care vaccine clinic. Both the rabies and the FVRCP (distemper) vaccines will need to be boosted again yearly.

MRFRS offers monthly low-cost vaccine clinics at our shelter in Salisbury; check the events calendar on our website for upcoming dates.

If you get your initial vaccine prior to your appointment, you may be able to get your 1 year booster at your Catmobile appointment, depending on whether the vet determines your cat is eligible.

The distemper vaccine helps protect your cat against three diseases they could be exposed to when in close proximity to other cats, two of which can be deadly. All cats are kept separate from each other on the Catmobile, but we have no way of knowing whether another cat on the vehicle that day might be carrying distemper, so it is in your cat’s best interest to be vaccinated before being around other cats during a Catmobile appointment.