Cat flu vaccine shortage in Ireland poses risks for sick kittens

Factories had been repurposed to manufacture Covid-19 vaccines and feline health production companies are now feeling the strain on their supply chain.

Many veterinary clinics have been left with no stock at all as factories have run out of surplus supplies, according to Dublin-based practice Just Cats Veterinary Clinic.

Cats should receive annual boosters to protect against diseases such as cat flu, which the cats-only clinic describes as “a complex of viruses and bacteria that create serious respiratory disease and sometimes death, especially for kittens”.

The feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is also a concern as it is fatal for unvaccinated cats.

Meanwhile, the so-called “kitten season” typically begins in February, and it is important that kittens are vaccinated against flu and FeLV from nine weeks of age, with annual boosters thereafter.

Dr Hannah Tymlin of Just Cats said that existing supplies will have to be carefully managed to help support as many vulnerable cats as possible.

“Our aim is to keep cats healthy and protected to the best of our ability, and this might mean adjusting some cats’ vaccination protocol in order to protect them and to consider more vulnerable individuals,” Dr Tymlin said.

“We may reduce the frequency of FeLV vaccination in adult cats, and we might reduce the frequency of vaccination against cat flu for indoor-only cats.

“Any adjustments will be made based on the risks faced by individual cats, and they will be discussed and planned with owners during health checks.”

Just Cats predicts that the vaccine shortage will last for another six months at least but said the issues is “hard to predict”.

In the meantime, it and other veterinary practices will continue to do "everything they can” to protect the health of cats.