A survey of vaccine history in German cats and owners’ attitudes to vaccination:

ObjectivesVaccination is the most important measure for prevention of feline infectious diseases. Cat owner compliance with vaccination recommendations has been investigated in the UK but not in other European countries. The aim of the present study was to determine cat owners’ attitudes towards vaccination in cats in Germany, to identify factors that are associated with the vaccination status of their cats and to compare the results with those of the UK survey.MethodsThe survey was conducted using an online questionnaire and was aimed at respondents throughout Germany. Respondents under 16 years of age, cats that were less than 9 weeks old and veterinarians were excluded. A total of 920 questionnaires were evaluated, and information about cats and respondents was assessed with respect to the current vaccination status of the cats using a linear logistic regression model.ResultsThe majority of cats (77.9%; n = 717) were vaccinated according to current guidelines; only 5.4% (n = 50; 95% confidence interval...