Study from Merck Animal Health Reveals Opportunity to Increase Feline Vaccination through Knowledge Sharing Between Veterinarians and Cat Owners

Veterinarians seen as key drivers of vaccination while differing perspectives and misconceptions are noted as barriers to vaccination compliance

Rahway, NJ, July 20, 2026 – Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today announced the publication of results from a recent global survey of cat owners and veterinarians aimed at uncovering key drivers, barriers and unmet needs affecting feline vaccination compliance. The study, “Drivers, Barriers, and Unmet Needs affecting Feline Vaccination Compliance: Insights from a Global Survey of Cat Owners and Veterinarians,” was presented at the 2026 World Feline Congress 2026 June 26-28, 2026 and published in the journal Veterinary Sciences.

The study found that cat owners and veterinarians have differing perspectives when it comes to the role of vaccination, with 16% of owners citing vaccination as a key contributor to feline health compared to 69% of veterinarians. It also revealed significant educational gaps exist regarding the importance of vaccination, with 58% of cat owners relying on veterinarians for vaccine information, but only 23% of veterinarians actively sharing educational materials on vaccination importance. Veterinarian recommendations (71%) were seen as a top driver to vaccination. This demonstrates that owners seek additional information on the benefits of vaccination, and rely on their veterinarians as a trusted source.

“Our study shows a clear opportunity to improve compliance,” said Melissa Bourgeois, DVM, PhD, DAC, Global Technical Director, Companion Animal Biologics, Merck Animal Health. “Cat owners trust veterinarians for vaccine information, and veterinarians are well placed to remove barriers, fill knowledge gaps, and increase vaccination rates.”

Key Findings

• Veterinarians cite vaccination at a higher rate than cat owners as a key contributor to feline health.

When asked to unaidedly identify three key contributors to maintaining feline health, the most frequent response among cat owners was a high-quality diet (94%). Checkups at the veterinarian (39%), affection (35%) and playtime (17%) were all cited ahead of vaccination (16%). Meanwhile, vaccination and feeding a high-quality diet tied for the top response among veterinarians at 69% each.

• Veterinarian recommendations are a leading driver in the decision to vaccinate.

For owners of vaccinated cats, the leading factors influencing their decision to vaccinate were a desire to maintain their cat’s health (62%) and their veterinarian’s recommendation (57%). 71% of veterinarians reported that their recommendation was a top driver for an owner to vaccinate their cat.

• Educational gaps and misconceptions are a top driver of pet owners’ decision not to vaccinate.

Owners who elected not to vaccinate their cats primarily cited beliefs that vaccines were unnecessary for healthy cats (27%) or indoor cats (27%). This aligned with veterinarians’ perceptions of barriers to vaccination including lack of client understanding (53%) and vaccine misinformation (51%).

• Most cat owners want vaccine information from veterinarians or veterinary practice websites, but few veterinarians report sharing materials on the importance of vaccination for cats.

58% of cat owners cited their veterinarian as their primary source of vaccine information. Contrastingly, only 23% of veterinarians report sharing educational materials on the importance of vaccination with cat owners.

These key findings underscore the opportunity for veterinarians to influence vaccination decisions through client education and communication.