Does my HDB cat have to be sterilised?

No. Sterilisation is not a condition of keeping a cat in an HDB flat. It does lower the licence fee, and AVS encourages it for your cat’s health. The surgery is a vet’s fee, not an AVS fee.

Are vaccination prices the same at every clinic?

No. Clinics use different products and bundle the consultation differently. It helps to ask what the visit includes and which diseases the vaccine covers, since a lower price may not include the examination.

Does a Singapore pet need a rabies vaccine every year?

Not for everyday life in Singapore. Rabies vaccination matters for travel, including to Malaysia. If a trip is possible, ask your vet well before you book, because AVS’s timing for the return is strict.

Sterilisation and vaccinations for dogs and cats in Singapore

By PetBuddy.sg TeamPublished 3 October 2026

Veterinarian talking with a pet owner and a dog during a consultation

Surgery dates and vaccine brands differ by clinic. A quick chat with your vet is the best place to start.

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Planning your pet’s sterilisation and vaccinations in Singapore? This guide gives general background so you can have a good conversation with your vet. It is not a vaccine schedule or a surgery quote. Your vet will choose the products and timing for your pet.

Sterilisation is encouraged, not required

AVS does not require every pet to be sterilised. It does make the licence much cheaper once your pet is, including a one-time licence for life. The current prices are on the AVS licence fees page. HDB’s two-cat and one-dog limits do not add a separate sterilisation rule.

If cost is a worry, AVS runs the Pet Cat Sterilisation Support programme with the Cat Welfare Society. It covers sterilisation and microchipping for pet cats in households on financial assistance, with a Blue CHAS card, or in a public rental flat. Slots are limited each month.

Ask what the surgery fee includes: anaesthesia, pain relief, a cone or recovery suit, and the follow-up visit.
Ask whether a pre-anaesthetic blood test is recommended, and what happens if a result is abnormal.
Ask for a sterilisation certificate or vet letter. PALS uses it for the sterilised licence rate.
Ask when to stop food beforehand, and who to call if you are worried after you get home.

Vaccinations for a pet that stays in Singapore

Singapore is free of rabies, so a pet that never travels is not usually on a routine rabies schedule. Clinics still vaccinate against diseases that do occur here. For dogs, the core vaccines commonly cover distemper, adenovirus (hepatitis) and parvovirus, often with parainfluenza, leptospirosis or kennel cough. For cats, the core vaccine commonly covers feline herpesvirus, calicivirus and panleukopenia. The brand, booster timing and whether a titre test helps are your vet’s call.

Bring any vaccination card you already have, including one from a shelter, so your clinic can see the dates. If you plan to board your pet, ask the boarder which vaccines they need and by when. That is their booking rule, which can be stricter than the legal minimum.

When rabies vaccination comes in

Rabies vaccination, blood tests and waiting periods matter when your pet travels. AVS’s import rules for pets coming from most countries need a rabies vaccine and a blood test taken at least 90 days before travel. So if a trip is on the horizon, talk to your vet early rather than starting a rabies course on your own. Our travel articles explain more.