Cat Vaccination Schedule: What Your Kitten and Adult Cat Needs

Vaccination is the single most effective way to protect your cat from life-threatening infectious diseases. While outdoor cats face higher exposure, indoor cats are not risk-free — viruses can travel on shoes, clothing, and even through open windows where infected cats may linger.

Core vaccines protect against diseases that are widespread, severe, and often fatal. Non-core vaccines are recommended based on your cat's lifestyle, geography, and risk factors. Your vet will tailor the schedule, but every cat should receive the core set.

"I've seen owners skip vaccines for indoor cats, then lose them to panleukopenia brought in on a visitor's shoe. Core vaccines are non-negotiable — indoor or outdoor." — Dr. Sarah Chen, DVM

If you're bringing a new kitten home, our kitten checklist covers everything else you need to prepare.

These vaccines are recommended for every cat, regardless of lifestyle:

FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia)

• Rhinotracheitis (FHV-1) — feline herpesvirus causing upper respiratory infection. Lifelong carrier status once infected
• Calicivirus (FCV) — causes oral ulcers, respiratory disease, and occasionally severe systemic illness
• Panleukopenia (FPV) — "feline distemper." Highly contagious, up to 90% fatal in kittens. The virus survives in the environment for over a year

FVRCP is given as a combination injection — one needle covers all three.

Rabies

• Required by law in many regions (including most US states)
• 100% fatal once symptoms appear — in cats and humans
• Even indoor cats should be vaccinated: bats can enter homes, and escape is always possible

Kittens receive maternal antibodies through their mother's milk, but this protection fades between 6–16 weeks. Vaccines are given in a series to ensure protection kicks in as maternal immunity wanes.

Recommended Schedule

• 6–8 weeks — First FVRCP
• 10–12 weeks — Second FVRCP + FeLV (if at risk)
• 14–16 weeks — Third FVRCP + Rabies (first dose)

Important: Do not take your kitten to public places or introduce them to unknown cats until 2 weeks after their final FVRCP booster. Before that point, they are not fully protected.

For a month-by-month guide to everything happening in your kitten's first year, see our first year development guide — we're working on the feline version too.

After the kitten series, your cat needs periodic boosters to maintain immunity:

• 1 year after kitten series — FVRCP booster + Rabies booster
• Every 3 years — FVRCP booster (some vets use annual depending on formulation)
• Every 1–3 years — Rabies (depends on vaccine type: 1-year vs 3-year formulation)

Non-Core Vaccines (As Needed)

• FeLV (Feline Leukaemia Virus) — recommended for outdoor cats, multi-cat households, and cats with FeLV-positive housemates. Annual booster
• FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) — availability varies by region; discuss with your vet
• Bordetella — for cats in boarding or shelter environments
• Chlamydophila felis — for multi-cat households with known exposure

Not sure when your cat's next check-up is due? Our vet visit frequency guide has a schedule for every life stage.

Most cats tolerate vaccines well, but mild side effects are common in the first 24–48 hours:

Normal (No Vet Needed)

• Mild lethargy or reduced appetite for 1–2 days
• Slight swelling at the injection site
• Low-grade fever
• Sneezing after intranasal vaccines

Seek Veterinary Attention If

• Facial swelling, hives, or difficulty breathing (allergic reaction — emergency)
• Vomiting or diarrhoea lasting more than 24 hours
• A lump at the injection site that persists beyond 3 weeks or grows larger than 2 cm
• Severe lethargy lasting more than 48 hours

Injection-site sarcomas are a rare but serious concern in cats. Modern vaccine protocols use specific injection sites (e.g. lower limbs rather than between shoulder blades) to minimise risk and allow surgical removal if needed.