Kitten vaccine schedule: which shots your kitten needs and when

Your kitten’s first vaccines protect against diseases that are common, spread easily and can kill young kittens. The schedule below follows the 2020 AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines, the standard most US vets use. Your vet may adjust it for your kitten’s age, health and lifestyle.

What is the kitten vaccine schedule?

A kitten vaccine schedule is a series of shots spaced 3 to 4 weeks apart, starting at 6 to 8 weeks old. Kittens need several doses because antibodies from their mother’s milk can block a vaccine from working. Those maternal antibodies fade at different ages in different kittens, so repeat doses make sure at least one takes hold.

The exact number of FVRCP doses depends on when your kitten starts. A kitten who starts at 6 weeks may get four or five doses before 16 to 20 weeks. The key rule is that the last kitten dose is given at 16 weeks or older.

If you adopt a kitten over 16 weeks, or an adult cat with no vaccine history, they usually need two FVRCP doses 3 to 4 weeks apart, plus rabies and FeLV as needed.

Your kitten isn’t fully protected until about 1 to 2 weeks after the final kitten dose, so keep them away from unknown cats until then.

What does the FVRCP vaccine protect against?

FVRCP is a combination vaccine. The letters stand for the three diseases it covers:

• FVR (feline viral rhinotracheitis): Caused by feline herpesvirus. It’s a major cause of cat flu, with sneezing, eye infections and fever.
• C (calicivirus): Another common cause of cat flu, often with painful mouth ulcers.
• P (panleukopenia): Also called feline distemper. It causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and is often fatal in kittens. The virus can survive in the environment for months.

The vaccine doesn’t always stop herpesvirus and calicivirus infections, but it makes illness much milder. It protects very well against panleukopenia. For more on the respiratory viruses, see our guide to cat upper respiratory infection.

Which vaccines are core and which are optional?

The AAHA/AAFP guidelines split vaccines into core vaccines, which every cat should get, and non-core vaccines, which depend on your cat’s lifestyle.

FeLV spreads through saliva, grooming and bites. The guidelines make it core for all kittens because a kitten’s future lifestyle is hard to predict, and young cats are most vulnerable to infection. Your vet will usually test your kitten for FeLV and FIV before giving the first FeLV vaccine.

After the first year, your vet will talk with you about whether your cat still needs FeLV. Cats with regular exposure to FeLV-positive cats are usually revaccinated every year, and lower-risk cats every 2 to 3 years or not at all.

When do kittens get the rabies vaccine?

Most kittens get a rabies vaccine once, between about 12 and 16 weeks of age. The earliest age depends on the vaccine product and your state or local laws. A booster is given one year later.

After that, adult cats get rabies booster shots every 1 or 3 years, depending on the product your vet uses and local law. Rabies is fatal once signs appear and can spread to people, which is why it’s core even for indoor cats. Bats can get into homes, and a cat that’s unvaccinated at the time of a bite can face long quarantine or worse.

How often does my cat need booster shots?

Booster shots keep your cat’s immunity up after the kitten series. Guidelines now recommend an extra FVRCP booster at 6 months of age, rather than waiting until 1 year. Studies suggest up to a third of kittens may not respond to the dose given at 16 weeks, and the 6-month booster closes that gap.

After the 6-month dose, most adult cats need:

• FVRCP: Every 3 years for the injectable vaccine. The intranasal (nose drop) version is usually given every year.
• Rabies: Every 1 or 3 years, as required by law and the product label.
• FeLV: Every 1 to 3 years for cats at risk, based on your vet’s advice.

An annual checkup is still worth keeping, even in years without a vaccine due. It lets your vet check weight, teeth and early signs of illness.

Are kitten vaccines safe, and what side effects are normal?

For most cats, the benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risks. Serious reactions are rare.

The lump rule is known as “3-2-1”. It exists because, very rarely, a cancer called an injection-site sarcoma can develop where a shot was given. To make any lump easier to treat, vets now give vaccines low on the legs or in the tail, and record where each one went.

Soreness after shots usually passes on its own, and the bigger risk is treating it from your own medicine cabinet. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) and ibuprofen can poison a kitten, so call your vet if your kitten seems uncomfortable. If you’re worried about a reaction, our symptom check can help you decide how quickly to act.

How much do kitten vaccines cost?

Prices vary by region and clinic. Many clinics offer kitten packages that bundle the exam, vaccines, deworming and FeLV/FIV testing.

Shelters and low-cost clinics often charge less. For a breakdown of exam fees, see how much a cat vet visit costs. For more guides on raising a healthy cat, browse our cat care guides.

Written by the CatsMed Team from the sources above. This guide isn’t reviewed by a veterinarian and isn’t a substitute for one. See how we research.