Most kittens start FVRCP vaccines at 6 to 8 weeks of age and get a booster every 3 to 4 weeks until they are at least 16 to 20 weeks old, plus rabies and a two-dose FeLV series. A booster follows at 6 months or 1 year, and after that most low-risk adult cats get FVRCP every 3 years, with rabies given on the schedule your local law and the vaccine label require. Indoor cats still need the core vaccines.
This guide follows the 2020 AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines and WSAVA guidance. Your vet may adjust the plan based on your cat's health, history and lifestyle, and that adjustment is the point: vaccination is meant to fit the individual cat.
The short answer
- Kittens: FVRCP from 6 to 8 weeks, repeated every 3 to 4 weeks until at least 16 weeks (WSAVA suggests 16 weeks or older; some vets continue to 18 to 20 weeks).
- First booster: FVRCP at 6 months or at about 1 year, depending on your vet's approach.
- Adults: FVRCP about every 3 years for most low-risk cats.
- Rabies: one dose around 12 to 16 weeks, a booster a year later, then every 1 or 3 years depending on the product and local law.
- FeLV: recommended for all kittens (two doses 3 to 4 weeks apart), with a booster a year later. Adult boosters depend on risk.
- Indoor cats: still need FVRCP and rabies. Non-core vaccines are chosen by lifestyle.
What is the cat vaccination schedule by age?
The table below shows a typical kitten shots schedule and adult booster plan. Exact timing varies by clinic, vaccine brand and when your kitten first comes in.
| Age | Vaccine | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 to 8 weeks | FVRCP (dose 1) | First of the kitten series. Often combined with a first exam and deworming. |
| 9 to 12 weeks | FVRCP (dose 2), FeLV (dose 1) | FeLV can start as early as 8 weeks. A FeLV test is often done first. |
| 12 to 16 weeks | FVRCP (dose 3), FeLV (dose 2), rabies | Rabies timing follows the product label and local law, often 12 to 16 weeks. |
| 16 to 20 weeks | FVRCP (final kitten dose) | The last kitten dose should be given at 16 weeks or later. |
| 6 months | FVRCP booster (if your vet uses it) | Helps protect kittens whose maternal antibodies interfered with earlier doses. |
| 1 year | FVRCP, rabies, FeLV boosters | One year after the kitten series. |
| Every 3 years | FVRCP | Typical for low-risk adults. Some vets prefer a different interval. |
| Every 1 or 3 years | Rabies | Depends on the vaccine used and local regulations. |
| Every 1 to 2 years | FeLV (at-risk adults only) | Cats who go outdoors or live with FeLV-positive cats. |
Why so many kitten doses? Antibodies from the mother can block a vaccine from working, and they fade at different times in different kittens. Repeating the vaccine until 16 weeks or later makes it much more likely that at least one dose lands after those antibodies have gone. The same logic applies to dogs, which is why the puppy vaccination schedule looks similar.
If you are adopting an adult cat with no known history, most vets give two FVRCP doses 3 to 4 weeks apart, then follow the adult schedule.
What vaccines do cats need: core vs non-core?
Core vaccines are recommended for every cat, regardless of where they live:
- FVRCP, a combination vaccine covering feline viral rhinotracheitis (feline herpesvirus), calicivirus and panleukopenia (feline distemper). Panleukopenia is severe and often fatal in kittens. Herpesvirus and calicivirus cause most cat upper respiratory infections.
- Rabies, which is core in the AAHA/AAFP guidelines and required by law in many places. Rabies is fatal and can spread to people.
- FeLV for kittens and cats under 1 year. The AAHA/AAFP guidelines treat feline leukemia virus vaccination as core for young cats, because their future lifestyle is hard to predict and young cats are more susceptible.
Non-core vaccines depend on lifestyle and local risk. Your vet may suggest:
- FeLV boosters for adults who go outside, live with FeLV-positive cats or meet unfamiliar cats.
- Bordetella or Chlamydia felis, sometimes considered for cats in shelters, catteries or multi-cat homes with known problems.
Some vaccines are generally not recommended in current guidelines, such as the FIP vaccine. Ask your vet why a non-core vaccine is or is not right for your cat.
Never miss a booster. Add your cat's vaccines to PetVitals and get a reminder before each one is due. Download on the App Store · Get it on Google PlayRead nextDiabetes in Cats and Dogs: Symptoms, Early Signs and When to Worry
Do indoor cats need vaccines?
Yes. Indoor cats still need core vaccines. Panleukopenia virus is very hardy and can be carried indoors on shoes, clothing and hands. Cats slip out through open doors, bats occasionally get into homes, and indoor cats still visit the vet, groomers and boarding facilities, where they meet other animals.
What changes for indoor cats is usually the non-core list. A strictly indoor adult cat with no contact with other cats may not need FeLV boosters after the first-year booster, and your vet may space FVRCP at 3 years. Rabies still follows local law, which typically does not make an exception for indoor cats.
Vaccines are only one part of indoor cat care. Parasites can also come indoors, so it is worth checking how often to deworm a cat alongside the vaccine plan.
What are the side effects of cat vaccines, and when should you call the vet?
Most cats have no reaction or a mild one. Common, usually short-lived effects include:
- Sleepiness or a quieter mood for a day or so
- Mild fever or reduced appetite
- Soreness or a small swelling at the injection site
- Mild sneezing after an intranasal vaccine
Call your vet promptly if you notice:
- Vomiting, diarrhea, facial swelling, hives or trouble breathing, which can signal an allergic reaction and need urgent care
- Collapse or extreme weakness
- Lethargy or poor appetite lasting more than a day or two
- A lump at the injection site that is still there 3 months later, is larger than 2 cm, or keeps growing 1 month after vaccination
That last point reflects the "3-2-1" rule vets use to monitor injection-site lumps. Many clinics give each vaccine in a standard location, often low on a leg, and note it in the record. If you are unsure whether your cat's behavior is normal after a visit, the guide to signs your cat is sick can help you decide.
What if a cat booster shot is late?
A late booster is common and usually fixable. For adult cats, a booster that is a few weeks or months overdue is often simply given at the next visit, and the schedule continues from there. If a lot of time has passed, or the vaccine history is unclear, your vet may restart a short series.
Kittens are different. Gaps longer than about 6 weeks between kitten doses may mean your vet adds another dose to complete the series. Rabies has its own rules: if a rabies booster lapses, local law may treat your cat as unvaccinated until a new dose is given. Do not try to work out catch-up timing on your own; call the clinic with your cat's records.
Why do vaccine records matter for travel and boarding?
Boarding facilities, groomers, pet sitters and airlines often ask for proof of vaccination before they accept a cat. Rabies certificates are commonly required for travel between regions or countries, sometimes with specific timing rules for when the vaccine was given relative to the trip. If you move or change vets, a clear record avoids repeating vaccines your cat does not need.
A useful record includes the vaccine name, date given, clinic or vet, and next due date. For rabies, keep the certificate itself as well. Check travel requirements well in advance, since some destinations need weeks or months of preparation.
How to keep track of your cat's vaccines
Paper certificates get lost, and different clinics keep separate records. PetVitals keeps everything in one place on your phone:
- Add each vaccine with its date. Log FVRCP, rabies, FeLV and any non-core vaccines as your cat receives them, including past doses from old paperwork.
- Set the next due date. Enter the date your vet recommends for the next booster, whether that is 3 weeks away for a kitten or 3 years away for an adult.
- Get a reminder before it is due. PetVitals reminds you ahead of time, so you can book the appointment instead of noticing a lapsed booster months later.
- Share a PDF report. Export your cat's vaccination history as a PDF for a new vet, a boarding facility, a pet sitter or travel paperwork.
You can track multiple cats and dogs in the same app, which helps when each pet is on a different schedule.
The bottom line
Kittens need a series of FVRCP doses until at least 16 weeks, plus rabies and FeLV. After a booster at 6 months or 1 year, most low-risk adult cats need FVRCP every 3 years and rabies on the schedule set by the vaccine and local law. Indoor cats still need core vaccines, and your vet will tailor the rest to your cat's life.
PetVitals is free to start. Keep your cat's vaccine records and booster reminders in one place: Download on the App Store · Get it on Google Play