Cat Vaccinations
Recommended Vaccines to Protect Your Cat

Cat vaccinations provide 'active immunity' to your kitten or cat. As many infectious cat diseases are fatal to kittens (and adult cats) it is preferable that they receive feline vaccinations.

Kittens receive 'passive immunity' from their mother's colostrum or 'first milk'. This immunity is short-lived and disappears after about 12 weeks.

A kitten can also obtain 'active immunity' if it contracts and survives the disease.

cat vaccines schedule

This is a guide - your veterinarian will provide you with the ideal course of treatment based on your cat's health, risk profile and country you live in.

essential cat vaccinations

Vaccine	Kitten Age	Booster
Feline Panleucopenia Virus* (aka Feline Infectious Enteritis, Feline Distemper vaccine or Feline Parvovirus)	First vaccine at 8 weeks. 2nd vaccine at 12 weeks 3rd vaccine at 16 weeks Can start at 6 weeks with 3- 4 week intervals until kitten is 16 weeks old	1st Booster 1 year after the last dose of the initial series and every 3 years thereafter
*Feline Herpes Virus (aka Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis aka Cat Influenza or Cat Flu	First vaccine at 8 weeks. 2nd vaccine at 12 weeks 3rd vaccine at 16 weeks Can start at 6 weeks with 3- 4 week intervals until kitten is 16 weeks old	1st Booster 1 year after the last dose of the initial series and every 3 years thereafter
*Feline Calicivirus (FCV)	First vaccine at 8 weeks. 2nd vaccine at 12 weeks 3rd vaccine at 16 weeks Can start at 6 weeks with 3- 4 week intervals until kitten is 16 weeks old	1st Booster 1 year after the last dose of the initial series and every 3 years thereafter
Cat Rabies Vaccine	Regime varies. 1st vaccine at 8 weeks and then at 1 year. or 1st vaccine at 12 weeks; repeat at 1 month and again at 9 months	Annual boosters are essential. Law in certain countries.

* These essential cat vaccinations are usually combined.

non-essential cat vaccinations

These vaccines are recommended for high risk cats.

Vaccine	Kitten Age	Booster
Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) - feline leukemia vaccine	1st feline leukemia vaccine is to be administered at 8 weeks and the 2nd vaccine 3 -4 weeks later	Annual booster is recommended for multi-cat households and cats in catteries
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)	First vaccine at 8 weeks. 2nd vaccine at 11 weeks 3rd vaccine at 14 weeks	Annual booster is recommended for multi-cat households and cats in catteries
Feline Chlamydophila	1st vaccine is to be administered at 8 weeks and the 2nd vaccine 3-4 weeks later	Annual booster is recommended for multi-cat households and cats in catteries.
Bordetella Bronchiseptica	1st vaccine is to be administered at 16 weeks and the 2nd vaccine 3-4 weeks later	Annual booster is recommended for multi-cat households and cats in catteries.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)	1st vaccine is to be administered at 16 weeks and the 2nd vaccine 4 weeks later	Annual booster is recommended for multi-cat households and cats in catteries. There is some doubt about the efficacy of the FIP vaccine.
Giardia	1st vaccine is to be administered at 8 weeks and the 2nd vaccine 2-4 weeks later	Annual booster is recommended for multi-cat households and cats in catteries.