Kitten Vaccine Schedule
When do kittens get their shots? Under the 2020 AAHA/AAFP feline vaccination guidelines, the core FVRCP vaccine (panleukopenia, herpesvirus and calicivirus) starts at 6 weeks or older and repeats every 3–4 weeks until 16–20 weeks, with a booster at 6 months and then every 3 years. FeLV is core for kittens under a year: test first, then two doses 3–4 weeks apart from 8 weeks. Rabies follows the vaccine label and local law. This one-page schedule puts it all in a table, adds what’s normal after a shot, and gives you a vaccine log.
Fillable · bilingual EN/ES · vet-sourced, not a scanned template.
Got the free sheet? The full version → New Kitten Planner $4.97 What's inside
- The FVRCP, rabies and FeLV schedule from the 2020 AAHA/AAFP guidelines
- Why indoor cats need FVRCP too
- What’s normal after a shot, what’s an emergency, and the 3-2-1 lump rule
- A fillable vaccine log
How to use it
- Bring the sheet to your kitten’s first vet visit and ask which vaccines your vet plans.
- Write each shot in the log with the next due date.
- Watch your kitten for a day after each shot and note anything unusual.
- Check any lump at the injection site against the 3-2-1 rule.
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- Does an indoor cat need vaccines?
- Yes. Cornell explains that the panleukopenia virus can survive indoors for up to a year, which is why FVRCP is recommended for every cat.
- Why does my kitten need so many shots?
- Antibodies from the mother can block vaccines unpredictably, so the AAHA/AAFP guidelines use a series every 3–4 weeks until 16–20 weeks to make sure one dose takes.
- Is the 1-year booster still standard?
- The 2020 AAHA/AAFP guidelines moved the first FVRCP booster to 6 months rather than 1 year, then every 3 years. Your vet decides the exact plan.
- Is a lump after a vaccine normal?
- A small lump that shrinks within 14 days is common, according to VCA. The AAHA/AAFP “3-2-1” rule says to have it checked if it is still there 3 months later, is bigger than 2 cm, or is growing a month after the shot.
Free educational printable. Not veterinary advice, and not a substitute for your vet's official records or an emergency call. Full disclaimer → · Leer en español →