Kitten Vaccination Schedule: A First-Year Guide
Your kitten is home — when do vaccines start? Combination, rabies and leukemia vaccines, parasite treatments and the full first-year timeline.
Bulut Veterinary Clinic Medical Team
Reviewed by Mücahid Çiftçioğlu, DVM
In their first weeks, kittens are protected by antibodies from their mother's milk. That protection starts fading around weeks 6–8 — and the vaccination schedule exists precisely to close that gap. Started on time, vaccines protect your kitten from severe diseases like feline panleukopenia and upper respiratory infections.
A typical first-year timeline
- Weeks 6–8: General exam, deworming, stool check
- Weeks 8–9: 1st combination vaccine (FVRCP: panleukopenia + herpes + calici)
- Week 12: 2nd combination vaccine + first FeLV (leukemia) dose if needed
- Weeks 12–16: Rabies vaccine
- Week 16: Combination booster (per your vet's plan)
- Around month 6: Spay/neuter timing assessment
- 1 year: Annual boosters and a full check-up
Why the schedule differs from kitten to kitten
Weaning age, background (street rescue, shelter, home), contact with other animals and overall health all shape the program. Outdoor cats or multi-cat households make the leukemia (FeLV) vaccine more important; for a single indoor cat your vet may simplify the plan.
That's why no online schedule — including this one — replaces an exam. At the first visit we create a written schedule specific to your kitten, then remind you before every due date.
Before and after each vaccine
Vaccines are given to healthy animals; if there's diarrhea, poor appetite or sneezing, we treat that first. Deworming before vaccination strengthens the immune response. Mild tiredness and reduced appetite in the first 24 hours is normal; call us immediately if you see vomiting, facial swelling or breathing trouble.
Frequently asked questions
I adopted a kitten from the street — where do I start?
Start with an exam: a general health check, parasite screening and, if appropriate, FeLV/FIV testing. Vaccines begin only once the kitten is healthy — usually a week to ten days after the first visit.
What does the combination vaccine cover?
The standard feline combination (FVRCP) protects against panleukopenia (feline distemper), herpesvirus and calicivirus. Depending on lifestyle, the leukemia (FeLV) vaccine may be added.
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Let's build your kitten's vaccine schedule together — just message us on WhatsApp.
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for a veterinary examination. Always consult your veterinarian about decisions concerning your pet's health.