Cat Vaccine Schedule

This free cat vaccine schedule turns the standard guidelines into a tool: enter your cat’s age and lifestyle to see which core and non-core vaccines are due now and next, follow the full kitten-to-adult timeline, work out your next booster date, and estimate the price.

Built on AAHA / AAFP / WSAVA core-vs-non-core guidance. Core vaccines are FVRCP and rabies (FeLV is core for kittens); non-core shots depend on lifestyle. This is an educational schedule, not a substitute for your vet — and rabies timing is set by local law.

Enter age and lifestyle to see which shots are due now and what’s coming next.

Cat’s age

Unit

Lifestyle

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vaccination stage

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Due now

This visit

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Coming up

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Lifestyle

Risk level

Enter your kitten’s age in weeks to see which shot is due and what comes next.

Kitten’s age (weeks)

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due at this age

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Next visit

Upcoming

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Age

Entered

3 / 2 / 1

FVRCP/FeLV/Rabies

Kitten doses

Pick a vaccine to see what it protects against and whether it’s core or non-core.

Vaccine

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Enter the last vaccination date and the interval to get the next due date.

Last vaccinated

Interval

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next booster due

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Last dose

Entered

—

Interval

Chosen

—

Time

To due date

Tick what you need for a rough US price estimate.

Vet exam / office visit
FVRCP vaccine
Rabies vaccine
FeLV vaccine
FeLV/FIV blood test

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estimated total (US)

—

Selected

Line items

—

Midpoint

Typical

Varies

By region

& clinic

The Cat Vaccine Schedule, by Age

A cat vaccine schedule starts when kittens are 6 to 8 weeks old and runs on two tiers: core vaccines for every cat (FVRCP and rabies, with FeLV core for kittens) and non-core / lifestyle vaccines based on risk. Kittens get FVRCP every 3 to 4 weeks until about 16 to 20 weeks, a rabies shot at 12 to 16 weeks, and a 2-dose FeLV series. Every cat then gets a 1-year booster, after which FVRCP is usually boosted every 3 years and rabies every 1 to 3 years depending on the vaccine and local law. Use the planner above for a timeline tailored to your cat’s age and whether it lives indoors or goes outside.

Age	Core vaccines due	Non-core (lifestyle)
6–8 weeks	1st FVRCP	FeLV test; start FeLV series
10–12 weeks	2nd FVRCP	1st FeLV
14–16 weeks	Final FVRCP + 1st Rabies	2nd FeLV
1 year	FVRCP + Rabies booster	FeLV booster (if at risk)
Adult, indoor	FVRCP every 3 yrs; Rabies per law	FeLV usually optional
Adult, outdoor	FVRCP every 3 yrs; Rabies per law	FeLV yearly
Senior / high-risk	As advised (sometimes yearly)	Per vet & exposure

Core = FVRCP + Rabies (+ FeLV for kittens). Everything else is given by lifestyle and risk. Even for an indoor cat, a current rabies certificate is often legally required.

What Is the 4-in-1 Vaccine for Cats?

The standard combination shot is the FVRCP “3-in-1”, which covers feline viral rhinotracheitis (herpesvirus-1), calicivirus and panleukopenia (feline distemper). A “4-in-1” adds a fourth component — most often Chlamydophila felis (a cause of conjunctivitis), making it FVRCP-C, though in some regions or brands the fourth element is FeLV. Which combination your cat needs depends on its lifestyle and local disease risk, so check the label and ask your vet what the shot actually contains.

What Is the 3/2/1 Rule for Cat Vaccines?

The “3/2/1” idea is a simple way people describe the typical kitten series: about 3 FVRCP doses (every 3–4 weeks from 6–8 weeks to 16+ weeks), 2 FeLV doses (a two-shot series after a FeLV/FIV test), and 1 rabies dose (a single shot at 12–16 weeks). It isn’t a formal name used by AAHA or WSAVA, but it’s a handy memory aid for what a kitten usually receives before the all-important 1-year booster. Your vet may adjust the exact number of doses based on your kitten’s age at the first visit.

How Often Do Cats Need Vaccinations?

After the kitten series and the 1-year booster, adult cats are boosted on a spread-out schedule. FVRCP is typically every 3 years for low-risk indoor cats (some vets advise yearly for higher-risk or senior cats), rabies is every 1 or 3 years depending on which vaccine is used and what your local law requires, and FeLV is yearly for outdoor or multi-cat households (often dropped for strictly indoor adults). Your cat should still have a yearly wellness exam even in years when no vaccine is due — the visit catches problems early, whether or not a shot is given.

Do Cats Need Yearly Vaccinations?

Not usually for the core shots. Modern guidelines moved away from automatic annual vaccination: after the 1-year booster, FVRCP protection commonly lasts about 3 years, and many rabies vaccines are licensed for 3 years. So a healthy low-risk cat often needs core boosters only every 3 years, not every year. The exceptions are lifestyle vaccines like FeLV for cats that go outside (yearly), higher-risk or senior cats your vet may keep on a shorter cycle, and rabies where annual boosters are legally required. An annual check-up is still recommended regardless.

Do Indoor Cats Need Vaccines?

Yes — just fewer of them. Even a strictly indoor cat should have the core FVRCP and rabies vaccines: panleukopenia is tough and can be carried in on shoes or clothing, cats escape or need boarding, and a valid rabies certificate is frequently required by law even for indoor-only cats. What indoor cats usually don’t need after kittenhood is the FeLV vaccine, since feline leukemia spreads through close contact with infected cats. Many vets also stretch the core boosters to the longest safe interval for low-risk indoor cats to avoid over-vaccinating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 4-in-1 vaccine for cats?

The usual combination shot is FVRCP, a 3-in-1 covering feline herpesvirus-1 (rhinotracheitis), calicivirus and panleukopenia. A 4-in-1 adds a fourth component — most often Chlamydophila felis, sometimes FeLV. Check the label and ask your vet which version your cat is getting.

What is the 3/2/1 rule for cat vaccines?

It’s an informal way to remember the kitten series: roughly 3 FVRCP doses (every 3–4 weeks to 16+ weeks), 2 FeLV doses, and 1 rabies dose at 12–16 weeks, followed by a 1-year booster. It isn’t a formal AAHA/WSAVA term, and your vet may adjust the doses.

How often do cats need vaccinations?

After the 1-year booster, FVRCP is usually every 3 years, rabies every 1 to 3 years depending on the vaccine and local law, and FeLV yearly for outdoor or multi-cat cats. A yearly wellness exam is still recommended even when no shot is due.

Do cats need yearly vaccinations?

Not usually for core vaccines — modern guidelines favour every-3-year FVRCP and rabies boosters for low-risk cats. Yearly shots mainly apply to lifestyle vaccines like FeLV for outdoor cats, higher-risk or senior cats, or where annual rabies is legally required.

Do indoor cats need vaccines?

Yes, but fewer. Indoor cats still need core FVRCP and rabies (rabies is often legally required and panleukopenia can be carried indoors), but usually don’t need FeLV after kittenhood. Many vets also use the longest safe booster interval for low-risk indoor cats.

What vaccines do kittens need and when?

Core kitten vaccines are FVRCP starting at 6–8 weeks and repeated every 3–4 weeks until about 16–20 weeks, a single rabies dose at 12–16 weeks, and a 2-dose FeLV series after a FeLV/FIV test. All are boosted at 1 year.

How much do cat vaccines cost?

In the US, individual vaccines often run about $20–50 each, plus a $45–70 exam fee; a first kitten visit with exam, shots and a FeLV/FIV test may be $100–200. Low-cost clinics, shelters and SPCA events are usually much cheaper. Use the price estimator above and call local clinics.

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PetCalculatorHub Editorial Team

This schedule reflects widely published feline vaccination guidance from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA): a kitten FVRCP series from 6–8 weeks every 3–4 weeks to 16–20 weeks, a rabies dose at 12–16 weeks, a 2-dose FeLV series, a 1-year booster, and adult boosters roughly every 3 years for FVRCP and every 1–3 years for rabies. Core vaccines are FVRCP and rabies (FeLV is core for kittens); other vaccines are given by lifestyle and risk. This is general educational information, not veterinary advice — your veterinarian sets your cat’s plan, and rabies requirements are governed by local law.

For official protocols, see the AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines and the AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines.

Last updated: October 2026