Kitten Vaccination Schedule

  • Author

    Author
  • Vaccinations are a way of preventing disease by introducing a weakened or killed form of the disease-causing organism. This stimulates an immune response which helps prevent the animal (or human) from developing the full-blown disease should it be exposed to the pathogen in the future. The most common vaccination in the cat is known as F3 or FCRVP; this is commonly referred to as F3 and is a core vaccine.

    Kitten vaccination schedule

    Maternally derived antibodies (MDA) can affect the effectiveness of vaccines which is why your kitten will require a series of THREE shots instead of just the one. Vaccinations in kittens should commence between 6 – 8 weeks of age.

    Core vaccines

    F3 core vaccination schedule for kittens

    Non-core vaccines

    Non-core vaccinations for kittens

    Non-core kitten vaccinations

    Core vaccinations

    The F3 core vaccination covers the following diseases:

    The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicine (APVMA) website list the F3 vaccine as a core vaccination. The diseases it covers are endemic worldwide, and all cats must receive this vaccine.

    What vaccinations does my kitten need?

    At the very least, your kitten needs the F3 vaccination, listed above. State and government requirements may also require you to have your cat vaccinated for rabies if you live in certain countries such as the United States of America.

    Non-core vaccines

    There are also non-core vaccinations that may be recommended depending on the circumstances (such as if the cat is a breeding cat, is it indoors only or allowed outside too) and location.

    The APVMA list non-core vaccinations as:

    Other vaccines may include rabies and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Rabies is a core vaccine in countries such as the United States of America. Always check with your local veterinarian as to what vaccinations they recommend.

    The F4 vaccine includes the addition of Chlamydophila psittaci, and the F5 vaccine includes Feline Leukemia. There are side effects associated with a small percentage of cats who receive the F4 vaccine including lethargy, lameness, depression, anorexia, fever and therefore it is only recommended for high-risk situations.

    Boosters

    Annual boosters are the subject of much heated debate. Many believe it is not necessary to vaccinate every year, and in fact, this can put the cat at risk of vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS).

    They recommend an annual booster of the F3 vaccine at 12 months and then no more frequently than every three years for low-risk cats. The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) updated their policy and guidelines on cats which states that…

    “The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) believes that in most cases, core vaccines need not be administered any more frequently than triennially and that even less frequent vaccination may be considered appropriate if an individual animal’s circumstances warrant it. However, local factors may dictate more frequent vaccination scheduling.”

    If you are uncomfortable with the idea of tri-annual vaccinations, you can request your vet perform a titer test on your cat to see if he still has protective antibodies against the pathogens that vaccinations protect against. The cost of a titer test is similar to that of vaccination.

    If you do decide to go with tri-annual vaccinations, your cat will still need an annual check-up.

    Your veterinarian is always the best person to speak to when it comes to the frequency and type of vaccinations your cat should have.

    Kitten vaccination schedule

    Author

    • Julia Wilson, 'Cat World' Founder

      Julia Wilson is the founder of Cat-World, and has researched and written over 1,000 articles about cats. She is a cat expert with over 20 years of experience writing about a wide range of cat topics, with a special interest in cat health, welfare and preventative care. Julia lives in Sydney with her family, four cats and two dogs. Full author bio